Media & Minorities

TV Top Shows 11/13/06-11/19/06 1. Dancing With the Stars 2. Dancing With the Stars 3. NFL Football 4.CSI 5.Desperate Housewives 6.Grey’s Anatomy 7.CSI:Miami 8.60 minutes 9.Deal of No Deal 10. Criminal Minds

Top TV Shows African-Americans 1. Dancing With the Stars 2. Dancing With the Stars 3.NFL Football 4.Day Break 5.CSI: Miami 6.60 Minutes 7.Girlfriends 8.All of Us 9.Grey’s Anatomy 10.Shark

1. Dancing W/ Stars 2. Dancing W/ Stars 3. NFL Football 4.CSI 5.Desperate Housewives 6.Grey’s Anatomy 7.CSI:Miami 8.60 minutes 9.Deal of No Deal 10. Criminal Minds 1. Dancing W/ Stars 2. Dancing W/ Stars 3.NFL Football 4.Day Break 5.CSI: Miami 6.60 Minutes 7.Girlfriends 8.All of Us 9.Grey’s Anatomy 10. Shark

"Fall Colors" Children Now Primetime Diversity Report: 2003 – 2004

Prime Time* vs. Real World n White74% n Af. Am.18% n Latino 6% n Asian 1% n Other/DK 2% n White70% n Af. Am.12% n Latino12% n Asian 4% n Other 2% * Opening credits characters

Conclusions n Prime time TV is a highly segregated world n 8 p.m. hour least racially diverse & most segregated n 10 p.m. hour most diverse

Class/status & Race n People of color most often cast as service workers, unskilled laborers or criminals n Whites & Asian/Pacific Islanders more often professionals n Black & Latino professionals most often law enforcement

Why does it matter? n Role-modeling n Stereotypes n Lack of compensating images

Role-Modeling  Minority children tend to watch more television than white children  Images they see can influence their attitudes & behaviors

When children see "themselves" on tv n Tells them that people like them are important n Makes them feel included n Provides role models

Stereotypes n Minorities may internalize negative media stereotypes n Children tend to accept what they view as reality n Media stereotypes may contribute to prejudice from others

Contributing factors  Parents & peers  Motivations for watching TV  Amount of exposure to members of minority groups

Compensating images n Show members of minority groups in a variety of ways – not just all good or bad n More accurately reflect the diversity within a group n e.g., some gay men are like Jack n But others are like Will n Some African-Americans are like Flavor- Flav n But others are like Dr. Burke on Grey’s Anatomy

A Touching Personal Story

Frito Bandito

Minority magazine covers

Magazines are inherently conservative n Concern for the bottom line n Stick with old formulas n Is this a good business decision?

Halle in black & white