1
This is a Black Screen
2
TV Tokenism Spiro Bolos & John S. O’Connor ➔ New Trier High School ➔ CASE
3
The Past Spike Lee’s Bamboozled Multiple examples of the negative portrayal of AfricanAmericans in last 50 years Similarities to today’s sitcoms?
4
Spike Lee’s Bamboozled
5
The Present Purpose of TV Shows Prized Demographics “Upfront” Presentations Dramas vs Sitcoms/Reality TV
6
“Basically, network TV goes out and creates a bunch of pilot shows. They’re basically practice shows... SOURCE: NPR’s Talk of the Nation, “After Chaotic Year, Dramas Play at TV Upfronts”: Eric Deggans, TV/Media critic, St. Petersburg Times
7
[E]ach network could create something like 30 pilots, and they may only pick ten. Ten is a lot, if they pick ten. SOURCE: NPR’s Talk of the Nation, “After Chaotic Year, Dramas Play at TV Upfronts”: Eric Deggans, TV/Media critic, St. Petersburg Times
8
So that’s a pretty low batting average to spend an average of a million, maybe $2 million a pilot, and then only pick up a fifth...that you actually produce. SOURCE: NPR’s Talk of the Nation, “After Chaotic Year, Dramas Play at TV Upfronts”: Eric Deggans, TV/Media critic, St. Petersburg Times
9
“Come to think of it, I saw a white judge on Law & Order last night!” — Grizz
30 Rock: “Racism is Back.”
10
The Future What is TV Tokenism? Is it real? If so, is it a problem? If it is a problem, what, if anything, should be done? How does it mirror the tokenism in our society? What are some other examples you can cite?
11
“Networks scrambled to create more diverse casts after being criticized by the NAACP three years ago.” SOURCE: “US Watches TV in Black and White”, Duncan Campbell in The Guardian, 2/6/03
12
Result? “TV Tokenism� Dramas: Main Character is white or white-looking Main Character is center of story-line (obviously) Main Character is complex and can be morally ambiguous (conflicted) Main Character receives bulk of screen time
13
Result? “TV Tokenism” Dramas: Supporting Character is a “token” minority Supporting character may be in a prestigious and/ or “buddy” position Supporting character is rarely complicated Supporting character receives little screen time or relegated to subplots, only
14
30 Rock: “the Diversity Guy”
15
Examples... CBS: “NCIS”
16
Examples... CBS: “NCIS”
17
Examples... FOX: “Fringe”
18
Examples... ABC: “LOST”
19
Examples... ABC: “FlashForward”
20
FlashForward: “Pilot”
21
“Where’s my token minority partner?”
FlashForward: “Pilot”
22
1:43
23
2:06
24
3:46
25
4:04
26
5:15
27
6:06
28
“The Best-Dressed Man” 7:08
29
“The Authority Minority” 7:08 - 7:27
30
“Token Faces”
31
“Token Faces”
32
“Token Faces”
33
“Token Faces”
34
“Token Faces”
35
Examples... FOX: “House, M.D.”
36
Examples... CW: “One Tree Hill”
37
Examples... CBS: “CSI: Miami”
38
CSI: Miami “Mystical Minority”
39
Examples... FOX: “24”
40
24: “Pilot” Episode
41
next appearance
elapsed time
43:00
0:36 1:49
24: Sen. David Palmer (domestic)
42
elapsed time
2:57
24: Agent Jack Bauer (domestic)
43
What is the effect? Max Weisbuch, Tufts University: “The Subtle Transmission of Race Bias via Televised Nonverbal Behavior” (2009)
44
The Experiment
45
The Experiment
46
The Experiment
47
The Experiment
48
The Experiment
49
The Experiment
50
“Black characters elicit especially negative nonverbal responses, such as facial expressions & body language, from other characters.” SOURCE: Tufts Journal, “Lessons in Black and White” (January 6, 2010)
51
“...and viewers exhibit more racial bias after exposure to such negative responses.” SOURCE: Tufts Journal, “Lessons in Black and White” (January 6, 2010)
52
“The takeaway message is that bias can be contagious and can be transmitted through nonverbal behavior.” SOURCE: Tufts Journal, “Lessons in Black and White” (January 6, 2010)
53
Questions for Discussion Is TV Tokenism real? If so, is it a problem? If it is a problem, what, if anything, should be done? What are some other examples you can cite? How does it mirror the tokenism in our society?
54
Thanks. Kerry Brennan, John S. O’Connor, & the Bolos Girls
Songs: Public Enemy: “Burn, Hollywood, Burn” Wilco: “Kicking Television”
55
This is a Black Screen