GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- A public hearing organized by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People met with limited success on Monday as representatives of three of the four major television networks left before making public statements, pleading scheduling conflicts. While CBS executives promised more shows with diverse casts during the hearing, representatives of NBC, ABC and Fox limited their comments to written statements for the record.
The hearing followed NAACP President Kweisi Mfume's criticism of nearly six months ago that this fall's network television prime-time schedule was a "whitewash." Now, a new Gallup poll finds two tales of diversity in the media. While whites generally see a comfortable racial balance on television and in the movies, nearly two out of every three blacks say they see too few African Americans.
Prime Time for Whites, Not for Blacks?
The new survey, part of the Gallup Poll Social Audit series, was
based on a total of 2,006 interviews, including 1,001 with blacks.
Overall, 54% of Americans say there is "about the right number of
black actors and actresses" on prime-time TV, but there are highly
significant differences by race. Fifty-nine percent of whites say
the number of black actors and actresses on prime-time television
is "about right" -- a view shared by just 28% of blacks surveyed by
Gallup. The largest difference: 65% of blacks say there are "too
few" African Americans in prime time, while only 24% of whites
share that view. (Eight percent of whites say there are "too many"
blacks on prime-time TV programs, compared to 3% of blacks).
Lack of Diversity Also Perceived in Movies, Television
News
The same pattern of responses is apparent when Americans are asked
about black representation in the movies and on television news.
Nearly one in three blacks (32%) say the number of black actors and
actresses in the movies is "about right," while 60% still say there
are too few black characters in films -- a view shared by only 24%
of whites.
Blacks are slightly less critical of the racial balance on local and television news. Thirty-seven percent of blacks say the number of black news anchors and reporters is "about right," while 57% say there are "too few." Among whites, 3% say there are "too many," while 31% say there are "too few" and 60% say the number is "about right."
Survey Methods
The results below are based on telephone interviews with a randomly
selected national sample of 2,006 adults, 18 years and older,
conducted September 24 - November 16, 1999, including 1,001 blacks.
For results based on this sample, one can say with 95 percent
confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and
other random effects is plus or minus 3 percentage points. In
addition to sampling error, question wording and practical
difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into
the findings of public opinion polls.
Thinking about [A-C] would you say there are too many, too few, or about the right number?
| A -- Black actors and actresses on prime-time television programs | |||
| Too many | Too few | About the right number | |
|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | |
| Total | 8 | 30 | 54 |
| Whites (934) | 8 | 24 | 59 |
| Blacks (1,001) | 3 | 65 | 28 |
| B -- Black actors and actresses in the movies | |||
| Too many | Too few | About the right number | |
| % | % | % | |
| Total | 4 | 29 | 59 |
| Whites | 4 | 24 | 64 |
| Blacks | 3 | 60 | 32 |
| C -- Black newscasters and reporters on local and network television news programs | |||
| Too many | Too few | About the right number | |
| % | % | % | |
| Total | 3 | 35 | 57 |
| Whites | 3 | 31 | 60 |
| Blacks | 2 | 57 | 37 |