African Americans in Television

From Frank's Place through Soul Food and Girlfriends, the increased involvement of African Americans in the production of television images has impacted the way television portrays the diversity of American life. Yet little research has been done to explore how minority television workers see their role as creators. This book explores television and race from the perspective of industry writers, producers, directors, and executives. Listening to those directly involved in bringing diversity to television helps uncover the process whereby difference is created and recreated in both the workplace, and on the television screen. Suitable for classes in race, gender, media, media culture, diversity and the media, and African Americans and popular culture, the book will also be of interest to those wishing to enter the television industry, providing insight from workers who have succeeded in an increasingly competitive business.

"African Americans in Television offers us unprecedented insight. It gives us what so few works about race and African Americans in television ever have: a broad, insider's view of African Americans' roles in, conflicts with, and dilemmas surrounding the television production process. Theoretically grounded and methodologically rigorous, Gregory Adamo's work adds significantly to what should be a new era of conversation about the ways that African American involvement in and control [for lack thereof] over the television production process are producing new discourses about race in American life."---Charlton Mcilwain, New York University