This book offers a wide-ranging and accessible account of the complex relations between black communities and popular media like film and television. These relations have often been discussed in terms of stereotype and misrepresentation. However Ross argues that, while it is still true that many black characters in film and TV are drawn from a narrow repertoire of images, the success of some independent black film makers has meant that mainstream audiences are now exposed to a more diverse range of black-originated work. It is no longer satisfactory to read black media subjects as the product of the white imagination: one must also consider the contribution that black media professionals have made, and continue to make, to a dynamic black media culture.
Organized as a textbook, Black and White Media provides an historically informed and up-to-date analysis of the ways in which black communities have been portrayed in film and television, from early Hollywood films like Uncle Tom's Cabin to the recent work of black film makers like Spike Lee. Ross examines popular TV programming, including series like The Cosby Show, and discusses the role of minority broadcasting and multicultural programmes. Throughout the text, examples are drawn from both American and British film and television production.
