CNL-525 Topic 2: Influence of Race and Ethnicity: Media Analysis Worksheet
Directions: Locate and watch two pieces of media recorded in different decades (film or television) that show the same job, (e.g., a Police drama filmed in 1980, and Police drama filmed in 2010). Note the ethnicities portrayed in different careers/roles and answer the questions listed below. Include proper in-text citations for both media pieces as well as a reference note below as appropriate.
1. What are the names of the shows/films observed and what year they were produced?
The two pieces of media I located and watched are in the sector of police drama, and these are shown in the below table:
| Name of the film | Year of Production |
| 1. Hill Street Blues | 1981 – 1987 |
| 2. Broadchurch | 2013 – 2017 |
2. What job was observed in the shows/films?
Hill Street Blues (1981 – 1987)
Hill Street Blues is more of a police drama than a detective film, and runs for 7 seasons and 146 episodes (Bochco, 1981-1987). The drama focuses on a police precinct in some unnamed American city. The drama features an under-staffed, overworked police precinct in this anonymous city patterned after Chicago. We observe the lives of many characters, from the lowly beat and traffic cops to the captain of the precinct himself. Throughout all episodes, the drama features a strong focus on the workplace struggle between ‘what works” and “what is right” (Bochco, 1981-1987). The episode handles real-life issues and employs the commonly use slang and jargon to a bigger extent.
Broadchurch (2013 – 2017)
Broadchurch filmed between 2013 to 2017 features the murder of a young boy Daniel Latimer in a small coastal town, something which threatens tearing apart the community (James, 2013-2017). We observe a seemingly friendly and calm seaside city becoming a city wrapped in secrets when an 11-year boy is murdered, and this is what sparks unwanted media frenzy. In this juncture, the locals begin opening up about what they know and what they do not know when it falls upon cops (Ellie Miller and Alec Hardy) to catch the supposed murderer. Police investigations and media attention changes people in the city, drawing out secrets and other long-held beliefs.
3. Which show/film had more minority actors?
Diversity of color, age, sex, and education is very important in the film industry. Hill Street Blues had more minority actors than Broadchurch. Unlike Broadchurch which had 14 minority actors, Hill Street Blues had 22 minority actors (Bochco, 1981-1987). By using many minority actors, Hill Street Blues has attracted a lot of interest across modern producers in the police drama.
4. Were minorities more likely to play primary or supportive roles? Is there a difference between the older and newer shows/films?
In the case of Hill Street Blues, the minority actors were set to play more supportive roles than primary roles (Bochco, 1981-1987). Some examples of minor characters in Hill Street Blues are Hector Ruiz, Captain Jerry Fuchs, and Grace Gardner. In the drama, there are racial tensions as the white undercover officer shoots his black partner, and temporarily blind Buntz goes undercover with Belker as a beggar. Since the minority characters were limited to more supportive roles, others like Marinaro left the series to find more professional freedom and advanced acting challenges. In the case of Broadchurch, the minor characters play more supportive roles than the primary ones. For example, they are given the roles of older and vulnerable adults (old man), farming (farmer), driving (woman driver), and teaching (teacher) just to mention a few. There other role includes maid (Emily), cleaners (Frank), and parking site supervisors (Nick) (James, 2013-2017). Unlike Hill Street Blues done in 1980s, Broadchurch features more minority roles. This implies that modern shows have a proper depiction of diversity and minority roles than those done in the past decades.
5. Did you see the use of any stereotypes? Were stereotypes more apparent in the older or newer shows/films?
In the two films, there is use of stereotypes. In the Hill Street Blues film, everything was not right. Hispanic and Black criminals were often horrible stereotypes. Also, the casual sexism in some other minority roles seemed jarring, but this eased in the later episodes (Melony, 2018). However, watching this film gives one early signs of the compelling antiheroes who in the later time become masterpieces in modern TV films like Breaking Mad and Mad Men. In the Broadchurch film, the 1st episode gets viewers frustrated by its ‘mumbling dialogue’ while the 2nd episode is littered with legal blunders. In the 3rd episode, Broadchurch whips up a storm race as it portrays negative stereotyping of the black actors. For example, the unrealistic instance when a mother of a child appears in a court shortly after delivering the child and the bay looked older than a newborn. In both the older and newer shows, the stereotypes were more apparent in the portrayal of the Asian, Black, and ethnic minority characters. However, stereotypes are severely used on the newer film than the latter (Melony, 2018). For example, having a son in prison is a negative portray of black men and also suggesting that all black mothers are single is a troubling stereotype featured in the Broadchurch.
6. Considering the ethnicities of the characters, is there anything that is obviously different or missing when comparing the older and newer show/film?
