DOCUMENT RESUME ED 246 148 UD 023 664 TITLE Minority Participation in the Media. Hearings before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Consumer Protection, and Finance oT the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, Ninety-Eighth Congress, First Session, September 19 and 23, 1983. Serial No. 98-93. INSTITUTION Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Energy and Commerce. PUB DATE 84 NOTE 282p. PUB TYPE Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials (090) Reports - General (140) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC12 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Equal Opportunities (Jobs); *Government Role; Hearings; *Mass Media; *Minority Groups; *Programing (Broadcast); *Stereotypes IDENTIFIERS Congress 98th; *Deregulation; Ownership ABSTRACT The focus of these hearings was on the impact of proposed broadcast deregulation on issues related to minorities in the media--namely, minority programming, the portrayal of minorities in the media, minority ownership of media properties, and equal employment opportunities within the communications industry. Testimony was given by representatives of minority and nonminority organizations concerned with the communications industry, by representatives of media properties, and by a representative of the FeUeral Communications Commission. (CMG) *********************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * *********************************************************************** MINORITY PARTICIPATION IN THE MEDIAI UD HEARINGS BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS, CONSUMER PROTECTION, AND FINANCE OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-EIGHTH CONGRESS FIRST SESSION SEPTEMBER 19 AND 23, 1983 Serial No. 98-93 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction.puality. Points of view or opinions stated in this docti went do not necessarily represent official NIE position or policy. Printed for the use of the Committee on Energy and Commerce U.S. GOV2RNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 32-999 0 WASHINGTON : 1984 . 2 COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE JOHN D. DINGELL, Michigan, Chairman JAMES H. SCHEUER, New York JAMES T. BROYHILL, North Carolina RICHARD L. OTTINGER, New York NORMAN F. LENT, New York HENRY A. WAXMAN, California EDWARD R. MADICAN, Illinois TIMOTHY E. WIRTH, Colorado CARLOS J. MOORHEAD, California PHILIP R. SHARP, Indiana MATTHEW J. RINALDO, New Jersey JAMES J. FLORIO, New Jersey TOM CORCORAN, Illinois EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts WILLIAM E. DANNEMEYER, California THOMAS A. LUKEN, Ohio BOB WHITTAKER, Kansas DOUG WALGREN, Pennsylvania THOMAS J. TAUKE, Iowa ALBERT GORE, JR., Tennessee DON RITTER, Pennsylvania BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland DAN COATS, Indiana AL SWIFT, Washington THOMAS J. BLILEY, JR., Virginia MICKEY LELAND, Texas JACK FIELDS, Texas RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama MICHAEL G. OXLEY, Ohio CARDISS COLLINS, Illinois HOWARD C. NIELSON, Utah MIKE SYNAR, Oklahoma W. J. "BILLY" TAUZIN, Louisiana RON WYDEN, Oregon RALPH M. HALL, Texas DENNIS E. ECKART, Ohio WAYNE DOWDY, Mississippi BILL RICHARDSON, New Mexico JIM SLATTERY, Kansas GERRY SIKORSKI, Minnesota JOHN BRYANT, Texas JIM BATES, California FRANK M. Powell, Jr., Chief Counsel and Staff Director SHARON E. DAVIS, Chief Clark/Administrative Assistant DONALD A. WATT, Printing Editor ARNOLD I. HAVENS, Minority Counsel SUBCOMMITTEE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS, CONSUMER PROTECTION, AND FINANCE TIMOTHY E. WIRTH, Colorado, Chairman EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts MATTHEW J. RINALDO, New Jersey AL SWIFT, Washington CARLOS J. MOORHEAD, California CARDISS COLLINS, Illinois THOMAS J. TAUKE, Iowa ALBERT GORE, JR., Tennessee MICHAEL G. OXLEY, Ohio MICKEY LELAND, Texas JAMES T. BROYHILL, North Carolina JOHN BRYANT, Texas (Ex Officio) JIM BATES, California JAMES H. SCHEUER, New York HENRY A. WAXMAN, California JOHN D. DINGELL, Michigan (Ex Officio) DAVID K. AYLWARD, Chief Counsel/Staff Director NANCY M. LEACH, Policy Analyst RODNEY L. Joyce, Associate Minority Counsel CONTENTS Page Hearings held on: September 19, 1983 1 September 23, 1983 129 Testimony of: Angelou, Maya, activist, Winston-Salem, N.0 99 Butler, Cecil C., principal, East Lake Communications, Inc 222 Carter, Terry, PreSident, META-4 Productions, Inc 107 Casey, Bernie, Poobab Productions 102 Charren, Peggy, president, Action for Children's Television 33 Cooke, Wilhelmina Reuben, on behalf of Citizens Communications Center and Black Citizens for a Fair Media 7 Edwards, Willis, president, Beverly Hills/Hollywood Branch, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 