What was clear right from the start in the Reflecting Me study was the universality of concerns.

Here in Australia less than half those surveyed, just 48 per cent, were satisfied with their level of representation on screen. There was also an overwhelming desire for greater representation, with 84 per cent demanding more diversity on screen.

Lack of representation is felt more among certain groups

Sadly, almost a quarter of Australians said they felt poorly represented on screen. Of those, 36 per cent said it was due to race and ethnicity. Among First Nations people who feel poorly represented, that number was 69 per cent and it was higher still among those from an Asian, African, Middle Eastern or Oceanian background (84 per cent).

Sixteen per cent felt their sexual orientation was poorly represented. This climbed to 56 per cent among lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Gender identity was a reason for 9 per cent, but among transgender people it was 46 per cent.

Twenty-six per cent said it was due to their age, but this number was 71 per cent among teens (13-to-17-year-olds) who felt poorly represented.

People are more complex than a checkbox

Importantly, the survey was structured to help provide a nuanced understanding of misrepresentation. Individual lived experiences rarely fit neatly into boxes. For example, 68 per cent of people with a disability who feel poorly represented say it is for a reason other than their disability. They’re just as likely to say it’s due to their race or ethnicity, their sexual orientation, or even their income levels.

Representation can’t be solved with tokenism

While increasing the amount of representation is obviously an important first step, accuracy of representation is crucial.

More than half of poorly represented people believe this must improve, citing errors in accents, income levels or misinformed portrayals of home life.

Appearances matter

While the study covered ethnicity, race and sexual orientation, it also looked at attitudes towards appearance. Women were twice as likely as men to say they felt poorly represented because of their body type. This can have damaging effects, with seven in 10 people who feel poorly represented reporting it makes them feel unimportant, ignored or disappointed, half say it impacts their self-esteem and confidence, and one in three report it has affected their mental or physical health.

Things have gotten worse for the poorly represented

Some may argue things are getting better, but our respondents felt otherwise. Among those who feel poorly represented, more think representation has gotten worse (23 per cent) than better (15 per cent) in the past year. This underscores the importance of accelerating our industry’s actions to improve representation. More needs to be done – by more media owners and brands.

Good representation has the power to create positive change

It’s clear that an industry that prides itself on the ability to connect with Australians is not actually connecting with all Australians. Outside of personal relationships, media representation is the next most important influence in ensuring more positive attitudes towards various groups and communities - even more important than what family and friends think. That is an immense responsibility and a staggeringly important opportunity.  

With that in mind, it’s now time for advertisers to look beyond just linear audience metrics, if we are going to move forward towards a more inclusive tomorrow, action needs to be taken today. Representation, diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability are now some of the most critical points of measurement, which all media outlets should be judged on before advertising campaigns are awarded.

It’s time to raise the conversation and stop rewarding those that lower the bar. Ask yourself, what company do you want your brand to keep?

So what’s next?

Many of us are on a journey. No one has got it right yet. But it’s worth acknowledging good intentions in organisations. I can’t talk to all businesses, but I know many are working hard to make meaningful change. But I also know plenty are talking without any real substance.

I can tell you, at Paramount ANZ we are accelerating our efforts to increase representation. This study heightens the urgency of progress while validating the decisions we have already made.

We are in the second stage of our Reconciliation Action Plan and our global No Diversity, No Commission policy is in its third year. We’re proud of shows on Channel 10 and 10 Play such as MasterChef Australia and The Amazing Race Australia which respectfully portray diverse backgrounds, and shows like The Project and Brooke Blurton’s season of The Bachelorette Australia which deliver perspectives rarely seen on commercial television.

Our recently acquired Paramount+ teen drama More Than This is co-created and written by teen actor Olivia Deeble, with a diverse cast of actual teenagers. As a global content producer that reaches younger Australians, we have a particular responsibility to ensure they are feeling represented.

The study helps us at Paramount ANZ enormously, but it can help all of us throughout the industry.

Please reach out for more details and let’s make sure we don’t just reflect on Reflecting Me – but act on it. And act now.