Representations of Diversity in Canadian Television Entertainment Programming: Case Studies

Representations of Diversity in Canadian Television Entertainment Programming: Case Studies

Canada

Culture

Diversity

Multiculturalism

This report empirically studies the degree to which Canadians embrace diversity and the degree of inclusion and tolerance experienced by various groups, especially minority groups in Canada. The report engages in this study by examining Canadian representations of diversity in Canadian entertainment television programming.

Hannah Cho summarizes the key finding in the Executive Summary of the report as follows:

Theoverwhelming"majority"of"shows"analysed"for"this"report"were"found"to"reaffirm"the"myth"of Canada"as"a"robust"democracy"in"which"there"is"a"comfortable"plurality"of"cultures,"religions,"and" ethnicities."This"situation"frequently"generates"conflict"in"dramatic"or"comedic"narratives."However, the"conflict"is"always"successfully"resolved"on"the"program."Where"a"diversity"of"characters,"religious" groups,"sexual"identities,"and"gender"dynamics"are"represented,"the"overwhelming"conclusion— episode"after"episode—is"that"Canadian"(predominantly"White,"liberal,"and"middleSclass)"society" blends"myriad"differences"into"a"moderate"and"assimilated"nation."That"is,"shows"studied"in"this" report"were"found"to"reproduce"what"Himani"Bannerji"(2000)"critiques"as"the"Canadian"model"of" multiculturalism:"racially"and"ethnically"other"members"are"welcomed"insofar"as"they"organize" themselves"around"a"White"center"of"power

Media Action Media, 2011

Media Action Média, online: http://www.media-action-media.com

Media Action Média, self-published, 2011. See: http://www.media-action-media.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/MAM_Diversity-Research-Report_FINAL.pdf

2011

(c) Media Action Média

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