SAG: Reality TV Still Hurting Actors

Reality television continued to erode the number of prime-time roles for Screen Actors Guild members last year, though the downward trend was somewhat offset by gains in film, the union said Oct 5. The 7.8 percent decline in film- and television roles dashed hopes that the impact of reality TV and runaway production was easing. Job losses among union actors slowed to 1.6 percent in 2003 after two consecutive years of steep declines.

SAG President Alan Rosenberg said the major networks need to address these negative trends. "The displacement of scripted series by reality programming continues to be a severe obstacle to a working actor's ability to earn a living," Rosenberg said in releasing SAG's annual casting data report. Network representatives declined comment on the report.

To a degree, the networks have put increased emphasis on scripted series this season because of the success of such shows as ABC's Lost and Desperate Housewives. At the same time, several new and returning reality shows, including NBC's Fear Factor, have been held back from the fall-season launch as midseason replacements, so the impact of new scripted series on SAG's employment trends will not be known until fall 2006.

Based on information supplied by producers, the report also broke down trends for minorities, women, and older performers. The total percentage of roles for female actors increased slightly, while most roles continued to go to actors under age 40.

Roles for Asian/Pacific Island Americans, and to a lesser extent Latinos, increased, while fewer roles went to blacks and American Indians.

The union, which represents 120,000 performers, said 40,826 roles were cast last year. The losses mostly were concentrated in episodic television, where reality TV was blamed for a 10.2 percent decrease (3,523 roles) in roles compared with the previous year. As evidence, SAG said that prime-time reality programming had increased from an average of 15 hours per week to 22 hours per week in 2004.

After two years of gains, the number of roles in nonepisodic TV fell 5 percent (173 roles), while theatrical roles reversed three consecutive years of declines by adding 240 roles, a 3.9 percent gain.