[RodneyK]

It's not just the BBC. Just count the disproportionate number of mixed-race couples on the Million Pound Drop compared to the number of all-white or all-black couples.

In the end, this isn't really a big deal at all but someone, somewhere must clearly think it is an important point to make for them to make the casting decisions they do.

[Tassium]

Most TV drama is sanitised politically correct niceness nowadays, it's not just the BBC.

But that stuff does not change society, well-meaning though it is. The days when drama/comedy actual influenced anybody seem to have vanished.

TV executives would do much better to reflect reality even when that reality is quite unpleasant. That's how things move on.

[PiazzaCharlie]

I guess what we really need is a list if same race couples on tv, and a list of mixed race couples on tv. I expect then we'd see just how out of proportion this actually is.

[PiazzaCharlie]

Originally Posted by Tassium

Most TV drama is sanitised politically correct niceness nowadays

I genuinely have no idea what you actually mean by that.

[Moggio]

It's such a hard life for racists these days.

[doom&gloom]

Originally Posted by bluesdiamond

Surprised that New Tricks has not upset the PC Brigade. all four lead characters are 'white'!
Is the BBC telling us that no Black or Asian police officers retired in the last 10/20 years?

Don Warrington would be good.

[Saint_Errant]

Originally Posted by Dazinho

Doctor Who does not

No but it does the same thing with gay relationships! (not saying its wrong or right, just that it does it - especially during rtd's time)

[vauxhall1964]

Originally Posted by Moggio

It's such a hard life for racists these days.

ooh you're clever, aren't you? Slap the 'r' word down to stamp out a discussion about casting on TV.

[doom&gloom]

Originally Posted by mickmars

"Progressive" is a manipulative subtle suggestion that suggests everything that came before is "outdated" and "previously wrong".
I do think the BBC is obsessed with diversity in many ways,but I'm not sure I agree with the OP's version.

The BBC has a Diversity Centre where Diversity Advisors work under a Head of Diversity.

Diversity Advisors work on every BBC production.

I somehow doubt that commercial stations have the money to waste on this sort of enterprise.

[doom&gloom]

Originally Posted by Tassium

Most TV drama is sanitised politically correct niceness nowadays, it's not just the BBC.

British dramas maybe, American dramas (on cable anyway) have never been better and they usually put entertainment first.

[Twenty10]

If you watch kids TV, on BBC especially, you'll notice that any groups of children have one of every race present. No problem with that in theory, except it appears so 'contrived', almost as if the producers are following quotas - in every 6 children there must be one black, one white, one brown etc etc. Even the animated series have to include every race, it seems.

I assume that there are quotas that the producers of these shows adhere to, even if it's unofficial? There would probably be an outcry from certain elements of society if all the characters were white, for instance. And yet, channels such as BET TV can show black people almost exclusively.

[doom&gloom]

Originally Posted by Twenty10

I assume that there are quotas that the producers of these shows adhere to, even if it's unofficial? There would probably be an outcry from certain elements of society if all the characters were white, for instance. And yet, channels such as BET TV can show black people almost exclusively.

As mentioned above it's called being "progressive" but it does come across as false, there's nothing wrong with having all-white or all-black or all-Asian casts in TV dramas if that reflects the reality of what they're portraying.

Family Guy mocked "multiracial TV gangs with white people in" on a recent episode because American TV doesn't always portray gangs accurately on TV but again there are exceptions like The Shield, The Wire and Sons of Anarchy.

[Killer Gorilla]

Maybe sooner or later they will figure out why fewer and fewer people are watching TV. It is because the programmes have absolutely no relevence to peoples lives. I do not know any mixed race couples. Why can't television reflect life as it is instead of how certain people desperately want it to be?

[Mickey S]

Originally Posted by Moggio

It's such a hard life for racists these days.

I wish it were possible to "recommend" posts on Digital Spy.

The cry of "political correctness gone mad!!" very often equates to intolerance and bigotry.

[Killer Gorilla]

It's hardly "racist" to object to a so-called progressive agenda being pushed down your throat by a national broadcaster that everyone is forced to pay for if they want to watch TV.

[Peter the Great]

Originally Posted by Killer Gorilla

Maybe sooner or later they will figure out why fewer and fewer people are watching TV. It is because the programmes have absolutely no relevence to peoples lives. I do not know any mixed race couples. Why can't television reflect life as it is instead of how certain people desperately want it to be?

