What Television Really Needs Is Balance

As an aspiring writer-director and a black man living in South-Central L.A., I agree 100% with the points that Rick Du Brow made in his column April 3 (“Inner-City Sitcom: Is This a Joke?”). Television, particularly focusing on blacks, is in dire need of balance.

I have come to expect too much from television in the way of sensitivity when it comes to the treatment of black characters. It is sad to see that even in the rare instances where the writers, directors and producers are black and have the influence to at least recommend realistic and positive views of black American life, they feel some obligation to display what the powers that be in television programming want seen: Stereotyped images that are enslaved by unimaginative and trifling story development or comedy.

SERAFIM DAVID CONCEICAO

Los Angeles