Television began with the promise of racial balance in its treatment of

minorities, a vision that was never fulfilled. In the beginning, blacks were

only seen in guest roles on the television shows of liberal white performers.

When they were allowed reoccurring roles in such shows as Amos & Andy and,

The Little Rascals, they were depicted as stupid and lacking in normal human

character. The forty-year history has seen an increase in the black presence

on television, but only mild variations in the racially stereotyped roles

minorities play. Terry by Jones and Robert Staples, conclude that white

supremacy ideology has encouraged the distorted images of blacks in that

medium and has resulted in adverse effects on both the black and white

The four major broadcast networks are bettering their minority hiring

initiatives in response to harsh criticism and treats from the National

Association for the Advancement of Colored People. According to John W. Ellis

the organization challenged the networks' 1999-2000 fall lineup of programs

due to the lack of minority actors in lead roles. A study released last

summer by the NAACP showed that 62% of A

agreements in one key area: Fox has agreed to hire a vice-president of

According to Vernon Stone, of the Economist, almost all of the last

generate minority jobs. ABC followed quickly. As for CBS, the network had

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