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Friday, 04 March 2011 08:00
In 1999, the Los Angeles Times and NAACP jolted the TV industry by identifying the "whitewash" of the new fall season, when none of the 26 new primetime programs scheduled featured minority leads.So what sort of progress has been made? It depends on where -- and how -- you look.
The NAACP's Hollywood Bureau and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences hosted a panel Monday titled "Diversity and the Business of Television," which tackled the issue from various angles. In preparing to participate, though, what struck me is how difficult it is to measure what constitutes genuine advancement on such a rapidly-moving playing field.
In an age when Charlie Sheen can seemingly devour the airwaves for days, moreover, nuance and perspective are the first casualties. Instead, the media tend to over-emphasize symbolic events, like representation (or the lack thereof) at that year's Oscars.
In some respects, matters have undoubtedly improved, with fewer "Friends"-like assemblies of all- white characters. More dramas showcase multicultural casts -- with more leading characters, as opposed to sidekicks.
Photo by Medhi via Flickr (Creative Commons)
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