Mixed-Race couples in the media

[Lacrimi de Chiciură]

Based on my observations of how relationships are depicted in the American media, mainly television (sitcoms, commercials, etc.) I think there is a definite bias against mixed "race" couples. Typically, when there is a couple in a commercial, they are members of the same "race," and the same seems to go for most other shows. Do the makers of these commercials think that people wouldn't be able to figure out that two people who don't look like siblings could be a couple? The most annoying thing is those commercials where they interview couples talking about how great some product is and they show them together, but they have the white couple, the black couple, the asian couple, the latino couple but make a point of not having any mixed couples. My point is, the impression given by television is that there is much less "race" mixing going on than there actually is in reality. Is this evidence of latent racism in the media?

[chimx]

I think it is evidence of marketing schemes to attract the broadest amount of customers. They are trying to be inclusive to all ethnic subcultures within the broader culture. The easiest way to do this is to show the stereotypical family or couple that represents the group.

But maybe I'm just oblivious. I'm in a "mixed-race" relationship (that term sounds dirty, I don't like it), and more often than not I just forget about the ethnic differences. My gf was adopted, but I still constantly forget that her Greek family isn't her biological family.

[TC]

Honestly, i think the reason why most couples on tv are of teh same race is because most couples in real life are of the same race and they try to cast people who are statistically similar to the bulk average of their market.

There will always be, necessarily fewer mixed race than same-race couples in areas where one race represents a considerable majority, thats just a matter of partner availability.

Also, i frankly its true that on television shows theres a bias against mixed race couples...if anything i might suspect there being a bias in favour of mixed raced couples, like, i think there are more on the tv shows i watch than in my social group or (i think) statistical expectation would suggest.

It seems like, most mainstream soap-oprahish dramas with a lot of couples will have at least one and often more mixed race couples. On greys anatomy, theres christina and burke, richard and ellis, joe and walter, so at least three mixed race couples, it almost seems like they go out of their way although they've never made any reference to it.

[Ol' Dirty]

This pisses me off too. I've noticed it before, but I try not to let it get on my nerves.

[Political_Chucky]

Originally posted by [email protected] 25, 2007 11:26 am
It seems like, most mainstream soap-oprahish dramas with a lot of couples will have at least one and often more mixed race couples. On greys anatomy, theres christina and burke, richard and ellis, joe and walter, so at least three mixed race couples, it almost seems like they go out of their way although they've never made any reference to it.
I always noticed that. I mean, I really don't watch T.V. very much and I am not bothered by interracial couples. It just seems like shows want to get a wider audience in some situations. I really can't think of any at the moment, but in some shows i'll see for example a black male and a white girl or the reversed. What makes it seem so out of place is the fact they use stereo-typical personalities for these characters which makes the relationship so different/out of place. And these shows that do that have only one couple or "situation" that deals with the subject and its over. Never happens again in the same show. I have never seen grey's anatomy, but I guess that could be an exception?