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As racial and ethnic diversity in all aspects of entertainment 鈥� or the lack thereof 鈥� continues to stir discussion, one part of the industry recently made improvements.聽

According to a GLAAD report, racial and ethnic diversity on broadcast television programs airing during primetime increased for the 2015-2016 season, with people of color making up 33 percent of series regulars on broadcast TV. Not only is that an increase from the 2014-2015 TV season, when it was at 27 percent, but it鈥檚 a 10 point increase from only two years ago.聽

Of particular note was the number of black series regular characters on broadcast TV, which is the highest it鈥檚 been since GLAAD began looking at the data 11 years ago.

鈥淚t seems that networks are finally making serious strides towards more diverse representations,鈥� GLAAD says in its report.

NBC performed the best of the major networks (which also include ABC, CBS, Fox, and the CW), with GLAAD pointing to the addition of new shows 鈥淪uperstore,鈥� 鈥淪hades of Blue,鈥� and 鈥淭elenovela鈥� as having helped the network reach this status. 鈥淪uperstore鈥� stars actress America Ferrera, while 鈥淏lue鈥� stars Jennifer Lopez and 鈥淭elenovela鈥� stars Eva Longoria.

Comparisons to cable or streaming shows are not available, but some programs from each category such as HBO鈥檚 鈥淏allers鈥� and Netflix鈥檚 鈥淥range Is the New Black鈥� have received praise for their diversity.聽

The statistics on broadcast TV arrive as many continue to call for more diversity in all areas of entertainment. Last year, for example, there was an outcry when all the acting nominees for the 2015 Oscars were white.聽

Earlier this year, actress Viola Davis became the first black actress to win the Emmy Award for best actress in a drama for her work on the ABC show 鈥淗ow to Get Away with Murder.鈥澛�

Ross Brown, who served as a writer on sitcoms including "The Cosby Show," remembers when 鈥淐osby鈥� brought change to the TV landscape in the 1980s. 鈥淐osby鈥� centers on an African-American family living in Brooklyn.聽

鈥淚 think the enormous success of 'The聽Cosby聽Show' opened the door for so many things,鈥� says Mr. Brown, who is now an associate professor of film and media arts at California鈥檚 Chapman University.

One major development in the last year that Brown points to is the Fox show 鈥淓mpire,鈥� which centers on an African-American family working in the music business. The show became a ratings smash when it premiered this past January and got bigger as time went on. 鈥淵ou can't ignore the success of 'Empire,鈥欌�� he says.

What speaks the most when it comes to diversity? A successful show, Brown says.

鈥淭he conversation about diversity has been going on for decades now,鈥� he says. When it comes to planning shows, "these [networks] are all businesses.鈥澛�

If any TV platform has a success with a diverse cast, Brown says, the reaction from everyone else in the business will be simple: 鈥淕et me the next one.鈥�

In this area, of course, there is always farther to go. Of the change cited in the GLAAD report, Brown says, 鈥淚 think there has been some improvement,鈥� though he adds, 鈥淚t's been small.鈥