Black Roles on Television
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For much of television's early years, the America reflected on the screen was a nation of white faces, with only a few black faces tossed in, usually in menial occupations such as janitor, elevator operator, and so on. A look at the range of black roles on television today shows that much has changed and that the America reflected on screen today is more like the real America, with blacks and whites in all walks of life. This is not to sa that there are no problems or that blacks are accorded fully equal treatment, but it is clear that portrayals of blacks on television have changed greatly over the last four decades both in number and substance. Some of the changes have been seen as good, and others have been seen as not so good. Even the good changes have been seen as existing within a relatively narrow spectrum that still sets blacks apart on television, relegating them to specific programming niches and even behaviors and not reflecting the life of most blacks in America. If there are more black-oriented shows on television this season than in the past--and indeed there are--this does not mean that the shows are as varied or as relevant to black life as they need to be. The changes that have taken place in television are closely tied to the Civil Rights Movement, to government decisions regarding discrimination and equality, and to a growing perception of the black population as a market requiring special care just as does the white community when it comes to commer
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the early 1970s that were considered "relevant," meaning they discussed issues and presented ideas as most comedy shows did not. These shows were also based more on tension between the characters than on the usual sentimental family structure. the beginning of this series of shows was All in the Family, a program based on a British show and transferred to Queens in New York. The main character was a right-wing bigot who railed against every minority group and who supported every right-wing cause. In the early days of the show, there was a black family living next door, the Jeffersons, who would later spin off into their own television show. Other black-oriented shows from Lear included Sanford and Son, Good Times, and The Jeffersons, and Bud Yorkin would separately produce such black-oriented shows as What's Happening!! and Carter Country. These shows had varied success but a similar formula:
The comedic formula developed by Lear and Yorkin was a microcosm of that historic synthesis achieved during the 1970s with regard to blacks in TV. On the one hand, there was exposure of black talent--more roles, more employment, more black-centered programs than in the past. Yet, there was an almost total relegation of blacks to com
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 2643
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page)
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