Entertainment

Diversity Bill May Be About To Shake Up NY Entertainment Industry

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Jena Greene Reporter
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Governor Andrew Cuomo has an upcoming decision to make that stands to affect the entrainment industry in his home state of New York.

A bill that incentivizes hiring minorities to work in TV recently passed both the New York Senate and Assembly and has until December 18 to be signed into law by Cuomo. More specifically, the bill gives a tax incentive to companies that hire minorities to write or direct TV shows. The bill is the first of its kind and, if passed, stands to set the wheels in motion to pass similar bills across the country.

According to the Women In Hollywood, the bill has been backed by the Writers Guild of America East, the Directors Guild of America, and unanimously by New York and New York City’s unions in the industry.

The Executive Director of WGAE Lowell Peterson recently said, “The missing link for policymakers has been putting money at the point of hire, and this legislation is an important step in that direction.”

However Neil Dudich, the director of the Directors Guild Of America insists that talent is still the most important factor in earning a role.

“Talent should be the defining factor in hiring. This is an issue the DGA has sought to address with employers for years as we’ve pushed them to change their imbalanced hiring practices… this bill can be a meaningful step forward in establishing a level playing field for all.”

Tina Fey and Beau Willimon, the creator of House Of Cards, have both been outspoken supporters for the bill.

Tags : new york
Jena Greene