Role Of Minorities In The Media
Running Head: MINORITIES IN THE MEDIA
Minorities in the Media:
Have We Dropped the Ball Ethically?
Seth W. Horning
Dr. Jay Martinson
December 6, 2000
Minorities in the Media:
Have We Dropped the Ball Ethically? This is a time when civil rights are beginning to be taken for granted by many minorities and used as an excuse for inaction by the white majority. This taken with the onslaught of the information age begins to create a problem unique to this period in history. Any other period of history shows a distinct ruling class, which has no problem with authority over the rest of the population. The present represents more equality, but it still lacks complete equality. This is especially evident in …show more content…
Fonda Lloyd found that there were 25 black advertising firms in 1972 (1995). In 1995 there were only four (1995). The reasons for this are only assumed at this point, but one can easily conclude that unfair advantages to the "majority" may be a significant part. Television is also being accused of creating an unethical gap in the way that minorities are portrayed compared to the majority. While the larger networks are beginning to diversify their shows, the numbers still do not add up. Hispanic and Native American characters composed less than one percent of all characters on television (******). African-American characters added up to about 11 percent which is close to the actual population makeup. Even with this beginning diversification, there are still a disproportionate number of whites in leading roles compared to other minorities. Excluding the news, of the three main networks, ABC, NBC, and CBS, CBS was the only one with a Minority as the lead character. All of the other shows had minority characters but none of those characters demanded center stage on the show. It is not surprising then that CBS was ranked as the number one network among both minorities and …show more content…
There are more minorities working as anchors and reporters, especially in local television, but there are many obstacles for them to reach any higher (Prato, 1999). Prato says that due to the pressure to garner high ratings, general managers are simply not willing to experiment with minorities, putting them in positions of more power (1999). Therefore, in television, minorities end up in supporting roles again. Lafayette found that the meteorologist jobs in every major network were filled by African-Americans (1999). While this is a step up from no minorities in television, it is still putting minorities in subservient
Minorities in the Media:
Have We Dropped the Ball Ethically?
Seth W. Horning
Dr. Jay Martinson
December 6, 2000
Minorities in the Media:
Have We Dropped the Ball Ethically? This is a time when civil rights are beginning to be taken for granted by many minorities and used as an excuse for inaction by the white majority. This taken with the onslaught of the information age begins to create a problem unique to this period in history. Any other period of history shows a distinct ruling class, which has no problem with authority over the rest of the population. The present represents more equality, but it still lacks complete equality. This is especially evident in …show more content…
Fonda Lloyd found that there were 25 black advertising firms in 1972 (1995). In 1995 there were only four (1995). The reasons for this are only assumed at this point, but one can easily conclude that unfair advantages to the "majority" may be a significant part. Television is also being accused of creating an unethical gap in the way that minorities are portrayed compared to the majority. While the larger networks are beginning to diversify their shows, the numbers still do not add up. Hispanic and Native American characters composed less than one percent of all characters on television (******). African-American characters added up to about 11 percent which is close to the actual population makeup. Even with this beginning diversification, there are still a disproportionate number of whites in leading roles compared to other minorities. Excluding the news, of the three main networks, ABC, NBC, and CBS, CBS was the only one with a Minority as the lead character. All of the other shows had minority characters but none of those characters demanded center stage on the show. It is not surprising then that CBS was ranked as the number one network among both minorities and …show more content…
There are more minorities working as anchors and reporters, especially in local television, but there are many obstacles for them to reach any higher (Prato, 1999). Prato says that due to the pressure to garner high ratings, general managers are simply not willing to experiment with minorities, putting them in positions of more power (1999). Therefore, in television, minorities end up in supporting roles again. Lafayette found that the meteorologist jobs in every major network were filled by African-Americans (1999). While this is a step up from no minorities in television, it is still putting minorities in subservient