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      *An analysis of the 2006 fall television season by the NAACP Hollywood Bureau indicates that while African American actors are in significant roles in drama series, there are no sitcoms on the four major broadcast networks starring African American actors scheduled for the upcoming season.

       NAACP President Bruce S. Gordon points to the recently-announced fall lineup in voicing concern that progress in diversity appears to be slipping in some areas.       

       While there is some “good news” in the NAACP analysis, Gordon said, “I feel that we are losing important ground. The lack of African American leads in sitcoms is unconscionable. This is historically where many African American actors, directors, writers and show runners have honed their artistic skills and found meaningful employment.”       

       According to NAACP’s analysis, FOX’s cancellation of “The Bernie Mac Show” means that for the first time in recent history, there is not a comedy with an African American lead character on the four major broadcast networks, FOX, CBS, NBC and ABC.       

       “When it comes to returning sitcoms and the announced new comedies, African Americans are missing in action,” Vic Bulluck, Executive Director of the NAACP Hollywood Bureau, said.      

       The CW, a merge of UPN and the WB due to launch in the fall, is the lone network carrying African-American-themed comedies; four shows to air in a two-hour block on Sunday nights. But Gordon says it’s unfair to put the burden of diversity entirely on the new CW.       

       In addition, the NAACP notes that five of the eight African-American comedies that aired on UPN did not make the CW fall line up. With each cancelled show, upwards of two hundred people may have lost their jobs.      

       Gordon said, “If these writers, actors, directors and craftspeople were considered equally for other industry jobs and opportunities, then we would have no issue, but regrettably, this is not the way it works in Hollywood.”      

       In 1999, when the NAACP launched its current diversity initiative in Hollywood, there were seven African American show runners, or senior producers who hire and supervise the show staff, including writers and technical crews. In 2005 there were 13 African American show runners. It is anticipated that in 2006 there will be eight, due in large part to the merger of UPN and WB.       

       On the dramatic front, bolstered by the success of series like “ER,” “CSI,” “Law and Order,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Lost,” every network can point to shows on their schedule and count diverse roles. When it comes to one-hour dramas, the emphasis is principally on multi-ethnic ensemble casts. The CBS hit series, “The Unit,” starring Dennis Haysbert, is currently the only one-hour drama starring an African American male lead on a major network in the fall line up.      

       Gordon stated that the NAACP will continue its leadership role in monitoring the media and entertainment industry. He is currently scheduling network meetings to discuss the current situation.      

• The 2006 Diversity Report by the Directors Guild of America offers a glimpse into the state of ethnic representation at the networks. After examining all episodes of last season's top 40 network dramas and sitcoms, the Guild found that 83 percent of the shows were directed by white men, 10 percent by white women, 5 percent by minority men and 2 percent by minority women. See the complete analysis at www.naacp.org.