DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

At AMC Networks being diverse, equitable, and inclusive is more than a business imperative that spurs creativity and drives innovation. It’s at the heart of who we are and what we believe. We think, operate, and create using DEI as a lever for positive change in three critical areas: Our Talent & Workplace, Our Content, and Our Greater Purpose.

Our Talent & Workplace

Telling authentic stories starts from within – by forging a diverse, equitable and inclusive workforce and culture that recognizes, celebrates, and empowers everyone. This means we work to increase our pipeline of underrepresented talent and create more equal pathways for development and advancement. It means we ensure equity in our pay and people practices. And it means we provide everyone with the resources they need to make a positive impact at our company and in society.

51%
of our employees identify as women
45%
of our senior leaders identify as women
28%
of our employees identify as people of color

WHAT WE'RE DOING

  • Learning Together

    Learning Together

    Equipping our employees with the tools and knowledge they need to expand awareness and understand what promoting diversity, equity and inclusion really means is a critical part of what we do. Our employees participate in a variety of online courses and interactive workshops covering topics ranging from building a more equitable workforce, to unconscious bias, to microaggressions and more.

  • Having Crucial Conversations

    Having Crucial Conversations

    Throughout the year we bring together partners and thought leaders for important and eye-opening conversations on current events and advancing DEI for our employees, such as “Challenging the Model Minority Myth” with our AACN (Asian American Culture Network) ERG and “Developing while Black” featuring several Black AMCN executives and storytellers, as well as discussions on the portrayal of disabilities in media, and more.

  • Developing Talent Pipelines

    Developing Talent Pipelines

    We strive to create a pipeline of diverse talent for our workplace and promote and develop opportunities for underrepresented communities by partnering with leading industry organizations including NAMIC, WICT, The Walter Kaitz Foundation, The T. Howard Foundation, Prep for Prep, and more.

  • Fostering Inclusive Communities

    Fostering Inclusive Communities

    We create space for everyone to be true to themselves and celebrate what makes us different through employee driven communities and employee resource groups (ERGs).

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Globally, we have ERGs that form communities through shared interests and experiences around nine areas, including Asian American, Visible & Invisible Disabilities, Emerging Leaders, Parents & Caregivers, LGBTQIA+, Black, Hispanic and Women. Our ERG members are a vital part of everything we do, and create a culture of belonging for our employees. They facilitate networking and connections with peers; support the acquisition of diverse talent internally and externally; act as a valuable sounding board for content development and programming; provide an avenue to facilitate leadership and skill development; and increase the organization’s overall cultural competency.

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Asian American Culture network

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Advocates for visible and invisible disabilities

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

U.K. LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYEES AND allies

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

California fusion dei group

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

emerging leader and development group

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Women Employees and Allies

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

U.K. DEI fusion group

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

parent and caregiver employees

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

U.S. LGBTQIA+ EMPLOYEES AND allies

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Vested interest in black employees

Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Latin and Hispanic employees and allies

Our Content and Programming

We are passionate about telling authentic stories that connect with audiences in meaningful ways and that entertain, with vivid characters and worlds that show a full spectrum of the human experience. Ensuring diverse and inclusive voices and points of view – on our screens, on our sets, and in our writer’s rooms – is fundamental to our creative process. It is how we understand, reflect, and speak with insight and authenticity to the wide range of audiences we reach every day.

We have a long track record of championing and supporting independent and diverse voices and using our platforms to bring these storytellers` vision to life.

  • ALLBLK

    ALLBLK

    Launched in 2014 as Urban Movie Channel, ALLBLK is the first subscription streaming service created for Black TV and film. Dedicated to featuring content that is inclusively and unapologetically for, by and about Black people, ALLBLK has a diverse lineup that spans genres and generations with fan favorite titles such as A House Divided, Double Cross, Social Society with Kendall Kyndall, Millennials, and more.

  • WE tv

    WE tv

    With a slate of compelling, can’t miss unscripted shows, such as Growing up Hip Hop, Braxton Family Values, and more, WE tv consistently ranks among the top networks in cable for women of color and will always be dedicated to developing and presenting programming focused on positive, diverse female voices.

