Big time on the small screen: although few African Americans have the authority to green-light TV projects, many are creating top-notch entertainment and gaining influence within the networks.Although few African Americans have the authority to greenlight TV projects, many are creating top-notch entertainment and gaining influence within the networks A CAREER OF SCRIPTS, SHOW TAPINGS, AND WORKING WITH STARS WAS THE last thing Saladin K. Patherson through when he graduate from MIT MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology . "I was strong in math and science and was encourage Patterson, who earned his degree in 94 then headed to Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University, at Nashville, Tenn.; coeducational; chartered 1872 as Central Univ. of Methodist Episcopal Church, founded and renamed 1873, opened 1875 through a gift from Cornelius Vanderbilt. Until 1914 it operated under the auspices of the Methodist Church. in Nashville. Tennessee, to get his Ph.D. While at Vanderbilt, Patterson grew introspective in·tro·spect intr.v. in·tro·spect·ed, in·tro·spect·ing, in·tro·spects To engage in introspection. [Latin intr and pondered a career far removed from the seiences. "I thought. "If I could do whatever I wanted, what would it be?" In a moment of truth, he realized television writing was his calling. After his epiphany, Patterson immersed himself like a man prosessed, in the business of television. He poured over hooks on script writing and producing and dissected successful sitcoms of the early 90s, specifically Seinfeld Mad About You, to determine how a winning show is put together. "I literally sat down and took notes." says Patterson, He then wrote spec scripts-samples writers use to pursue jobs and sent them out to contests and literary agents. Although he didn't get an agent rights away.... was into the prestigious Walt Disney/ABC fellowship program in l9, a select program for asp "ing I.eleviskm directors and screenwriters. dream. Patterson landed a job on ABC's Teen Angel. These days. Patterson is co executive producer for The Bernie Mac <noinclude> Bernard Jeffrey McCullough (born October 5, 1957[1]), better known as Bernie Mac, is a two time Emmy Award-nominated American actor and comedian. Show FOX's Emmv award-winning sit sitcom. Although there remain relatively few African Americans behind the scenes producing and directing programming. Patterson and a handful of others are positioning themselves to make a significant impact in the $40 billion on network television industry. Among them are Eunetta Boone, a 13-year television veteran and executive product. or show-runner for UPN's One on One, Larry Williams creater and one time executive producer of The Bernie Mac Show, who now has a deal with NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. to develop new shows--the first African American to land such a deal with a major network: veteran TV producer Yvette Lee Bowser Yvette Denise Lee Bowser (born July 9, 1965) is an American television writer and producer. She is perhaps best known for writing and producing Half & Half, Living Single, and A Different World. , executive producer of the UPN UPN User Principal Name (Microsoft Windows 2000) UPN United Paramount Network UPN Unión del Pueblo Navarro (Navarrese People Union) UPN Umgekehrte Polnische Notation sitcom Half & Half, Kriss Turner, executive producer of Whoopi; and Mara Brock Akil Mara Brock Akil (May 27, 1970, Los Angeles) is a U.S. television writer and producer. Biography She was born in California, but was raised primarily in Kansas City. She is a graduate of Northwestern University, where she earned a bachelor's degree in journalism. , creator and co-executive producer of UPN's Girlfriends. There's no doubt African Americans are represented in front of the camera. And more shows starring black actors are likely to spring up as advocacy groups pressure networks into diversifying their executive ranks and as the number of successful shows created or produced by African Americans continues to rise. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Prime Time in Black and White, a report published by the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies African American studies (also known as Black studies and/or Africana studies) is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to the study of the history, culture, and politics of African Americans. at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX , black people account for 12% of the population, yet nearly 16% of the characters portrayed on TV are African American. From new sitcoms like NBC's Whoopi, starring veteran actress and comedienne Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg (born November 13, 1955) is an American actress, comedian, radio presenter, and author. Goldberg is one of only ten individuals who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony Award, counting Daytime Emmy Awards. , to returning shows such as ABC's My Wife and Kids with Damon Wayans Damon Kyle Wayans (pronounced "Waynes") (born September 4, 1960) is an American stand-up comedian, writer, and actor who began his career as a stand-up comic in 1982. He is one of the Wayans brothers. , there's no lack