African Americans on television: Twenty‐five years after Kerner

Abstract

Civil rights and urban rebellions in the 1960s illuminated discrimination on television. The Kerner Commission recommended an increase in the number of African Americans among newscasters and in television fiction. We used content analysis to examine 142 African Americans in 44 prime‐time fiction series broadcast in 1993 and found lingering residues of racism and sexism. Most African Americans were in situation comedies with undeveloped characterizations; males outnumbered females and occupied more significant positions. The traditional black buffoon was absent.

Key words:

• African Americans
• Black programming
• Kerner Commission Report
• prime‐time television programming
• television content analysis