The Social Construction of the African American Family on Broadcast Television: A Comparative Analysis of The Cosby Show and Blackish

Abstract

This work analyzes the social construction of the African American family on primetime broadcast television. A textual analysis was conducted on two scripted television shows, The Cosby Show and Blackish. The analysis reveals similarities among both shows, which include well-rounded, educated family members that are representative of suburban, affluent minorities in America. However, differences including each broadcast shows' willingness to address racial inequality, stereotyping, racial tension in the workplace, and racial disparity in a multitude of familial situations is discussed. This analysis reveals how the African American family is constructed through primetime broadcast television and how that example has evolved over time. In addition to these comparisons, the portrayals of minorities in the current television landscape is compared to the characters of late 1980s and early 1990s and noticeably how the freedom to address race and equality (or lack thereof) honestly in situation comedies has evolved greatly within the last few decades.

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