Networks Still Struggling With Diversity, Study Says

A new study examining diversity on network television has found that characters of color are not as well-developed as white characters; race is almost always shown superficially, even when diversity does exist; and significant examples of stereotypical minority characters still exist even though most ethnic characters transcend stereotypes.

“Fall Colors II: How Prime-Time TV Deals With Race,” conducted by the San Francisco-based advocacy group Children Now and being released today, also found that TV characters of different races interact professionally and socially but rarely romantically.

Despite the continuing shortfalls in the portrayal of minorities on television, the “Fall Colors” study concluded that prime-time television has positively addressed some aspects of racial equality and made efforts to overcome stereotypes. Minority characters, for instance, are more likely to be shown as law-abiding rather than criminals.

In addition, ethnic characters have similar levels of competence and problem-solving ability as white characters.

“Fall Colors II” is a follow-up to a report released in January that looked at the level of diversity on prime-time television for the 1999-2000 season. Both studies were conducted by the nonprofit social organization as part of its Children and the Media program, whose stated mission is to examine how the media affect children.

Patti Miller, director of the Children and the Media program, said of the analysis, “There’s much room for improvement, with each racial group facing different challenges. African Americans tend to be compartmentalized and are generally shown in a work environment. Asian Pacific Americans are rarely shown, and their few representations lack depth and development. The few Latinos shown are relegated to secondary story lines, while Latinos and African Americans are both victims of racial humor and stereotypes.”

The study is being released during the monthlong gathering of television writers in Pasadena to sample the upcoming television season. Diversity in the TV industry and on new shows is once again expected to be one of the key topics of the sessions, as it was last season, when the four major networks unveiled a fall schedule that largely excluded minority characters.

The networks came under attack by the NAACP and several other minority advocacy groups for programming 26 new dramas and comedies devoid of minority leads. Secondary minority characters were also in short supply. The uproar seems to have simmered, with protesters indicating some satisfaction with the increased numbers of minority leads and characters. Still, some advocates claim that the industry has not gone far enough in including minorities in front of and behind the camera.

The new report looked at 22 shows that the group felt represented “the best” examples of diversity in television. Included in the study were “ER,” “For Your Love,” “The Hughleys,” “Judging Amy,” “Law & Order,” “Spin City,” “Star Trek: Voyager,” “The Practice,” “Felicity” and “That ‘70s Show.” Two shows with predominantly African American casts--”Moesha” and “City of Angels”--were also studied.

The sample totaled 406 characters: 271 whites, 95 African Americans, 16 Latinos, 14 Asian Pacific American, one Native American and nine minority characters coded as “other.”

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Environment was a key factor in reaching the conclusion that minority characters are not as well-developed as white characters. Though white characters are shown in both home and work environments, minority characters tended to be shown either at work, school or home. About three-fourths of black characters were never shown at home.

Also, black characters appeared with greater frequency in dramas than in comedies but were more likely to be featured in the central story lines of comedies than dramas, said the study. Of the 14 Asian Pacific American characters in the sample, only five were central to the plot, and they were more likely to be featured in dramas. Latinos in prime time were most likely to be shown in secondary plots on dramas.

In terms of interracial interaction, the study found that characters of different cultures frequently interacted professionally (“The Practice,” “Star Trek: Voyager”), and sometimes interacted socially (“Ally McBeal,” “Walker: Texas Ranger”) but rarely became romantically involved. Although there has been an increase in interracial couples in the last few years on shows like “City of Angels” and “Star Trek: Voyager,” the numbers are still low, the study said.

Said Miller of Children Now: “Prime-time television is still uncomfortable with issues of race. Only three of the shows we looked at deal explicitly with race and racial matters.” Those shows were “ER”, “Star Trek: Voyager” and “City of Angels.”

Katherine E. Heintz-Knowles, the researcher and principal writer of the report, said she hopes the networks take the study as a challenge to not be afraid of embracing racial differences.

“The networks have to stop being colorblind,” Heintz-Knowles said. “They should include more people of color and let them be people of color. Let’s see the cultural differences. It’s not easy, but it really should be the next challenge in the step toward diversity.”