The thing is that is not true. All the programmes that have been mentioned have big audiences and no one has a problem with mixed relationships apart from outdated narrow minded people like yourself.

[Peter the Great]

Originally Posted by Killer Gorilla

It's hardly "racist" to object to a so-called progressive agenda being pushed down your throat by a national broadcaster that everyone is forced to pay for if they want to watch TV.

No it's just ignorance and paranoia. I mean some of the examples prove that. Being Human has been mentioned. I suppose you think it's political correctness gone mad because they have a ghost and vampires living together.

[PiazzaCharlie]

Originally Posted by Killer Gorilla

It's hardly "racist" to object to a so-called progressive agenda being pushed down your throat by a national broadcaster that everyone is forced to pay for if they want to watch TV.

The trouble is, the whole suggestion that anyone is pushing some sort of agenda down people's throats in the first place is probably not actually true. The fact that some people might think that it is arguably says more about them, than it says about any tv channel. I suspect its likely that people who might have a problem with mixed race relationships are more likely to notice them, and even go as far as posting about it on the internet. And that people who don't have a problem with them are more likely to not even have noticed or batted an eyelid.

[doom&gloom]

Originally Posted by PiazzaCharlie

The trouble is, the whole suggestion that anyone is pushing some sort of agenda down people's throats in the first place is probably not actually true. The fact that some people might think that it is arguably says more about them, than it says about any tv channel. I suspect its likely that people who might have a problem with mixed race relationships are more likely to notice them, and even go as far as posting about it on the internet.

Actually I've watched Being Human from the start, I've been enjoying Inside Men and Prisoner's Wives, it was only when I saw some of Hustle last night that I realised that there were mixed relationships on almost every BBC drama showing at the moment and that they were probably pushing an agenda.

[Mickey S]

Originally Posted by doom&gloom

Actually I've watched Being Human from the start, I've been enjoying Inside Men and Prisoner's Wives, it was only when I saw some of Hustle last night that I realised that there were mixed relationships on almost every BBC drama showing at the moment and that they were probably pushing an agenda.

Or perhaps it's simply reflecting the fact that there are many mixed-race relationships in the UK today, and especially in the cities where these dramas are set.

I still believe that the very fact that you even noticed the colour of the people in these dramas and started a thread on an internet forum about it says a lot about your attitude.

[cegueira]

It's quite hard for TV to proportionately represent real life, there are a many more people than primetime drama shows on TV.

This whole discussion is based on a handful of programmes and an assertion that what the poster thinks, is correct.

As for the diversity officer, it would appear that ITV, channel 4, bskyb and NBC have diversity officers and probably countless other stations.

If you're noticing it and it's annoying you, it would seem to be your problem.

[PiazzaCharlie]

Originally Posted by doom&gloom

Actually I've watched Being Human from the start, I've been enjoying Inside Men and Prisoner's Wives, it was only when I saw some of Hustle last night that I realised that there were mixed relationships on almost every BBC drama showing at the moment and that they were probably pushing an agenda.

Have you watched the whole series of Hustle? How many non mixed race relationships have ever featured in Hustle? How many non mixed race relationships are there in BBC dramas? What agenda exactly is it you think they are pushing?

[James2001]

The only reason it bothers people is because they're xenophonbic, rasist idiots. Vote BNP at the next election, no doubt if they get in they'll ban those evil darkies from your TV screen.

[Killer Gorilla]

Originally Posted by Mickey S

Or perhaps it's simply reflecting the fact that there are many mixed-race relationships in the UK today, and especially in the cities where these dramas are set.

I still believe that the very fact that you even noticed the colour of the people in these dramas and started a thread on an internet forum about it says a lot about your attitude.

How many mixed-race relationships are there in the UK? Like I say, I don't know any. Maybe in London it's more commonplace but in normal towns where most people live, it's still fairly rare.

We need more TV shows set outside London. There used to be loads, now there seems to be very few, and those that are are set in Bristol or Manchester.

[doom&gloom]

Originally Posted by cegueira

As for the diversity officer, it would appear that ITV, channel 4, bskyb and NBC have diversity officers and probably countless other stations.

That's true because they have to comply with New Labour's diversity laws or face prosecution but I doubt they have whole diversity departments like the BBC.