Gay characters disappearing from broadcast TV

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Gay people are becoming an endangered species on network television.

A new report says a total of seven series on the five broadcast networks feature regular lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) characters this season, down from nine last season. The number has dropped for the past three years, according to the annual "Where We Are on TV" study by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

The only non-heterosexual regular character appearing on a new show is Bonnie Somerville's bisexual Caitlin Dowd on U.S. TV network ABC's drama "Cashmere Mafia", which premieres in December.

ABC continues by a mile to be the most inclusive of LGBT representation. The network accounts for six of the seven characters in its series "Brothers & Sisters", "Ugly Betty", "Desperate Housewives" and "Cashmere Mafia". (The seventh regular LGBT character is Oscar Martinez on NBC's "The Office", the only one such character of colour on broadcast TV.)

"Brothers" is singled out as "the bright spot on primetime network dramas" with its three gay or bisexual characters.

The highest-profile new addition of gay characters is on "Desperate Housewives", which will introduce the first gay couple on Wisteria Lane, played by Kevin Rahm and Tuc Watkins in recurring roles.

"Cashmere Mafia", "Brothers & Sisters" and "Desperate Housewives" come from openly gay producers.

In the recurring character count, ABC has six of the 13 on broadcast series next season: "Brothers", "Housewives", "Grey's Anatomy", "Men in Trees" and the new drama "Dirty Sexy Money". Fox features four (all on animated series, "The Simpsons" and "American Dad!"), and NBC has three on "ER" and "Friday Night Lights".