Study: TV shows hosted by locals promote advocacy, others perpetuate stereotypes
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Details
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From Jenna Kunze
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The study, conducted in collaboration with the USC Norman Lear Center’s Media Impact Project, analyzes the portrayal of 104 Indigenous characters in 51 series that aired with new episodes between 2020 and 2022. Specifically, the study focused on three series: Rutherford Falls, Reservation dogsAnd Yellowstone.
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Overall, the study found that about half of the indigenous characters portrayed in scripted television were poor or working class and that fewer than 20 percent had committed nonviolent crimes or acts of physical violence.
In addition, the researchers conducted a study in which they surveyed 1,200 viewers about the influence of each series on the audience’s knowledge, beliefs and behavior.
The results of the study underline the opposing effects of two programs produced by native broadcasters. Rutherford Falls And Reservation dogsagainst the non-native-led YellowstoneViewers of the first two shows agreed significantly more often policy that supports and centers the voices of Indigenous peoples, such as removing Native American symbols from sports teams and the government’s duty to fulfill its treaty and trust obligations.
Additionally, reservation Dogs Viewers of The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), a series whose second season focused on a Native American teenager placed in a home for non-Native American youth, were more inclined to support the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), a bill designed to keep Native American children with Native American families that was recently upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Viewers of Yellowstone were less inclined to support the United States’ compliance with treaty obligations that allow Native Americans to own Countries, and they tend to feel uncomfortable with the idea that some customs, such as sacred ceremonies, are not intended for everyone.
“Watching series with prominent Native American characters was not only linked to knowledge and belief about Native Americans communities, but also with support on very concrete current issues like ICWA or ending native rights appropriation in sports,” said Soraya Giaccardi, senior researcher at the USC Norman Lear Center’s Media Impact Project and lead author of the report, in a press release.
The study also found that the inclusion of local talent both in front of and behind the camera is crucial to the success of a series. Two-thirds of the 51 series analyzed had no local talent behind the scenes, but those that did were better received by audiences.
Series with larger native ensembles also collected larger Critical acclaim, according to the study. While the report paints a largely positive picture of current Native representation on screen, the researchers warn that this progress could be at risk if the current boom in Native storytelling ends.
Many of the series examined have since ended, only four confirmed extensions including Local talent behind the scenes.
The study concludes that “behind the scenes, there is still significant room for improvement in the representation of Indigenous talent.” Although there are an average of ten Indigenous characters per series, only one in three series had Indigenous writers, directors or executive producers.
“This analysis confirms our long-held belief that when non-Native people tell our stories – even when well-intentioned – there is a high risk that those stories will ultimately undermine Indigenous autonomy or promote stereotypes of our communities,” said Crystal Echo Hawk, founder and CEO of IllumiNative.
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About the author
Senior Reporter
Jenna Kunze is a staff reporter covering Native American health, the environment and breaking news for Native News Online. She is also the lead reporter covering Native American boarding schools and repatriation issues. Her stories have appeared in The Arctic Sounder, High Country News, Indian Country Today, Tribal Business News, Smithsonian Magazine, Elle and Anchorage Daily News. Kunze lives in New York.