The two shows have a different atmosphere. Hill Street Blues features overworked and understaffed police precinct in the city, we observe that the lives of minority characters were not cared for (Bochco, 1981-1987). There is a big gap in the definition of ‘what is right’ and ‘what works’ when it comes to the welfare of the Black and White cops. In Broadchurch, the environment is very different as the people are being forced to break from their conservative and long-held beliefs. Black cops Aleck Handy and Ellie Miller are tasked with finding and catching a supposed killer of an 11-year old boy. In the newer drama, there is more diversity. Although the number of minority actors is lesser in the newer film than the older one, the Hispanic and Black cops in the older one are overworked (James, 2013-2017). Also, the newer one features a female Caucasian as a main actor.
7. Does it look like the media portrays the workplace in a way that reflects the diversity of the United States?
In Hill Street Blues, the workplace is not friendly. The police are understaffed and overworked across all departments from lowly beat and traffic cops to the captain of the precinct himself. Again, the workplace is composed of a smaller percentage of Black and Hispanic cops (Bochco, 1981-1987). The police officers take most of their time patrolling to ensure real-life issues are resolved. However, the media portrays valuation of women in the police force like in the case of Betty Thomas who acts as a female police officer. Also, the show creates a rare three-dimensional role for black actors such as Neil Washington and Both Hill who are even depicted as more industrious, honest, and wholesome than their white counterparts.
In the Broadchurch episode, the workplace is more diverse as it involves more detectives at their desks (James, 2013-2017). The detectives, for example Aleck Hardy and Ellie Miller work to collective crime related information and solve the crime. In this media, more diversity is reflected as it features more ranks and positions in the law enforcement, including judicial system roles. Also, there is diversity in terms of society involvement; the society sparks unwanted media frenzy when one of their own goes missing. In the episode, the police show more concern in law enforcement and in the administration of security for those in the city.
8. Explain how film and television influenced your interest in specific careers.
Watching the Hill Street Blues and Broadchurch have always been my best experience and something that I enjoy most on television. These two episodes have influenced my interest to the field of psychology, making me aspire to become a crime victim counselor and a counselor for crime perpetrators especially those in the prison (Melony, 2018). The shows portray the importance of having a crime-free society. There are certain crimes such as killing children and other weird crimes that occur in America and stern everybody. These films are a true reflection of what the society could be if law and order is not maintained. I now belief that law and order cannot get maintained by the police alone, there is need of counselor intervention to get this problem solved, eliminated, or reduced in our society. I feel that I can use the knowledge I have learned by watching these films in the counseling of criminals in the jail and also in counseling those people affected by criminal behavior. I find myself fully intrigued on how I can apply psychoanalysis and cognitive behavior theory to case by case personalities in order to get the problem resolved.
9. Based on your observations, does it look like minority children have enough positive role models in film and television? Explain why or why not.
I rarely watch the television of films, unless I am a fan of one character in the television show or film. I prefer reading journals and books, and if possible, I watch the film later having the idea and concept being taught in the film. However, when I base my response on television shows like the Hill Street Blues and the Broadchurch drama then children have enough positive role models in film (although children across all diversities must not watch these shows). Normally, children like watching television programs for fan, to be entertained, and for passion reasons. In the shows they like watching and following, minority children potentially have a positive role model with their compassion, education, intellect, empathy, kindness, tolerance, respect, heart of sharing, and courtesy among many other factors (Melony, 2018).
10. If you wanted minority children to have a greater number of positive role models in film and television how could you encourage the media to make any changes?
I could encourage the media to consider shows that are educative and shows that teach children on the best ways of handling emotions (Melony, 2018). Also, some shows have negative stereotypes about the minority children, and this creates a rift as the minority children interact with the whites in the school, at home, and in other areas. In this context, I would encourage media to scrutinize shows first before launching them to be viewed by the children; this will be an act of integrity and respect for diversity as children of color will like the show and take its teachings seriously. The other thing I could do is encourage the media to only approve shows that teach positive morals and norms that are culturally acceptable across all diversities. I feel like some modern shows are just teaching our young children how to be rude, how to become delinquent, how to feel entailed, and how to be demanding from their parents. By this doing, the media will help build a generation full of morals, respect, and diversity.
References
- Bochco, S. (Director). (1981-1987). Hill Street Blues [Televison Series Episode].
- James, S. (Director). (2013-2017). Broadchurch [Television Series Episode].
- Melony, V. (2018, March 7). Best 80s Crime Drama TV Series. Retrieved from Reel Rundown: https://reelrundown.com/tv/80s-detective-tv-series