WarnerMedia hosted a virtual Sundance Event. The Knockturnal attended the panels which in many ways align with their focus of Black History this February and their overall initiative to make diversity and inclusion a priority.
TCM hosted a talk with Black film historian Donald Bogle and TCM host Ben Mankiewicz discussing the history of Black film in Hollywood. For Donald Bogle, the rich history of Black Hollywood is aligned with American history. Bogle links the timeline of Black American film and film stars with the advancements of Black America. When discussing the transition from Black actors staring in “white films” to the era of Blaxploitation he links this era of film to the transition out of the Civil Rights movement and into the Black Power movement: “Say it Loud I’m Black and I’m Proud.”
During the panel on Creating Equity and Mindset WarnerMedia’s Equity & Inclusion leadership team discussed the steps, they take to prioritize diversity and telling stories that reflect the world around us. While hosting the panel accessibility was prioritized. Each panelist took the time to describe themselves and their identity so attendees who are seeing impaired could envision the panelist. Sarah Aubrey, the head of programming for HBOMax Original Content, mentioned during the panel that for Gen-Z and millennials diversity is the expectation. With diversity and representation being demanded by younger audiences it is gradually becoming the standard.
For Karen Horne the work to combat systemic racism in media cannot be erased or addressed by racial quotas or covered with a bandaid; there needs to be an active effort from allies, networks, and teams such as theirs to address these issues and the disparities within various industries. WarnerMedia’s Equity & Inclusion leadership team is making an active effort to create more opportunities for minorities and various communities to bring their stories to life.
The prioritizing of diversity and inclusion is a part of the HBOMax Black History Is Our History spotlight page. February 1 marks the first day of Black History Month. The month that honors Black History was officially recognized by President Gerald Ford in order to push the public to honor the history accomplishments of Black America.
HBO Max is honoring Black History Month with the launch of their Black History Is Our History spotlight page. The spotlight page has curated programming featuring films, documentaries, biopics, animations, and original content surrounding the Black experience.
HBOMax is fostering community while delving into the storytelling process that will allow Black stories, truths, and experiences to be both seen and heard. This month the biopic highlighting the life of the late Fred Hampton and the Black Panther Party in Chicago: Judas and the Black Messiah will have its same-day premier via the streaming service. The spotlight page will organize content as our Future, our joy, our past, and our imagination. HBOMax is curating programming that will not only educate viewers on Black history but also uplift them by highlighting Black joy.
HBO.com will also feature several films that will be available for free during the month.
The following shows and films will be available on HBOhttps://www.hbo.com:
- 40 Years a Prisoner (HBO)
- Being Serena (Season 1 Episode 1) (HBO)
- Between the World and Me (HBO)
- Bessie (HBO)
- Black Art: In the Absence of Light (premieres 2/9) (HBO)
- I May Destroy You (Season 1 Episode 1) (HBO)
- Insecure (Season 1 Episode 1) (HBO)
- King in the Wilderness (HBO)
- Lovecraft Country (Episode 1) (HBO)
- Say Her Name: The Life and Death of Sandra Bland (HBO)
- The Apollo (HBO)
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (HBO)
- The Loving Story (HBO)
- The Shop: Uninterrupted (Season 3 Episode 2) (HBO)
- We Are the Dream (HBO)
- What’s My Name | Muhammad Ali (HBO)
HBOMax is highlighting Black stories not just in February but year-round. The streaming service is using the month to celebrate, uplift, and continue to share Black stories. HBO subscribers in the U.S. have free access to the HBO Max app as part of their HBO subscription through participating providers. For people interested in viewing the Black History is Our History content, HBO Max is offering a limited-time savings of 20% when prepaying for 6 months, which is available until March 1.
HBO Max’s work towards diversity is also shown through the Our Stories to Tell campaign. Their efforts towards diversity and inclusion not only brings representation but celebrates it. The audience first initiative centers diversity, collaboration, and elevation of ideas. For Sundance in 2020 attendees went to exclusive dinners with cast, masterclasses, and panel discussions featuring talent from various WarnerMedia programming. This year the Our Stories to Tell virtually hosted various interactive events with interactive and meaningful conversations that featured various talent from HBO Max programming. The event empowered and celebrated their commitment to African American, Asian American, LGBTQ+, and Latinx audiences.
“Our goal for any programming is to create a campaign that contributes to its culture and speaks to that audience,” said Jackie Gagne, SVP Multicultural Marketing, WarnerMedia. “The Our Stories to Tell virtual hub at Sundance gave us the opportunity to bring together a larger community in a digital capacity to continue providing spaces for diverse creatives to be seen and heard.”
Diversity, inclusion, and accessibility is a genuine priority for WarnerMedia and is approached and presented in a way that feels authentic to not just their team but to their viewers as well. WarnerMedia continues to represent the world around us through their original content, highlights, and events.
