MODERN MEDIA APPROACHES

Race and Ethnicity in Entertainment and Modern Media Approaches

Race and Ethnicity in Entertainment and Modern Media Approaches

Introduction

In recent years, some of the most blatant stereotypes have faded from movie and TV screens. Defenders of the entertainment industry maintain that the industry now promotes diversity and tolerance. As evidence that movie studios have become more sensitive in their treatment of race and ethnicity, they cite various films including Dances with Wolves, a 1990 epic featuring a sympathetic Native American tribe, and The Joy Luck Club, a 1993 drama with a strong female cast of Chinese and Chinese American characters (Dines 2006, p. 4). Industry defenders also emphasize signs of increased diversity on television, such as the appearance of prominent Hispanic American characters on shows such as Dark Angel (Fox, 2000-02) and Scrubs (NBC, 2001-present), and the presence of a Japanese superhero on NBC's Heroes (2006-present).

The issue: Is the entertainment industry promoting negative racial and ethnic stereotypes through movies and television?

Critics of the entertainment industry say: Films and TV shows often promote negative stereotypes of racial and ethnic groups; common stereotypes include portraying members of certain groups as violent, poorly educated or unattractive. Audience members might absorb those stereotypes and accept them as true, and thereby develop real-life prejudices based on what they see on screen (Dines 2006, p. 5).

Defenders of the entertainment industry say: Charges of racial and ethnic stereotyping by the entertainment industry are clearly exaggerated. Critics who decry stereotypes are being oversensitive, and ignoring evidence that most film and TV portrayals of ethnic characters are positive. Furthermore, there is little or no evidence to suggest that on-screen stereotypes promote prejudice in real life.

Discussion

The controversy lingers on, flaring up whenever a new film or TV show presents alleged stereotypes. The question remains, is racial and ethnic stereotyping pervasive in contemporary entertainment? And, if so, does it promote prejudice in real life? Critics of the entertainment industry argue that stereotyping is still widespread. They point to allegedly common examples of stereotyping, such as depicting Italian characters as gangsters, blacks as petty criminals, Asians as doctors and Jews as unattractive neurotics (Glaister 2004, p. 5).

Such stereotypes are harmful, critics assert, because audience members might accept them as universally true and develop real prejudices based on them. The entertainment industry needs to balance out stereotypes by featuring more positive portrayals of maligned groups, critics maintain.

Defenders of the entertainment industry contend that the dangers of stereotyping are exaggerated. No single fictional character is meant to represent an entire racial or ethnic group, they argue; therefore, one stereotypical character does not reflect badly on a whole community.

Critics are being oversensitive, defenders assert, and are picking out individual negative portrayals to complain about while ignoring an overall positive picture (Kempley 2003, p. 4). Worse yet, critics restrict the creative freedom of film and TV producers to depict characters from diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds, defenders say.

Hollywood, TV and the Early Stereotyping Controversies

Allegations of racial and ethnic stereotyping have dogged the movie industry almost ...