CBS and the NAACP have struck up a multi-year partnership to develop and produce scripted, unscripted and documentary TV projects highlighting the Black experience for broadcast, cable and streaming.
As part of the pact, creative leaders from CBS Television Studios will work with the civil rights organization to establish a team of executives and infrastructure to acquire, develop and produce the new programming. It also includes a commitment to developing content for CBS Television Network, and allows for programming to be sold to third-party platforms.
The goal is to expand the number of diverse voices who will, in turn, tell more inclusive stories, in order to increase the visibility of Black artists across the industry.
“In this moment of national awakening, the time has never been better to further tell stories of the African American experience,” said Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP. “Programming and content have the power to shape perspectives and drive conversations around critical issues. This partnership with CBS allows us to bring compelling and important content to a broad audience.”
“An important way to diversify and grow our storytelling is to expand our horizons beyond the traditional studio-producer system,” said George Cheeks, president and CEO of CBS Entertainment Group. “There is no better partner than the NAACP – the preeminent civil rights organization in our country – to help us find, develop and tell these inclusive stories. “At the same time, this is a strategic opportunity for CBS to build upon as well as re-imagine our pipeline for existing and emerging creative talent.”