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CNN Live At Daybreak

Minorities on Television

Aired August 15, 2001 - 08:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: A report is coming out today out of Hollywood. In fact, we're going to see a couple of reports about the status of minorities on television -- whether you're going to see more actors this fall that represent the face of America.

Now, some reports actually say that minorities are thriving, but many minority groups are saying not enough is being done -- not enough starring roles are going to blacks and Hispanics and Asians.

So joining us right now this morning is Nina Henderson-Moore. She is with Black Entertainment Television. She is a senior vice president and one of the very few African-American women in charge of a national news programming division.

And also joining us this morning is James Reynolds from "Days of Our Lives." Of course, we know you well, James.

Good morning to both of you and thanks for joining us this morning.

JAMES REYNOLDS, ACTOR, "DAYS OF OUR LIVES": Good morning.

NINA HENDERSON-MOORE, BLACK ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION: Good morning.

LIN: James, let begin with you. The Screen Actors Guild actually found that a record number of minorities are going to be seen on television -- that more minorities are employed as actors now than ever before.

Isn't that good news?

REYNOLDS: Well, yes, of course it's good news. The problem with records, however, it depends on what the bottom line was. And in finding a record number just means that's an increase from a very small number.

I think we all remember a couple of years ago the new television season where there were 29 shows and only one minority lead. So to set a record from that number is not very difficult.

LIN: But yet, at the same time, you yourself -- you're a face of success for a minority actor. I mean, you're not only doing well, you're doing great.

REYNOLDS: Well, yes, I have been and have been for a long time. And I feel great about that. Certainly the years that I've spent on television, I have seen the various changes, and certainly there are greater roles and greater diversity for minorities.

We have to remember, though, that even though on television you might see a greater number of minorities, and particularly African- Americans, we still don't see a lot of Hispanics and a lot of Asians.

LIN: Nina, is there a sense if entitlement, do you think, by minorities out there? Or is it really an issue of unfairness? Because what I am reading as I look into this story is different minority groups demanding, not only that more of them be hired, but that they get these leading roles. What about the ability to act? What about the best person for the job?

HENDERSON-MOORE: Well, I think that it's an issue of good business, really, most importantly -- excuse me. And I think the actors are demanding the roles, because they want -- they know that their audience -- the consumers out there want to see images that are reflective of themselves.

LIN: Is that true? I mean, are there surveys that say, you know, African-Americans like seeing African-Americans on the air? Asians like seeing Asians on the air? And if there were more, more of them would be watching?

HENDERSON-MOORE: Well, definitely. I think the numbers are also there in terms of where those audiences are flocking to. They are flocking to -- the Hispanic audience is flocking to Univision, Telemundo. The black audience -- our numbers at BET are up this year, while many other networks are down.

LIN: James?

REYNOLDS: You know, I would like to also say that it has been my experience that the audience wants good stories with good actors in those stories. And they want to see a diverse diagram of actors. They want to see people that they see everyday on the street in front of them. And that is what's really important -- that we have a television that looks like the rest of the country.

LIN: So, Nina, where is the disconnect then? I mean, if there is a demand for a growing minority audience in this country, is there a conspiracy by network programmers to say, no, we don't think minorities are marketable? Or is it an oversight?

HENDERSON-MOORE: I think it's a little -- I would have to go to the paranoid front and say that it's a conspiracy. But I would say that the changes have to happen at three different levels, both in front of this camera. Just as you said, there is a lot of talent of color that is out there. It also has to happen behind the camera, with the people who are writing. But it also has to happen with executives, who are able to not only green light, but able to approve story lines and keep shows on the air as well.

I do think there is a little bit of risk adversity, though, within the network management. We tend to be -- whether it's on television or in film -- to be very formulaic as to what has worked in the past will work in the future. But we are also in a creative business. And those who are willing to take the risk and to break out are usually the most successful ones.

LIN: James, I am wondering what it's like on the front lines for you as an actor? When you go to a casting call, or when you audition for a job, do you typically audition for a role where the programmer is calling specifically for an African-American character? Or are you finding more opportunities to audition for roles just in general for the role itself?

REYNOLDS: Well, absolutely. And most of the time when you do go on an audition, it is an audition for a role that is specific to an African-American character. Very few times, and in fact too few, do I go out on roles that are just open to any particular actor. And I think you will find that most actors are very, very happy just to read for a role against all actors. It makes no difference who else is reading for that role. You really want to accept that challenge.

LIN: So do you find -- do you speak out on this subject? I mean, do you go to your producers and you say, hey, you know, you really need to diversify the staff here. You really need to show that "Days of our Lives" reflects the community to which it is broadcasting. I mean, do you feel comfortable doing that?

REYNOLDS: I am sorry. Someone else was talking in my ear, and I didn't hear your question.

LIN: Oh, I'm sorry, James. I am wondering do you feel comfortable -- now that you're pretty secure in what you're doing, I imagine, do you feel comfortable stepping up to the plate, going to your producers and saying, you know, you really should do a better job of getting more Hispanics, more Asians, more African-Americans on this show?

REYNOLDS: Yes.

LIN: And what sort of response do you get?

REYNOLDS: Yes, absolutely. You know, and I have to say there is a difference in the shows and there is a difference in producers. Absolutely, our producers have responded to that tremendously. Obviously, I have been on our show for a number of years, and as have other African-American actors and now Hispanic actors. And we're finding a broader view of characters on this show. And I think that's very important, and they have been very good about responding to that. There are producers on nighttime that are well known for having a great diversity in their cast. One of the differences, though, if you look at nighttime television is that the dramatic shows have a diverse cast -- most of the dramatic shows. It's the sitcoms, which are really sort of the bread and butter of television, which seem to have allowed themselves to become particularly segregated in their cast.

LIN: All right. James Reynolds, thank you very much -- James Reynolds of "Days of Our Lives," Nina Henderson-Moore, Black Entertainment Television.

Both of you know Tavis Smiley. He is with Black Entertainment Television. And in just a few minutes, he is going to be joining us with some exclusive information on whether the NAACP is going to be calling for a boycott of the networks.

And point of reference: We did contact several of the networks to see if they would represent themselves, and they declined.

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