By Ryan Flaherty

CBS executives Kelly Kahl and Thom Sherman answered the hard questions about racial diversity in their shows, and gave new information regarding their two new TV adaptations.

Diversity Issues

CBS Entertainment executives were questioned about the alleged incidents of racial inequality on sets of ‘Big Brother’ and ‘Survivor’. Contestants on these two shows, Kemi and Julia Carter, both claimed that they were treated with racist attitudes from producers. President of CBS Entertainment Kelly Kahl says they learned that a producer on ‘Big Brother’ “in an attempt to get a soundbite, overstepped. That producer was reprimanded and received unconscious bias training, as well as other producers on the show [did]. We don’t want that to happen again.” Senior Vice President Thom Sherman pointed out statistics on these shows, saying “On Big Brother, half our cast this year is diverse, and the last three winners there have been people of color.”

New Shows

A television adaptation of the 1970’s David Bowie starrer ‘The Man Who Fell to Earth’ has been picked up to series. Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet are set to executive produce. The series was previously in development at Hulu, but the streamer didn’t go forward with the project.

CBS All Access previously ordered a new series ‘The Stand’- an adaptation from Stephen King. They’ve now rounded out the cast including stars James Marsden, Amber Heard, Odessa Young, and Henry Zaga. It was announced that the last segment of the series will be written by Stephen king himself, incorporating a new aspect that can’t be found in the book.