NEWS ROUNDUP: Number of women working in TV falls, Lack of minorities in NBC's family, William Levy turns down film

Number of women working in TV falls
During the 2010-2011 season, women comprised 15% of writers on the primetime dramas, comedies and reality shows on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and the CW, down from 29% in the 2009-10 season, according to the report from the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. In the directing ranks, it found, 11% were women, compared with 16% the previous year.

Concerns about lack of minorities in NBC's family
Then-diversity chief Paula Madison maintained in a February radio interview with noted sociologist Michael Eric Dyson that Comcast's NBCUniversal was committed to increasing diversity "in all facets of our business.

But little more than six months after the approval of the merger by the Federal Communications Commission, and three months after Madison retired, some of NBCUniversal's units have come under fire as advocates claim that the company is not honoring promises that helped pave the way for the merger's approval.

Darren Star No Longer On Set Of ABC’s New GOOD CHRISTIAN BELLES (But Remains On The Show)
A fallout between writer/executive producer Robert Harling and executive producer/showrunners Aaron Harberts and Gretchen Berg on one hand and executive producer Darren Star on the other has led to a decision by producing studio ABC Studios to no longer have Star talk to Harling, Harberts or Berg, go to the set of the show, or go to his GCB office. He continues to give notes on scripts and cuts but to the studio, not to the series’ writing EPs — at least not for the time being. Star also oversees marketing and publicity for the series.

GLEE keeping Lea its No. 1
Singing sensation Charice Pempengco’s scenes in the last season were dramatically cut, with sources telling the New York Post it was to avoid upsetting the show’s star Lea Michele.

Fox's 8 day delay on Hulu leads to increase in illegal downloads
Consumers who want to watch these shows online will now have three choices: Watch the shows live; wait eight days until the videos are posted online by Fox; or, as many have decided to do, watch them illegally.

Ratings: TRUE BLOOD, GLEE PROJCT Hit Highs
Sunday’s TRUE BLOOD attracted a series-high 5.5 million viewers. That bests the show’s previous record of 5.44 million viewers set by the penultimate episode of Season 3.

The finale of THE GLEE PROJECT on Oxygen drew a best-ever 1.24 million viewers.

GLEE PROJECT renewal expected, here are season 2 casting details
The network dropped casting information notices into the last two episodes of the program, which have yielded nearly 50,000 email requests for more information. Formal casting will likely start this fall. Unlike the first season, which had two casting calls, season 2 is expected to have four or five open castings around the country.

William Levy Turns Down “Magic Mike” Stripping Role
Telenovela hottie William Levy will not be taking it off in Steven Soderbergh’s film “Magic Mike. Levy’s manager, Gladys González, told the magazine that the actor “received an offer” but that he “will not be involved.”

Angola: Women journalists forum to release soap opera
The forum of women journalists for gender and equality (FMJIG) is launching on Thursday, in Luanda, the radio soap opera project entitled ROAD OF LIFE. Executive director, Milena da Costa, said the project aims at stimulating the participation of citizens in the resolution of community problems and gender balance in society.

Robyn Griggs to appear at Mid-Ohio Comic Con
At the Greater Columbus Convention Center, October 22-23.