46 Esparza, Moctesuma, Buena Vista Cable Vision 106 Hammond, Allen S., IV, president, National Conference of Black Law- yers, Communications Task Force 157 Haru, Sumi, Los Angeles, Calif 104 Herman, Kathleen, cable communications, city of Atlanta, Ga 243 Hooks, Robert, chairman, National Alliance for Black Advancement in Communication, Inc. 100 Jackson, Jesse, presMent, Operation PUSH 141 Krasnow, Erwin C., senior vice president and general counsel, National Association of Broadcasters 170 McKinney, James C., Chief, Mass Media Bureau, Federal Communica- tions Commission 184 MacDonald, J. Fred, professor of history, Northeastern Illinois Universi- ty; and author, Blacks and White TV: Afro-Americans in Television Since 1948 47, 231 Marshall, Pluria, president, National Black Media Coalition 153 Poitier, Sidney, Verdon Productions 97 Sutton, Pierre, president, National Association of Black Owned Broad- casters 154 Torres, Arnaldo S., national executive director, League of United Latin American Citizens 61, 137 Wheeler, Thomas E., president, National Cable Television Association .. 211 Yzaguirre, Raul, president, National Council of La Raze 20 Material submitted for the record by: Baeza, Mario L 256 Chamba Organization, Inc., The 124 Black Entertainment Television 247 (ttt) MINORITY PARTICIPATION IN THE MEDIA MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1983 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS, CONSUMER PROTECTION, AND FINANCE, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 9:20 a.m., in room 2123, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. George T. (Mickey) Leland presiding; Hon'. Timothy Wirth, chairman. Mr. LELAND. We are going to get started, ladies and gentlemen. Good morning to all of you. I would like to preface my remarks by thanking Chairman Wirth for scheduling these very important hearings and for his leadership with regard to the issues of enhanc- ing diversity in the media, and increasing minority participation in the broadcast industries. I know Chairman Wirth would vey much like to be here himself to greet you. Unfortunately, because of a scheduling conflict that he was unable to avoid, he will not be able to be here as we begin this hearing. He will, however, be here shortly. I welcome this opportunity to participate in this discussion of the problems confronted by minorities in the media. I think itis particularly appropriate for the subcommittee to consider the broadcast industry's treatment of minorities and minority concerns now, as we begin to actively consider legislation geared toward deregulating broadcasting.I mutt confess that I often wonder, given the shabby treatment of minorities in a regulated environment, how will we fare after deregulation? Moreover, I wonder if we truly can build into any deregulation legislation suffi- cient structural safeguards to insure that the needs and concerns of all of our citizensblack, brown, and white; old and young; rich and poor; urban and ruralare served by the broadcasting indui- try. It is clear to any objective observer of the television industry that the record of the industry with regard to portrayal of minori- ties and enunciation of minority concerns is, and historically has been, abyemal. There has been very little educational or informa- tional programing geared toward minority audiences on either local or network television. There has been even less effort to accu- rately portray minority life in standard commercial entertainment fare. Far too often, talented minority actors and actresses are re- duced to stereotypical portrayals or comedic roles. A report con- cerning the television industry prepared by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights noted that when blacks appear on television, they (1) rarely are portrayed seriously. The report also noted that while whites often are shown in ridiculous roles in television, they also are seen in other programs and roles, while minorities appear most often in situation comedies. According to the report, the roles of blacks in television situation comedies largely fixes an image in the public mind of a ridiculous and nenserious people. In the absence of any balance, these shows grossly distort minority life in Amer- ica, serve to reinforce negative images of minority life, and bolster societal racism and sexism. I am concerned with the image television programing has on the minds of our populace at large, but I am particularly concerned about the effect this programing has on the young, both minority and nonminority. The richness and vitality of the minority experi- ence in America is rarely; if ever, depicted on television. Because of this omission, the American public is denied the opportunity to view realistic and socially meaningful