Assignment for Week One.docVIP

Passage 1????? Audiences from minority ethnic groups complained about tokenism, negative stereotyping and simplistic portrayal of their communities on television in a report published yesterday. But programmes such as the comedy shows Goodness Gracious Me and Ali G and the long-running soap Coronation Street were praised as being steps in the right direction. ????? The report, Multicultural Broadcasting: Concept and Reality, was released by the BBC, the Broadcasting Standards Commission, the Independent Television Commission and the Radio Authority. It explores attitudes towards multicultural broadcasting from the perspective of the audience and from within the television, radio and advertising industries. All those questioned from minority ethnic groups said their country of origin was not represented at all or was negatively portrayed on television. There was also a sense of insufficient coverage of events concerning their countries of origin. ????? The perspectives of ethnic and racial minorities were not featured sufficiently on terrestrial television, according to 69% of those working in television. Of the radio sample, 45% agreed. There was concern about stereotypical portrayal of certain issues. Groups from the Asian subcontinent spoke of the way in which arranged marriages were presented on television. They felt treatment of the issue was neither accurate nor reflective of the way in which the system had changed. ????? The issue of tokenism was also significant — some people felt characters from minority ethnic groups were included in programmes because it was expected they should be, resulting in characters who were ill-drawn and unimportant. Audiences felt broadcasters had a social duty to include authentic and fair representations of minorities as it would foster understanding of different cultures and allow children to see themselves represented positively. It was seen as important that minority groups should be included in soap operas or game shows