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 commerce. The creative community exists in one sphere, the networks and advertisers as a business community in another, and what gets on the air exists in the area where the two can meet. Thus, Hal Kanter can create a show called Julia and get it on the air in the 1960s because he has a black star with drawing power, Diahann Carroll, and because the message of the show is non-threatening to the audience to whom the business interests want to sell their products. Th...