Saturday, December 1, 2007

lack of ethnic diversity on Friends

The following are extracts from an essay that i found. Though it is not directly related to my study i may be able to use points in relation to the lack of ethnic diversity as the essay asks this question:
What happened to programs such as the Cosby Show or the Fresh Prince? Why are all-white television shows so popular in America and what happened to minority-based shows?
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/media_literacy/35640

Today's television depicts popular white America while leaving out minorities. The lack of ethnicity on television gives America an inaccurate idea about minorities
We live in a society where ethnicity is always depicted as sinful. When you sit down to watch television you don't expect to see minorities on television shows. At the same time people are not shocked to see minorities being arrested or convicted on the news. What would be the public's reaction if they went to watch television and saw six minority "friends" on a show just after watching an all-white neighborhood rioting on a news program?
Friends reinforces the humorous "all-American" lifestyle. Six white, unmarried, young Americans living and interacting together, reinforcing the idea that it is okay in today's society to be racially biased in choosing friends
Relationships portrayed on Friends are of white couples. This strongly reinforces the immorality of interracial relationships. People in society today do not see a homogenous portrayal of all-white society as they walk down a city block. Why do television shows, for the most part, display a perfect white homogenous society?
Friends is a lovable show that is compelling to the American public, reinforcing the idea that whites are dominant figures over minorities.

Therefore this article highlights the idea of whites are dominant figures over minorities. this can also be related the the Hypodermic Needle Model where ideologies are 'injected' into the audience, in this case it is through a popular television sitcom 'Friends'.

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