  • Disability Storytelling

    Disability Storytelling

    AMC Networks has been widely recognized for scripted storytelling spotlighting and celebrating people living with disabilities including BBC America’s CripTales, AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead, Critics’ Choice Award-winner Push Girls and Sundance Now’s Peabody Award-nominee This Close.

  • Recognitions

    Recognitions

    Actress Sandra Oh from BBC America’s Killing Eve won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama TV series for her role, making her the first woman of Asian descent to win that award. Our shows have also been recognized by the NAACP Image Awards and GLAAD Media Awards for performances and series including, most recently, IFC’s Sherman’s Showcase, IFC Films’ Farewell Amor, Killing Eve and more.

Content Programs

We work with leading industry organizations to ensure there is greater inclusion in the stories we tell. Through these partnerships, we celebrate and empower the next generation of storytellers who reflect the full spectrum of our world.

  • Inclusion Rider

    Inclusion Rider

    We’ve signed on to #ChangeHollywood in partnership with Color of Change, Pearl Street Films, and Endeavor Content to use inclusion riders on every AMC Studios production, a process for hiring and casting that will expand our candidate pools and increase representation for historically underrepresented talent. We view the rider as an opportunity to move beyond intention and focus on expectations and actions that should come along with our commitment. Learn more.

  • Mentorship Matters

    Mentorship Matters

    A program connecting prominent showrunners with emerging non-WGA writers of color for a year-long mentorship which will include networking, introductions, monthly check-ins, and an opportunity to be staffed in a writer’s room.

  • Coded for Inclusion

    Coded for Inclusion

    We're proud to be a part of the launch of Coded for Inclusion, a game-changing job matching platform from Staff Me Up for the crews of scripted and unscripted television productions  designed to help change the way hiring happens in Hollywood and remove the barriers to entry for job seekers from historically underrepresented groups (BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and active military/veterans). Learn more.

  • High-Octane Episodic Directing Series

    High-Octane Episodic Directing Series

    We’ve partnered with the Alliance of Women Directors, a collective of over 400 professional women-identifying and gender nonbinary directors, to launch a masterclass for emerging and mid-career directors. The series will consist of five classes centered on directing action and thriller content in scripted television, featuring directors, showrunners, and department heads from AMC’s The Walking Dead, Creepshow, The Terror, and NOS4A2, among others.

Our Greater Purpose

In addition to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within our hallways, in our productions and on our screens, we are a source for change and support in our communities. Through philanthropic efforts, community outreach and strong and lasting partnerships, we support causes that make a difference, that advance a culture of inclusivity and amplify everyone’s voice.

AMC Networks Black Producers Fund

We have partnered with the AFI Conservatory, the nation's top film school, to launch a new grant program for Black students aimed at breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for stories that build a more inclusive culture. The Black Production Fund provides funding for second year Black students' thesis productions along with a national platform for the emerging filmmakers and exciting new voices by distributing select student films on ALLBLK, our streaming service exclusively dedicated to showcasing Black film and television. Learn more.

WE SeeHer and See Her Create

Through our participation in the Association of National Advertisers SeeHer initiative, a program to help promote equal and realistic portrayals of women in media, we have launched two specific initiatives: "WE SeeHer" in partnership with our WE tv network, as well as "See Her Create." These initiatives celebrate incredible female talent in front of and behind the camera as well as women who are doing amazing work in their communities.

Industry Partnerships

Through partnerships with a variety of organizations, we actively support industry efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. Through our work with the NAACP, the T. Howard Foundation, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) “Academy Gold” diversity internship program, and Prep for Prep, we actively support and help prepare the next generation of diverse leaders for college and internship opportunities. We partner with the Walter Kaitz Foundation and the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) to help develop diverse leaders throughout the industry. And we support Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) to help encourage and promote women leaders everywhere.

Black History Month PSA Campaign

We are honored to partner with our civic leadership at the Congressional Black Caucus and the NAACP on our award-winning Public Service Announcement campaign commemorating Black History Month. Each year, we create PSAs featuring legislators reflecting on figures who continue to advance the legacy of civil rights advocacy, and air them throughout February to educate and inspire support for diversity and inclusion.

And we’re looking at expanding relationships and launching new ones with organizations doing important and impactful work across the spectrum of diversity, equity, and inclusion.