In short, programming diversity disappears as you focus on the more important and central characters. Almost half of the shows on prime time have all white casts in the opening credits. When the entire cast of a show is included, all networks demonstrate substantial numbers of shows with diversity. When examining diversity in the set of all characters, there is a range of representation across networks.
Diversity diminishes for all networks when focusing on recurring characters only.
While America's youth demographics are increasingly diverse, their TV counterparts are less so. To view and print PDF files, get Adobe Acrobat Reader FREE . In a 1998 Children Now poll, over three fourths of children reported having a best friend of a different race. While diversity is easily seen in many children's lives, the question remains whether this diversity is reflected in television programming. Young people get clear messages about racial and class divisions and their own racial identity through the characters they see in television programs.