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Children understand that media grant recognition and respect to racial groups that are positively portrayed. Approximately half of the programs in the 1999-2000 broadcast prime time entertainment programming exhibited some diversity in their opening credits casts. This study examined the nature of the portrayals of diversity. The study examined 10 "mixed" programs (character set included a mix of racial and ethnic characters) and 10 "only one" programs (all characters but one in program character set belong to the same racial group). Two additional programs with predominantly African American casts were selected for comparison. The first three episodes were recorded for each program and coded. Among the major findings are the following: (1) African American characters overall were more likely to be integral to primary storylines in situation comedies than in dramas; (2) Asian Pacific American characters were seen the least frequently; (3) the few Latino characters were more often integral to secondary dramatic storylines than to primary ones; (4) characters of different races frequently interacted professionally, sometimes socially, rarely romantically; (5) many shows adopted a colorblind approach to interracial interactions, with the exception to colorblind portrayals being racial humor and stereotyping by characters of one race toward characters of another; (6) much of the racial humor and stereotyping targeted Asian Pacific Americans and Latinos; (7) characters of color tended to be shown at work/school or home, whereas white characters were shown in both environments; (8) nonwhite characters, particularly African Americans, were likely to be portrayed as successful, good, and competent, whereas white characters were more likely than nonwhite to be shown as unsuccessful, bad, or incompetent; and (9) programs featured many African American characters that could be positive role models for viewers. (KB)

Sports programming plays a significant role in the media messages that American boys receive today. To explore the messages that sports programming presents to its audience, this report relates the findings of a study that analyzed a representative selection of sports programs and their accompanying commercials; also presented are findings from a national poll of 1,200 children ages 10-17 and 2 focus groups of boys. Part 1 of the report, "Analyzing Sports Programming," discusses aggression, violence, and injuries as well as sports, race, and gender. Key findings include: (1) aggression and violence among men is depicted as exciting and rewarding behavior; (2) athletes who play with pain are often portrayed as heroes; (3) games are often promoted by creating or inflating conflict between two star athletes; (4) white males dominate the world of sports commentary; (5) while there were few overtly racist images or comments, sports programs occasionally reinforce racial stereotypes; and (6) women are largely absent from the sports programs that boys watch, and when they do appear, they are portrayed in stereotypical ways. Part 2 of the report, "Analyzing Commercials in Sports Programming," discusses products and commercial sponsorships and tie-ins. Key findings include: (1) the primary products advertised are automobiles, shows on the same network, and snacks or fast food; (2) while male athletes of color play prominent roles in sports programming, people of color in general are underrepresented in the commercials; (3) women often appear in stereotypical or background roles in commercials; and (4) traditionally masculine images of speed, danger, and aggression are often used in the sports programming commercials. (LPP)

Boys are especially active users of media, and researchers have suggested that the cumulative impact of media, such as television, movies, and music videos, may make them some of the most influential forces in boys' lives. This report presents the findings of a national poll of 1,200 young people (ages 10 to 17) and focus groups in which boys offered their own insights into the media. Sections include: (1) "Media That Boys Consume"; (2) "Sex and Violence"; (3) "Attributes of Male Characters"; (4) "Emotions, Sensitivity, and Vulnerability"; (5) "Problems and Solutions"; and (7) "Real Life Men vs. TV Portrayals." The report lists key findings from the poll, including the following: (1) children see men on television as leaders and problem solvers, funny, successful, confident, athletic, and focused on the opposite sex; (2) male characters in the media rarely cry; (3) one in five male characters employs some form of physical aggression to solve problems; (4) over one-third of children say that they never see television males performing domestic chores such as cooking and cleaning; (5) male characters of color are more likely to focus on solving problems involving family, personal, romantic, or friendship issues, while white male characters are consistently motivated by succeeding in work, preventing and managing disaster, and pleasing nonromantic others; and (6) across race and gender, the majority of children believe that the boys and men they see on television are different from themselves, boys that they know, their fathers, and other adult male relatives. (LPP)

News media hold significant power and responsibility in focusing public attention on child-related issues. This document summarizes a study of news coverage of children in national media in 1994 and reports on the follow-up conducted in 1998. The follow-up study was based on a sample of national news coverage collected throughout November 1998 from five major newspapers and three broadcast networks. Part 1 of the followup study replicated and updated the 1994 study. Part 2 added an additional month over-sample to determine whether the coverage contained a primary focus on minority children. The findings of the 1994 study led to the conclusion that although news coverage of children was substantial, it was not balanced. Among the key findings of the follow-up study were the following: (1) child-related newspaper stories increased 37 percent over 5 years while television coverage remained unchanged; (2) the proportion of child-related news stories involving crime/violence dropped considerably, the proportion involving cultural/health issues increased considerably, and family/economic issues continued to account for the smallest number of stories; (3) children's voices were twice as common on television news as in newspapers; (4) both media provided very little practical information for parents in child-related news stories; (6) about 20 percent of stories addressed public policy concerns, down slightly from 1993; (7) children of color received little coverage, with African-Americans receiving more coverage than all others combined; and (8) stories about children of color focused on education more than crime/violence. (KB)

This pamphlet presents the results of a series of focus groups comprised of Native American children and adolescents regarding their perceptions of race and class in the media. The results indicated that although some youth were concerned most about the absence of their group in the media, others were primarily concerned about stereotyped portrayals. Many Native youth spoke first about problems apart form race, such as sex, violence, values, and the portrayal of youth in general. However, common themes relating to the minority experience appeared consistently in all the focus groups. First, on the rare occasions when Native youth saw their culture and race in the media, the portrayal was often an unflattering picture. Many youth stated that they do not necessarily look to the news for role models or reinforcement of their identity. Second, youth suggested more differences in news media treatment based on socioeconomic class rather than race as a definite divider. Third, Native youth often stated a preference for programming that would appeal to everyone, have a diverse racial cast, and reflect the realities of their lives. The report concludes that Native youth are concerned about media portrayals of race and class, note the absence of groups other than whites and African Americans, and believe that media can influence opinions and relationships. However, Native youth provided a unique perspective, and their critique covered issues such as fairness, violence, and opportunity as often as race or class. (KB)