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Posted at 7:20 p.m. EST Sunday, November 19, 2000
Networks graded poorly by coalition of minority groups

By JAMES MAY INDIAN COUNTRY TODAY
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- A coalition of minority groups has issued its first
six-month report card on the portrayal of American Indians and other
minorities on television. Though the networks did not fare well, there were
hopeful signs.

NBC, ABC and Fox mainly received D's and CBS got an F. The report, developed
in response to a memorandum of understanding signed by the four major TV
networks in January, noted that African-Americans made a small gain in
representation while American Indians, Latinos and Asians remained grossly
underrepresented.

Veteran Hollywood activist and American Indian television and film actor
Sonny Skyhawk represented the American Indians in Film and Television, an
organization he helped start. He said his goal was to not attack the
networks, but to work with them for a more honest portrayal of American
Indians in contemporary and historical life.

"American Indians are doctors, lawyers, teachers and cabdrivers, yet it seems
that we are always being portrayed as savages in loin cloths," Skyhawk says.

Though American Indians make up 2.2 percent of the general population, Screen
Actors Guild statistics show, they only comprise .01 percent of actors on
television, and .001 percent of the total people employed by the four major
networks.

The memorandum does not set specific percentages or quotas, but rather seeks
a good faith effort by the networks to actively recruit minorities both
behind and in front of the cameras, the coalition says.

As part of the agreement, each of the networks created a senior vice
president of diversity position. Fox hired Mitsy Wilson, Josie Thomas is at
CBS, Paula Madison at NBC and John Rose took the position with ABC.

The coalition was the result of a year's effort to pool minority interests in
Hollywood to present a united and thus more effective voice. As part of the
understanding, report cards were to be issued twice a year for five years to
determine the network progress.

Skyhawk says that while television portrayal may appear trivial to some, it
has some very real consequences. He recalls films in which Navajos are living
in tepees and another where Sitting Bull fights with Geronimo.

White actors largely played the American Indians in lead roles.

This creates many misconceptions for which American Indians pay a real price,
he said, adding that people often ask if he has ever scalped anyone or if he
lives in a tepee.

He said he feels the images portrayed on television and film contribute
directly to public perception and perpetuate myths and stereotypes.

While Skyhawk wants more historical accuracy, he said he would also like to
see more films that deal with American Indians in a contemporary setting,
making the public aware that American Indians are not extinct.

Another point Skyhawk makes is that the four major networks are large
corporations owned by even larger corporations. By employing greater numbers
of American Indians at all levels of the network corporate structure, Skyhawk
said he believes they can help contribute literally millions of dollars in
procurements for American Indians.

Alex Nogales, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Media Coalition said
he thinks minority representation in Hollywood is about justice.

"Yes, there are minorities who are dope dealers and killers, like anyone
else, but there are many more who are successful parts of this society," says
Nogales. "By not portraying minority societies' more productive elements you
commit a great injustice in the way people are perceived."

Nogales says he is pleased African-Americans have made recent gains but feels
there is still a great need for increased network employment of other
minority groups.

None of the network senior vice presidents for diversity was available for
comment. Kyle Kaino, a spokeswoman for NBC, says that while she understands
that her network received a low grade, she believes NBC has made progress in
its effort to bring minorities into television.

Kaino issued the following official statement:

"NBC is proud of the strides our network has made in increasing diversity on
air and behind-the-scenes. We thank the coalition for its recognition of our
progress. We are taking positive steps to recruit minorities employees by
creating and improving programs that encourage careers in broadcast
television. We remain committed to our continuing efforts in increasing
minority representation companywide."

X X X

(c) 2000, Indian Country Today (Rapid City, S.D.).

Visit Indian Country Today's World Wide Web site, at
http://www.indiancountry.com/

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.


AP-NY-11-17-00 1233EST





Reprinted under the Fair Use http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html
doctrine of international copyright law.
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