Gay Viewers Criticize BBC Portrayals

The British Broadcasting Corporation conducted a study about gay and lesbian representation on its shows and more than a third of gay respondents called the network's LGBT depictions stereotypical.

The study asked 2,000 viewers about the BBC's programs, and 563 respondents were lesbian, gay, or bisexual. While 44% of the gay survey takers said the BBC's gay portrayals were realistic, 37% called them stereotypical. The same proportion of respondents, 37%, considered the BBC's gay depictions good or very good, and 24% rated them as poor.

"The publication of this very significant piece of work sends a clear signal to all our licence fee payers that the BBC is committed to meaningful engagement with the audiences," BBC head of diversity Amanda Rice said in a statement. "Not only is this a key priority within our diversity strategy, it is also one of the best ways we can continue to learn about what the UK's diverse communities want and expect from the BBC."

Read the full story here.