GLAAD released its 12th annual state of the gay television union. After scouring the fall network and schedules, the media watchdog found that gay representation’s sliding in some respects:

The number of gay characters depicted on TV is falling on network television, which Americans receive for free, but rising on cable channels, a study by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation found.

In the 2007-08 TV season, broadcast series will feature seven regularly seen characters who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, down from nine characters in 2006 and 10 the season before, GLAAD said. Most are on one network – ABC.

The new figure represents 1.1% of all regular characters on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and CW, compared to 1.3% in 2006, according to the study to be released Monday. A total of 87 comedies and dramas with 650 characters were analyzed.

By comparison, cable shows will feature 40 gay characters as series regulars, GLAAD said

As we’ve seen, the majority of gay characters on television are of the white “variety”.

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