On the eve of Barack Obama’s election last fall as the first African-American president, television seemed to be leaning toward a post-racial future. In October two prominent cable networks — CNN and Comedy Central — began new programs that featured black hosts, a development that was notable because so few current programs on cable or broadcast channels have minority leads.
Five months later both programs — “Chocolate News,” featuring David Alan Grier on Comedy Central, and “D. L. Hughley Breaks the News” on CNN — have been discontinued. In addition, CW, the broadcast network that regularly features comedies with largely African-American casts, announced in February that it was renewing six popular series, but its two with mostly black performers — “Everybody Hates Chris” and “The Game” — were not among them. (The network says it is still deciding their fates.)
One of the few new series from last fall to feature a black lead, Fox’s situation comedy “Do Not Disturb,” was canceled after only three episodes because of low ratings. And when Jay Leno’s impending departure from “The Tonight Show” caused a shuffling among the late-night talk-show hosting chairs, the lineup remained a white male domain.
Source: NY Times
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I know I am “preaching to the choir” with y response, but here I go.
We all have a sense of WHY the big wigs of TV is not and have not given a variety of quality of Black-focused or Black-led shows. It has been what it always has, fear () that a progressive following from someone else other than a “trusting, friendly, knowledgeable, concerning” white face. Usually the upwardly thinking and moving Negro is the silent partner or arrogant traitor given a few lines or seconds of face time.
To depict the logic and reasoning behind Blacks’ “drama” is too close of presenting the truth- who and what is at cause of our “drama”. AND to further continue by Black leading characters showing the compassion and sheer sake of humanity of reaching out to other groups (any kind- ethnic, social, class) is even more a notch of the networks fear factor. That the white face is NOT the universe’s hero all the time! That’s ok; history has already taught us such- Jesus, Toussaint L’Overture, Moses, Queen Esther, Queen Nefertiti, Shirley Chisholm, and Barack H. Obama, Jr.
What paying subscribers could consistently plan for long-term is stay on Black current or upcoming media owners/producers for better, original programs.