Midsomer Murders producer suspended over race row

[Sparkle]

Originally Posted by Chris

To Wong, TV drama can't just be TV drama, but it should be using the 'power' it has over the audience to shape national identity. TV entertainment programmes are not there to do social engineering IMO.

This is what really annoys me, why the need for race relations "spokesperson(s)" to comment on these issues as if we need their advice?

These are issues which affect everyone, and everyone should have a say. It is absolutely not for Wong to dictate what television is there for !
What she has said is dangerous in that it could be extended far beyond television (radio, comedy, school curriculum, etc).
There will always be the Wongs in our society ready to dictate PC ethics to the rest of us, but two Wongs don't make a right.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Damien

I am not saying they should have a 'token ethnic minority'. No one is. I am saying that there is no reason why there cannot be a ethnic minority character in future. One who is there on merit.

I've never watched the thing really. do they have taxis in it?

[danielf]

Originally Posted by Sparkle

<snip> but two Wongs don't make a right.

[bonzoe]

If we had a bit more of live and let live in this world, it would be a far better place. This just seems to be some mischievous stirring up of a non existent problem.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Gary L

I've never watched the thing really. do they have taxis in it?

hear's a list of the towns and villages give em a bell

Aspern Tallow
Badger's Drift
Bow Clayton
Broughton
Burwood Mantle
Calham Cross
Causton / Causton Town
Devington
Draycott
Dunstan
Elverton-***-Latterley
Ferne Basset
Finchmere
Fletcher's Cross
Ford Florey
Goodman's Land
Great Pelfe
Haddington
Little Upton
Little Worthy
Lower Warden
Luxton Deeping
Malham Bridge
Malham Cross
March Magna
Marsh Wood
Martyr Warren
Midsomer Barton
Midsomer Chettham
Midsomer Deverell
Midsomer Florey
Midsomer Holm
Midsomer Magna
Midsomer Malham
Midsomer Mallow
Midsomer Market
Midsomer Mere
Midsomer Morchard
Midsomer Morton
Midsomer Newton
Midsomer Parva
Midsomer Priors
Midsomer Sonning
Midsomer St. Michael
Midsomer Wellow
Midsomer Worthy
Milton Cross
Monks Barton
Morton Fendle
Morton Shallows
Newton Magna
Upper Warden

Originally Posted by Damien

I am not saying they should have a 'token ethnic minority'. No one is.

Yes, they are. Did you read the quote I posted? Judy Ling Wong believes it is more important for TV drama to mould society than it is to accurately portray whatever the situation happens to be. Tokenism is inevitably what would occur were that actually to be applied to a show like Midsomer.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by papa smurf

hear's a list of the towns and villages give em a bell

Tell me you didn't type each one out, but did copy and paste instead

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Chris

Sorry, but the race relations industry disagrees with you on that. This afternoon Judy Ling Wong, the UK Director of Black Environment Network, has told the BBC:

(emphasis by me)

That's the bit that really gets my goat. To Wong, TV drama can't just be TV drama, but it should be using the 'power' it has over the audience to shape national identity. TV entertainment programmes are not there to do social engineering IMO, but it is clear that in her view, there should be a token ethnic minority presence in the fictional village of Midsomer, no matter how unrepresentative of a real Oxfordshire village that might make it, for the greater good of getting the crusty old rural racists that make up its audience more used to seeing black faces around the place.

While I can see the point (television *can* be a powerful weapon in fighting things like racism), it also worth noting that most drama (Midsommer Murders included) is supposed to be at least vaguely realistic. It's set in a small village. Right or wrong, anyone in such a small village is unlikely to ever see anyone who is a different colour.

Having said that, most small villages don't have someone being murdered every week.

Originally Posted by Gary L

Tell me you didn't type each one out, but did copy and paste instead

after visiting each and every one to check on the ethnicity quotia ....and to see who had been murdered

Originally Posted by Chris

Yes, they are. Did you read the quote I posted? Judy Ling Wong believes it is more important for TV drama to mould society than it is to accurately portray whatever the situation happens to be. Tokenism is inevitably what would occur were that actually to be applied to a show like Midsomer.

Well ok. Some people are. That is obviously stupid. It is of course counter to what I have been saying in this thread that Midsomer Murders have no reason to have a ethnic minority cast member and I agree that to do so as a result of this uproar would be tokenism.

However that doesn't mean the producer was right, there is no reason why Midsomer Murders cannot have a black character which is what he was suggesting. It wouldn't detract from the 'Englishness' of the show. It may not be common for a black person to live in a small village but it's certainly not 'unrealistic'.

Originally Posted by Stuart

While I can see the point (television *can* be a powerful weapon in fighting things like racism), it also worth noting that most drama (Midsommer Murders included) is supposed to be at least vaguely realistic. It's set in a small village. Right or wrong, anyone in such a small village is unlikely to ever see anyone who is a different colour.

Having said that, most small villages don't have someone being murdered every week.

Neither they do, but without stretching reality a little in that direction there wouldn't be a series.

A high murder rate is necessary to the plot. An unrealistic ethnic mix is not.

---------- Post added at 19:43 ---------- Previous post was at 19:41 ----------

Originally Posted by Damien

However that doesn't mean the producer was right, there is no reason why Midsomer Murders cannot have a black character which is what he was suggesting. It wouldn't detract from the 'Englishness' of the show.

I'm not so sure. Despite its modern setting, Midsomer Murders is in many ways a pastiche on Agatha Christie, or rather Agatha Christie's England. That England was a very white place indeed.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Gary L

Tell me you didn't type each one out, but did copy and paste instead

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midsomer_Murders

Originally Posted by Chris

I'm not so sure. Despite its modern setting, Midsomer Murders is in many ways a pastiche on Agatha Christie, or rather Agatha Christie's England. That England was a very white place indeed.

That was my problem with what he said. He was linking the concept of being English, or at least Englishness, with being white. That the addition of a black character would undermine that vision of being English. Since it's not a period drama I think that is false.

That doesn't mean they need to cast a black person to represent a modern Britain though. However the way he ruled it out entirely, and the reason for doing so, struck me as out of line.

[Pierre]

Originally Posted by Damien

I am not saying they should have a 'token ethnic minority'. No one is. I am saying that there is no reason why there cannot be a ethnic minority character in future. One who is there on merit.

How does one get on there by 'merit'

Originally Posted by Sparkle

This is what really annoys me, why the need for race relations "spokesperson(s)" to comment on these issues as if we need their advice?

These are issues which affect everyone, and everyone should have a say. It is absolutely not for Wong to dictate what television is there for !
What she has said is dangerous in that it could be extended far beyond television (radio, comedy, school curriculum, etc).
There will always be the Wongs in our society ready to dictate PC ethics to the rest of us, but two Wongs don't make a right.

How long have you been saving that one?

---------- Post added at 20:05 ---------- Previous post was at 20:01 ----------

Originally Posted by Pierre

How does one get on there by 'merit'

By being a good actor?