MTV LAUDED FOR GAY REPRESENTATION

America’s MTV network has been lauded for its positive representation of LGBT people in its programming.

The television network received an “Excellent” rating from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) in the organisation’s fourth annual Network Responsibility Index; the first time the rating has been awarded in the index’s history.

The report analyses the quantity, quality and diversity of LGBT images on the 15 major broadcast and cable television networks in the US.

According to GLAAD, of MTV’s 207.5 hours of original primetime programming “42% included LGBT-inclusive images that reflected the ethnic and racial diversity of the LGBT community as well as a strong cross-section of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people”.

MTV responded favourability to the report in a statement. “MTV is proud to be recognised by GLAAD as the first network ever to receive an ‘excellent’ rating for our inclusion of LGBT people in our programming,” said MTV General Manager Stephen Friedman.

“Our audience today expects MTV to reflect their full diversity, in large part because of our rich history of challenging them to consider new perspectives. It is incredibly gratifying to be held up as an example for the industry.”

GLAAD noted that for the first time since it began the report, all of the five major broadcast networks posted an increase in LGBT-inclusive primetime programming hours in the last year.