In the wake of layoffs, Warner Bros. Discovery has been accused of “killing off diversity” in their content. To combat debt, the media giant has been making a slew of money-saving cutbacks, but some are claiming that the decisions also deprioritize diversity at their networks. Layoffs included 13 BIPOC employees in charge of developing shows at HBO Max, “likely influencing the types of shows and movies that are greenlit moving forward.” The decision to shelve the movie Batgirl, starring Afro-Latina Leslie Grace, has also received backlash. YPulse’s research shows that diversity in content does impact the entertainment that young viewers watch. HBO has responded with a statement “highlight[ing] shows like Euphoria, Rap Sh!t, A Black Lady Sketch Show and Los Espookys, all of which are led by diverse characters.” (The Daily Beast, The Black Enterprise)
