Congresswoman rips Jeff Zucker for NBC's lack of diversity

[TMC]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ente...diversity.html

The NBC boss tried to point out the Peacock's "Cosby Show" past, but Rep. Maxine Waters, who is black, didn't want to hear it. "That was then and now is now," she said, adding, "Black viewers deserve the kind of content they feel good about. … I don't understand why you don't pursue it and why you don't do it."

[catlover79]

Can we add lack of decent programming to this list, as well?

[yankeesrj12]

Honestly, I'm sick of hearing "lack of diversity".

Anyways, TV Guide wrote a whole article on minorities in new television shows next season. Perhaps the Congresswoman should take a look at it.

[factsoflife]

not sure why NBC was singled out, all of TV could take another look at their schedules and be more diverse.

[waichingliu81]

it's not just black sitcoms, but sitcoms in general when you look at it- as far as i'm aware, none of the major networks- be it ABC, NBC, fox, CBS have released any decent sitcoms, nor had ones as good as those during the 70s-90s in recent times.

all we have at the moment is 2 and a half men and house of payne- although technically, i'm referring more towards half- hour shows; ala 2 and a half men.

it's all reality and drama sadly- seriously, can't we at least have some actual feel good humour in a couple of new sitcom shows, for once?

[yankeesrj12]

Originally Posted by TMC

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ente...diversity.html

The NBC boss tried to point out the Peacock's "Cosby Show" past, but Rep. Maxine Waters, who is black, didn't want to hear it. "That was then and now is now," she said, adding, "Black viewers deserve the kind of content they feel good about. … I don't understand why you don't pursue it and why you don't do it."

Hmm, perhaps when we get The White People Awards, then maybe we can have more diverse television shows. There is already the NAACP Awards, the BET Awards, yet no award shows for only whites.

[browneyes106]

Originally Posted by yankeesrj12

Honestly, I'm sick of hearing "lack of diversity".

Anyways, TV Guide wrote a whole article on minorities in new television shows next season. Perhaps the Congresswoman should take a look at it.

I'm also sick hearing about the of the whole lack of diversity thing too. I'm Hispanic and I do like diversity but often on some shows it comes off as forced and things don't mesh well. One example is the ABC Family show The Secret Life of the American Teenager. I remember reading an article sometime back about how many people are upset. I focus more on the acting and writing of a TV show rather whether there are minority characters.

Also sometimes TV portrays minority groups as being monolithic or with certain stereotypes or being in certain situations. Sometimes Hispanic families are portrayed as being bilingual and not having long histories in the U.S. and also there are sometimes shown living in bad neighborhoods. There are many Hispanics whose families have been in the U.S. for over 400 years and they don't speak Spanish and if they do it's sometimes an archaic form. There are Hispanic families here that probably never cared for or related to a show like George Lopez.

[browneyes106]

Originally Posted by yankeesrj12

Hmm, perhaps when we get The White People Awards, then maybe we can have more diverse television shows. There is already the NAACP Awards, the BET Awards, yet no award shows for only whites.

Don't forgot about the Alma awards which is for Hispanics. I really don't care for those kinds of award shows. In a lot of ways the shows are simply about excessive racial pride and it's a double standard because a White People Awards show would never be on air.

[icecream]

Originally Posted by yankeesrj12

Honestly, I'm sick of hearing "lack of diversity".

same here

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by catsrule

same here

Make that three of us!!

[robyrob]

...i don't think any of NBC's viewers are getting "the kind of content they feel good about."

[Marvo301]

Originally Posted by robyrob

...i don't think any of NBC's viewers are getting "the kind of content they feel good about."

NBC has viewers?!?

[browneyes106]

I think this Congresswoman probably doesn't try to find ways to connect with a TV show and maybe she has it in her head that sitcom or drama with black characters will mak her feel connected right away. Maybe she feels that a show doesn't feature people of her skin color she has nothing to feel good about. With TV shows you have focus on the acting and writing in order to enjoy it.

Like I mentioned in a previous post. I know a lot of Hispanic people that never cared for George Lopez's sitcom. I didn't like it all I found According to Jm more enjoyable than George Lopez. I also don't care for actresses like Eva Longoria or Sara Ramirez. I don't think they are great at all. They get shoved down people's throats. Sometime back I was looking at comments section on article about the Golden Globes and people were complaining about how Sara Ramirez never gets nominated for awards and they said that the Golden Globes are racist. I don't think anything she has done on Grey's Anatomy has been award worthy.

[TV Knowledge Fan]

...and that's "COMMUNITY", which does have a cross-section of ethnic characters. Maybe it's not the most popular of the Thursday night line-up, but it has been renewed for another season.


I'd like to chide Mr. Zucker for not perpetuating a different kind of "diversity"- PROGRAM diversity. In trying to save money by scheduling Jay Leno five nights a week, the network virtually abandoned their "development" program for new series and ideas. There's more to successful programming than creating variations of "THE BIGGEST LOSER" (which they are), and "LAW & ORDER" (enough, already!!). There's only ONE solution: throw Zucker and his "team" out once and for all, and recruit new executives who aren't afraid to experiment with the schedule, and bring forth "better programming". Of course, it may be too late for NBC to do that {as long as General Electric is their corporate overlord}, but there's no alternative. IF NBC doesn't straighten itself out, it'll disappear within three to five years.

[TMC]

Originally Posted by TV Knowledge Fan

...and that's "COMMUNITY", which does have a cross-section of ethnic characters. Maybe it's not the most popular of the Thursday night line-up, but it has been renewed for another season.


I'd like to chide Mr. Zucker for not perpetuating a different kind of "diversity"- PROGRAM diversity. In trying to save money by scheduling Jay Leno five nights a week, the network virtually abandoned their "development" program for new series and ideas. There's more to successful programming than creating variations of "THE BIGGEST LOSER" (which they are), and "LAW & ORDER" (enough, already!!). There's only ONE solution: throw Zucker and his "team" out once and for all, and recruit new executives who aren't afraid to experiment with the schedule, and bring forth "better programming". Of course, it may be too late for NBC to do that {as long as General Electric is their corporate overlord}, but there's no alternative. IF NBC doesn't straighten itself out, it'll disappear within three to five years.

NBC has much more problems right now than lack of predominately black/ethnic minority shows (a la The Cosby Show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Sanford & Son, etc. If the show is crap, then no amount of ethnic diversity will mean squat. If you're going to criticize NBC for not having enough shows starring minorities, then you should do the same for the other broadcast networks right now.