In 2017, we pledged our support to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) #SeeHer initiative which is working to increase accurate portrayals of women and girls in the media 20% by 2020. In 2018, AT&T met its goal to remove gender bias from its advertising and content as part of the Association of National Advertisers’ #SeeHer movement – 2 years ahead of the goal set by the ANA.

Eliminating bias is not only a moral imperative; it's a business imperative. We have discovered that ads with higher Gender Equality Measures (GEM^TM) scores are driving better business outcomes, including better brand and message recall, brand reputation and consideration. As a company that takes a data-driven approach to advertising, seeing the benefits that come with higher GEM scores will continue to drive change in the way we develop messaging.

In an effort to ensure that we evaluate all advertising and marketing for gender bias, we were the first company to add GEM scores to all TV copy tests in 2017. These scores measure how women and girls are depicted respectfully, appropriately, authentically and positively.

As part of our work, we created and implemented an Inclusion Playbook that provides thought starters for content creation teams to accurately portray multicultural people and eliminate the inclusion gap in AT&T content. Designed as a tool for decreasing bias in content and improving GEM scores, this program drove innovation in the copy testing of ads and was recognized by the ANA for leading positive change. 

As we say in our Code of Business Conduct, AT&T succeeds in the marketplace by competing aggressively but fairly. Our products and services stand on their own merits. We do not misrepresent the characteristics of our products and services, and we do not deceive our customers or engage in any other unfair practices.

Customers with questions or concerns can reach us online or call 800-331-0500. For more information, see the Terms of Service for wireless and internet customers.

Media plays a critical role in society. The industry can empower citizens with a spectrum of views from which to make informed decisions, and we believe it’s important that people have an opportunity for their voice or perspective to be represented. We achieve this by producing and enabling access to content that is diverse and purposeful — ensuring producers and journalists have freedom to pursue stories creatively and to deliver the facts responsibly.

We also understand the opportunity for media to deepen the public conversation on issues and subjects that matter. Through our AT&T Presents: Untold Stories and WarnerMedia OneFifty initiatives, we’re developing content differently by curating untold narratives, investing in artists with authentic voices and incubating messages that resonate with diverse, global audiences.

It is essential that our content and creative partners reflect the diversity of our society and the world around us. In 2018, WarnerMedia issued the media industry’s first Diversity & Inclusion Policy with the goal to include greater numbers of women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, those with disabilities and other often underrepresented groups in front of and behind the camera.

Through programs such as the AT&T Media Fellowship, AT&T Hello Sunshine Filmmaker Lab, Cinema+, Turner Voices Youth Media Institute and Warner Bros. First Cut, we support young, diverse filmmakers with grants and training for media careers. Students learn directly from our media professionals with tours, shadowing and presentations — as well as through educational sessions with industry experts working in the field. Learn more in our Community Engagement issue brief. 

We practice and defend the highest principles of journalistic integrity and ethical standards. In our news coverage, our journalists strive to present the whole story, fairly and completely, so readers and viewers can make informed decisions. This commitment reflects one of our core company values — embrace freedom — which we apply to press, speech and beliefs.

We expect our reporters, producers and writers to be fair and honest and to confirm the facts before online articles or TV segments are released to the public. At CNN, integrity and accuracy are of the utmost importance to the brand, and systems are in place to maintain them. For example, stories are thoroughly reviewed by producers and particularly sensitive stories are reviewed further by a team of senior editors, standards and practices specialists, and lawyers before they are broadcast.

Comprehensive journalism also means that we do not let our financial interests determine the topics we cover. Our reporters, producers, writers and editors cover issues that are newsworthy and of interest to our readers and viewers, not because an issue may be of interest to advertisers.

For more information see our WarnerMedia Journalistic Integrity website.