and really have dialogue and conversations in an authentic and transparent way, then absolutely unscripted tv is the perfect platform for it because that s what people are watching. - [announcer] extra, extra, here s the latest. - in 2004, we had college hill from bet, which was in a way, a bit of a remix to the real world , but this time it focused on black students. - almost two decades ago, there were no follow docs that featured an all black cast. it gave us this experience inside an hbcu. - if y all was gonna pledge with a sorority, you guys- - if i were to do it, i would pledge delta, just because it s like, it s sisterhood. (sorority stepping) - admissions went up by 50%. the outcome is today, more doctors, more black lawyers, more black people in the workforce, because people who obviously would not have applied to college before, applied to it after they saw it on television. (mysterious music)
and transparent way, then absolutely unscripted tv is the perfect platform for it because that s what people are watching. - [announcer] extra, extra, here s the latest. - in 2004, we had college hill from bet, which was in a way, a bit of a remix to the real world , but this time it focused on black students. - almost two decades ago, there were no follow docs that featured an all black cast. it gave us this experience inside an hbcu. - if y all was gonna pledge with a sorority, you guys- - if i were to do it, i would pledge delta, just because it s like, it s sisterhood. (sorority stepping) - admissions went up by 50%. the outcome is today, more doctors, more black lawyers, more black people in the workforce, because people who obviously would not have applied to college before, applied to it after they saw it on television. (mysterious music)
i ll fly away , but they re not the center of the core of what the show is about. - i don t recall black drums being pitched very often. - certainly, you could say that was an outcome of the clarence thomas and anita hill hearings that had showed that black people could hold the audience with a drama without taking their clothes off. - television networks were under the impression that their advertising rates would be lower for the black family shows. there was just a sense that my colleagues did not want, basically, an all black cast. - as long as we can make you laugh, then it s comfortable. whenever you re playing dramatic roles and you re taking on a different persona, it s uncomfortable. - i don t think that d be true today, but that was true 20 years ago. (upbeat music) - now, we all run our mouths about how precious this family tradition is.
- we don t see black people in that nine o clock dramatic slot. we might see one on l.a law, or here and there, i ll fly away , but they re not the center t. . we don t see black people at 9:00 dramatic spot. we might see one on l.a. law but they are not at the center of what the show is about i don t recall black drama pitched often. you can say it was an outcome of the terence thomas hearings to show that black people can hold an audience without taking their clothes off. they were under the impression that their advertising dollars would be lower. there was a sense that my colleagues did not want basically an all black cast. as long as we can make you laugh then it is comfortable. wherever you playing dramatic
stories. this week s focus, dramatic television. we don t see black people in a 9:00 dramatic slot. we might see one on l.a. law, here and there but they re not the center of the core of what the show is about. i don t recall black dramas being pitched very foreign. certainly you could say it was an outcome of the clarence thomas and anita hills to show black people could hold audience with a drama without taking their clothes off. television networks were under the impression that their t advertising rates would be lower for the black family shows. there was just a sense that my colleagues did not want a basically all black cast. as long as we can make you laugh, then it s comfortable. whenever you re playing dramatic roles and taking on different