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Media |
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Diversity
in the Media & Entertainment industries |
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Are you ready for the digital
TV conversion? According to Nielsen Media Research, three
million American households will lose their ability to watch
television when the conversion takes place on June 12th.
According to
Hispanic Business, about 2.5% of the population is not
ready for the conversion, including 5.1% of African
Americans and 4.3% of Hispanic Americans.
Why is the government forcing us to use digital TV?
According to
DTV.gov, the FCC-sponsored website set up to provide
information about the conversion, we are running out of
bandwidth on the public airwaves that could be used for more
technologically advanced communications services.
The advancements that have been made in consumer
electronics, wireless phones, and personal computers in
recent years have been nothing short of amazing. I would
never want to stand in the way of technological innovation,
but why does the price of this progress have to be paid by
the ones least likely to be able to afford it?
More
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Who we see, hear, and read on television, radio, newspapers, and in movies has a great
deal of influence on shaping the attitudes of all Americans. How African, Hispanic
(Latino), and Asian Americans are portrayed in these mediums often stereotypes and
reinforces negative images of each ethnic group. And the lack of diversity in the
media impacts how stories are covered and limits opportunities for Ethnic minorities in
these professions. According to a recent study by Children Now, the 8 to 9 PM television-viewing
"family hour" is the least ethnically diverse, with only one in eight programs
having a mixed cast. This sends highly skewed messages about diversity in America to
viewers, especially children. The Screen Actors Guild, which collects ethnicity data on all casting roles in TV and
film, reported that roles for African Americans, Latinos, and Native Americans for the
first time declined in 1998, in spite of the increasing visibility of this issue.
We should be concerned about having the casts on TV programs reflect the ethnic
diversity that exists in society at large, and ensuring that news reporting is fair,
balanced, and color-blind. What can be done to change this? Contact your TV or
radio station directly to voice your concerns. You can also write a letter to the
sponsors of the programs - they are always concerned about being associated with
controversy and have the power to make changes.
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