The Data Is Clear: Black Audiences Want More Multigenerational Representation

When Netflix announced its sequel series to “A Different World“—bringing Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison back to Hillman College alongside a new generation of HBCU students—the internet was excited about the chance to see some of their favorite characters return to the screen as parents. Now, new research supports that storylines like these are exactly what Black adults want to see.

A recent AARP study proved a crucial truth about modern television: Black adults of all ages believe it is important to see actors from different generations represented together in film and television.

Nearly all Black adults between 18 and 34 say showing multigenerational actors together is important, according to AARP Research’s interviews with nearly 2,000 Black adults in June. Many of the Black adults surveyed say that representation makes TV shows and movies feel more relatable while combating age-related stereotypes.

Because viewers generally see older Black women as influential cultural figures, their representation can directly challenge stereotypes and help redefine aging expectations. Yet despite this clear demand, screenwriters are still leaving vital chapters of the Black experience that viewers actually relate to off the page.

Almost half (46%) of Black adults feel that people their age are underrepresented in certain storylines, especially when it comes to romantic relationships, friendships and family dynamics, the study showed. The adults surveyed said they want to see more characters their age overcoming adversity.

Related: Reflecting on The Cultural Impact of ‘A Different World’ 35 Years Later

The lack of this representation on the screen also has a direct impact on how society interprets growing older, as 87% of Black adults agree that how the media portrays aging influences overall perceptions. When older Black women are visible on screen, more than half of Black adults say it makes them feel significantly more positive about aging themselves, per AARP Research.

When older Black women are represented on TV and film, only one-quarter of survey respondents said that the portrayal is very accurate. That massive gap is an open invitation for Hollywood to finally get it right, especially considering Black subscribers are the driving force behind streaming apps.

According to a 2024 Nielsen report, Black Americans outpace the rest of the U.S. population in terms of media consumption, accessing three or more streaming services. They consume more than 81 hours of content per week between television, the internet, and radio. For Black people age 65 and older, that number jumped to 92 hours each week, as reported by NBC News.

Despite their hefty consumption, many Black people believe their representation is inadequate.

“When it comes to the media consumption of Black America, it really just means content is key to our culture. Have you seen this show? Have you heard this album? Stream this latest hit.’ Those are forms of cultural cachet,” Charlene Polite Corley, the vice president of diverse insights and partnerships at Nielsen, told NBC News. “I hope what the report shows is the increased demand, the opportunity to continue to meet that demand, and that this is an investment and not a risk or something that we should be retreating from.”