This document discusses stereotypes, tokenism, and racial depictions in TV programs over time. It notes that while some stereotypes can be damaging, others may empower groups. Tokenism involves including minorities only because they "should be" rather than meaningful representation. Examples from 1970s shows like Tom and Jerry and Mind Your Language depict black people and certain ethnicities in one-dimensional and often racist ways. Producers sometimes rely on stereotypes without considering the impact.

1. Race within TV programmes

2. Stereotypes
• Stereotypes can be extremely damaging towards certain races
• For instance the stereotype that black people, particularly Afro-
Caribbean are criminals labels them in a negative way. This can be
particularly damaging for young men and women.
• However, Tessa Perkin put forward the idea that not all stereotypes
are bad, they can in fact empower people. For instance the
stereotype that Asian people are clever isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it
shows them as intelligent and hard working.

3. Tokenism
• Tokenism is the idea that certain groups of people such as ethnic
minorities are only included within the media because they ‘should
be’
• Eastenders opted to add the racial issue of homosexuality within a
Muslim family. This how sometimes producers add certain aspects
into the show just to show the public they understand and
sympathise with issues that happen in the real world
• Tokenism often leads to stereotypes as producers will fit in what they
think is the most obvious to fit in, they would possibly rely on
stereotypes for this

4. Through the ages
• 1970s Tom and Jerry sees the made of the house being depicted in an
extremely degrading and racist way, she is overweight, not of high
intelligence and is in domestic clothes, black people were often seen
as the ‘help’
• In ‘Mind your language’ another 1970s sitcom, the Germans can be
seen as dour and humourless, the French seen as sexy and flirtatious
and the Chinese seen as communist agitators.