of Afrocentric programming. Behind the camera, however, it's another story. A 2003 Directors Guild of America Report noted that for the 2002-2003 season, 13 of the top 40 prime time shows didn't hire minority directors. Out of the 860 total episodes studied, white males directed 82%. African American directors did make some progress, earning 5% of the total jobs, up from 3% in the 2001-2002 season. The Bernie Mac Show contributed to this increase, with 62% of its directing jobs going to minorities and women. Ironically, African American-oriented networks are unlikely to impact these numbers. With few original programs, media outlets such as BET and TV One--a joint cable venture with Radio One (no. 8 on the BE Industrial/Service list with $335.7 million in revenues) and Comcast set to launch in January 2004--will acquire most of their programming from out, side sources. Johnathan Rodgers, TV One president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , says his business model aims for 20% original programming. "We look to do nonfiction programs such as reality shows, game shows, documentaries, and biographies." With relatively few African Americans behind the scenes, when a program created, directed, or produced by an African American manages to get picked up by a network, there's even more pressure for it to become a bit. "If Whoopi succeeds, it will open doors for more shows driven by African American lead actors. It will also open doors for black producers and female producers," says Wilmore. "It's hard to get jobs on mainstream shows. Whenever someone with star power like Whoopi or Damon Wayans succeeds, it gives other black writers a chance to make their names known to the networks." Whoopi Executive Producer Turner agrees: "It has been a long time since NBC has had a show with a black lead, and NBC real estate is very hard to get. Once you get a piece, you want to make sure that you keep it, so it's very important that this show makes it. Like Cosby, if it's funny, people will come. If this show is a success, other networks are going to want to emulate it and take a chance on similar shows. If it doesn't work, they'll say, "Well we tried.'" But for black shows, says actor and comedian Bernie Mac, the networks aren't quite as patient with letting them develop and build an audience. "Black shows don't get a chance to mature like white shows, and that's just a true fact," says Mac, who also produces his show. "And what I mean by that is a white show can come on the air, and they give it three years to develop and let their stories get stronger, But black shows, if they don't come out the gate [strong] they don't last." Several networks are actively working toward diversifying their ranks. ABC's Talent Development Program is designed to aid aspiring writers, actors and directors, as well as those looking to enter the executive ranks, says Carmen Carmen throws over lover for another. [Fr. Lit.: Carmen; Fr. Opera: Bizet, Carmen, Westerman, 189–190] See : Faithlessness Carmen the cards repeatedly spell her death. [Fr. L. Smith, vice president of talent development at ABC Entertainment ABC Entertainment is a network production company owned by The Walt Disney Company and ABC that created in 1982. It produced shows like America's Funniest Home Videos, America's Funniest People, and H.E.L.P.. Television Group. Smith says last year, five of the network's seven TV fellows found jobs at Animal Planet and on shows such as E.R. and Cold Case. NBC and FOX also have programs to identify qualified minority talent. Another reason for the dearth of African Americans behind the scenes is natural generational shifts, says Lee Gaither, vice president of programming and development at NBC. "Before we start focusing on race, let's look at generational differences because that helps explain what we see and don't see on TV. In the past, networks were run by people who grew up in the 1960s, people who understood struggle and witnessed the Civil Rights Movement. It would bother them to turn on the television and not see a brown face on a show. Gen-Xers tend to be more cynical and jaded; there's very little social consciousness there. The Gen-X executive was more likely to have exposure to African Americans from childhood to professional adulthood, so they don't carry the same sensitivity about race as boomers." Shows about single Gen-xers set in urban settings, adds Gaither, would not pass the muster with baby boomer baby boomer also ba·by-boom·er n. A member of a baby-boom generation. Noun 1. baby boomer - a member of the baby boom generation in the 1950s; "they expanded the schools for a generation of baby boomers" boomer executives. But neither would much of today's TV lineup, he says. "Gen-Xers took all of the family shows off the air. Part of that included shows that had ethnic leads. Gen-xers aren't malicious, just unaware." Several celebrities, however, have managed to circumvent this by using their name recognition to convince network executives that their involvement will equal solid ratings. Goldberg, Will Smith, and Jade Pinkett Smith all used their star power to influence network brass at UPN into giving their sitcoms (see sidebar) a shot. And Samuel L. Jackson “Samuel Jackson” redirects here. For the senator from Indiana, see Samuel D. Jackson. Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA-winning actor. and his wife, actress LaTanya Richardson Latanya Richardson (born 1949 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American actress. She graduated from Spelman College in 1974. While at Spelman, she met Samuel L. Jackson who would later become her husband. She and Jackson have one daughter named Zoe. , recently cut a premium script deal with UPN for an untitled drama about a black family and its struggle to maintain control of a network of mega-churches. Mac is case in point. Prior to his hit show, the comedian had a wide following from his stand-up stand·up or stand-up adj. 1. Standing erect; upright: a standup collar. 2. Taken, done, or used while standing: a standup supper; a standup bar. act as well as appearances on Def Comedy Jam Def Comedy Jam is a HBO television series produced by hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons. The series had its original run from July 1, 1992 to January 1, 1997. The show has returned on HBO's fall lineup in 2006. and the Spike Lee-directed The Original Kings of Comedy. "Producing is kind of easy for me because that's something I've been doing my whole career-telling stories that have to do with [my life]," says Mac, who was able to keep creative control of his show by producing it. "When you deal with someone else's storyline, you have to constantly fight about what direction the characters want to go," he says, "because as an artist, you see the character one way, the network sees it another way, the executive producers sees it another way, and the writer another." And although there are no African Americans in network television who can single-handedly green-light a show, there are only about five people in the whole of network television who can. Gaither, however, recognizes his power and influence in other ways. Although he cannot give the final say on whether a project goes on the air, he says he can put projects in the development pipeline. "But we should also look at the fact that the president and CEO of CNBC CNBC Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (artificial intelligence) CNBC Consumer News and Business Channel CNBC Congress of National Black Churches, Inc. is Pamela Thomas-Graham, an African American, and that she can green-light shows on that network, and that's a form of entertainment," Gaither asserts. Turner cites an additional challenge for African Americans looking to work behind the scenes. Many parents, she says, believe creative fields are less respectable career paths. Working in a mailroom at a talent agency or movie studio after college or law school is not something most parents, particularly African Americans, see as a noble pursuit. But that's what many aspiring writers, executives, and agents must do to get in the business, says Turner. "You have to have access to people who are matriculating through the system and you must be willing to pour coffee or whatever. I was only making $250 [per week] after college and had to live with my grandparents grandparents npl → abuelos mpl grandparents grand npl → grands-parents mpl grandparents grand npl , but I was in the mix." Turner and other industry, insiders suggest that many African Americans cannot afford or are not willing to do the entry level jobs required of people looking to break into Hollywood. "Coming out of college, you will not be hired as a staff writer on a show. You must start at the bottom in this business," she says. That goes for every area of the business. Turner cites William Morris Noun 1. William Morris - English poet and craftsman (1834-1896) Morris agent Charles King Charles King may refer to:
In the meantime Adv. 1. in the meantime - during the intervening time; "meanwhile I will not think about the problem"; "meantime he was attentive to his other interests"; "in the meantime the police were notified" meantime, meanwhile , others are making a name for themselves within the realm of network television's biggest rival: cable TV. Showtime is responsible for Soul Food, the only African American drama on TV, and network executives are teaming up with Spike Lee Noun 1. Spike Lee - United States filmmaker whose works explore the richness of black culture in America (born in 1957) Lee, Shelton Jackson Lee to produce Sucker Free Sucker Free is a music video program hosted by MTV VJ Cipha Sounds playing the top five hip-hop and R&B music videos that viewers vote for online.