Minority Representation on TV Improves

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - The big four TV networks seem to be embracing the concept of diversity in front of and behind the camera, a media watchdog group says.

Although Hispanics and Asian-Americans are still underrepresented on TV compared to their population in the United States, the networks are hiring more minorities to work on shows, according to the Multi-Ethnic Media Coalition. The umbrella group for several media watchdogs released its annual report card of diversity in television Monday (Oct. 13).

"All of the networks have finally come to the realization it's good business to incorporate people of color into their corporation," Esteban Torres, chairman of the coalition, tells the AP.

The NAACP is issuing its own report on African Americans in TV next week.

Latinos have made fairly strong gains in the TV business, according to the National Latino Media Council. FOX received a B+ from the group, which takes into account the representation of Latinos on camera, those behind the scenes and networks' record of doing business with minority-owned vendors. The group gave ABC a B and CBS and NBC a C+.

The picture is less rosy for Asian Americans. "The new fall shows are stunning in the near total absence of [Asian Americans] in any role of significance," says Karen Narasaki of the Asian Pacific American Media Coalition.

NBC and FOX each received a B- from the group for their hiring of Asian Americans. ABC earned a C-, while CBS was given a D+.

Still, the grades from each group represented an improvement over previous years, and the groups say they won't urge boycotts of any of the networks, as they have in the past.

 
Charles Mims
http://www.the-sandbox.org
 
 
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