Antisemitism is a Significant Problem in Entertainment and Sports, Says New Report from Industry Group
Creative Community for Peace details practical reforms necessary to address rising antisemitism promulgated by entertainers, entertainment companies and platforms, athletes, and fans.
LOS ANGELES—Today Creative Community for Peace (CCFP) released the first-ever report focused exclusively on antisemitism within the entertainment industry, documenting how this age-old hatred has festered across film, television, music, professional sports, and on digital platforms.
The report, Fomenting Hate: How The Entertainment and Sports Industries Can Address the Growing Threat of Antisemitism, documents hundreds of examples of antisemitism, outlining how content from studios, influencers, and celebrities filters through the cultural landscape and shapes public perceptions.
The report notes that “there is a feedback loop between the entertainment industry, influencers, and the public. And entertainment leaders are not effectively regulating their products or protecting their Jewish employees and consumers from hate, targeting and discrimination.”
CCFP recommends practical reforms that the entertainment industry must take to address this issue. Notably, CCFP encourages studios and digital platforms to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, following the U.S. State Department and 37 countries worldwide who have done the same. CCFP also recommends that studios implement a framework for creating more accurate and nuanced representations of Jewish people in media.
For years, CCFP has worked closely with digital platforms to identify and remove antisemitic content. This report outlines the complexity and extent of the challenge that remains in this work today.
“The entertainment industry drives public perception, and thus, has a significant responsibility to avoid perpetuating harmful stereotypes,” said CCFP Director Ari Ingel. “This report shows how much work needs to be done within our industry. For instance, usually unaware, streaming platforms, television shows, and films disseminate and promulgate antisemitic tropes. In a society that’s increasingly become more sensitive to fair and accurate representation, the impact on Jews often doesn’t count.”