[1] It debuted in September 2000[2] under the title Direct Effect City, a drama about San Francisco San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden street gangs. HBO Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) A form of oxygen therapy in which the patient breathes oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Mentioned in: Ozone Therapy has produced award-winning projects about African Americans like The Corner, and USA Networks finalized a deal with actor Ving Rhames, who plans to star in a remake of the popular '70s detective show Kojak. Kelly Goode, senior vice president of programming for Lifetime, was part of a team responsible for getting a number of series green-lighted, including Strong Medicine, a show executive produced by Goldberg. And Goode plans to continue to increase racial diversity on Lifetime, "It's always a priority for me personally and for Lifetime, "says Goode, who mentions 1-800-Missing, a show executive produced by Debra Martin Chase Debra Martin Chase (11 October 1956 - ) is a Hollywood producer and former lawyer who was named by Savoy magazine in August 2003 as one of the 100 most influential African Americans in the United States and by Black Enterprise magazine in 2007 as one of the , as an example of shows with strong black involvement. "This is a great time in cable. It's the next wave, with the most opportunities in front of and behind the camera." And with the TV One and Radio One, the cable world is perhaps better positioned to offer opportunities for African Americans than network TV, provided they offer original programming. That's exactly what MBC (Multimedia Benchmark Committee) A graphics benchmark that provides MPEG-2 and other tests. See GPC. Network, a black-owned cable channel, is planning to do. According to Executive Vice President of Operations Travis Mitchell, MBC will offer original movies, sitcoms, and dramas by 2006. Another argument for African American advancement in cable TV is one of the few African Americans with the power to get a show produced and aired comes courtesy of VH1 (which is owned by Viacom, the corporate giant that also owns MTV MTV in full Music Television U.S. cable television network, established in 1980 to present videos of musicians and singers performing new rock music. MTV won a wide following among rock-music fans worldwide and greatly affected the popular-music business. , BET, and Showtime). Christina Norman, general manager of VHl, has the authority to green-light projects, and industry insiders say she is diversifying VH1's programming. VH1's ratings are up 100% this year. Still, African Americans have come a long way on network television. In the late '50s, advertising agencies were unable to convince national clients to buy time on NBC's The Nat "King" Cole Show for fear that white Southern audiences would boycott their products. This eventually lead to the show's downfall. It would take almost 40 years after The Nat "King" Cole Show was cancelled before African American representation behind the scenes increased. Girlfriends' Akil says she is encouraged by the success of shows produced by African Americans. "I feel like I'm making an important contribution and I'm proud of that. I also think that with more of our shows on the air like Eve with show-runner Meg DeLoatch, more African Americans will be able to rise through ranks to the executive producer level." Among the more prominent people to do so is Half & Half producer Bowser Bowser may mean:
Going forward, black executives and creative talent are optimistic about opportunities for African Americans in TV. Says Salim Akil, husband to Mara Brock Akil and a writer for Showtime's Soul Food, "We will be able to green-light projects one day, but it will be a struggle. I don't look at it in terms of people letting us do something--it's inevitable. Things move and progress." For now, it appears cable is leading the way. But between continued pressure from advocacy groups and successful black writers, producers, and television shows, a change could be in the script. Stay tuned. BE -Additional reporting by Marcia A. Wade
A Decade of Growth
While African Americans have had a long history on television, the last
decade has shown the greatest growth in the number of black-created or
produced programs. Though by no means complete, the following are
highlights of some of the more popular shows with strong African
American involvement behind the camera.
NETWORK PRODUCER/CREATOR PROGRAM TITLE
abc Damon Wayans My Wife and Kids
CBS Bill Cosby Cosby
NBC Yvette Lee Bowser A Different World
Bill Cosby The Cosby Show
Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi
Winifred Hervey In the House
Quincy Jones Fresh Prince of Bel Air
In the House
Will Smith The Fresh Prince of Bel Air
Kriss Turner Whoopi
Larry Wilmore Whoopi
FOX Yvette Lee Bowser Living Single
Quincy Jones MADtv
Bernie Mac The Bernie Mac Show
Saladin K. Patterson The Bernie Mac Show
Damon Wayans 413 Hope St.
Larry Wilmore The Bernie Mac Show
upn Mara Brock Akil Girlfriends
Flex (Mark Knox) Alexander One on One
Tyra Banks America's Next Top Model
Yvette Lee Bowser Half & Half
For Your Love
Ralph Farquhar Moesha
The Parkers
D.L. Hughley The Hugheys
Sarah Finney-Johnson Moesha
The Parkers
Will Smith & All of US
Jada Pinkett-Smith
The WB Anthony Anderson All about the Andersons
Steve Harvey Steve Harvey's Big Time
Rick Hawkins Sister, Sister
Ernest Johnson Like Family
Rushion McDonald Steve Harvey's Big Time
Eddie Murphy The PJs
Holly Robinson Peete For Your Love
Robert Townsend The Parent 'Hood
SEASONS
abc 2001-
CBS 1999-2000
NBC 1987-1993
1984-1992
2003-
1995-1999
1990-1996
1995-1999
1990-1996
2003-
2003-
FOX 1993-1998
1995-
2001-
2001-
1997-1998
2001-
upn 2002-
2001-
2003-
1993-1998
1998-2002
1999-
1998-2002
1996-2001
1999-
2003-
The WB 2003-
2003-
2002-
2003-
2003-
1999-2001
1994-1999
1995-1999
SOURCE: BE Research
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