The NAACP has launched a campaign aganist the three major networks after the new fall lineup slotted whites in all lead roles. Media correspondent Terrence Smith leads a discussion with an African-American actor and a syndicated columnist.

TERENCE SMITH: That response, Mr. Mfume said, may take the form of a boycott network programming and possibly litigation. To discuss this issue further, we invited programming executives from ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC networks to join us. They declined. Instead, we have a dual perspective from Hollywood. Actor Damon Standifer has performed in network sitcoms including "Martin" and "Mad About You." He also appeared in the film "Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls." And author and syndicated columnist Earl Ofari Hutchinson, who has written extensively on African-American issues. Gentlemen, welcome to you both. Damon Standifer, is this the kind of response that you as an actor performing in it want to see?

DAMON STANDIFER: Not really. I think that it's up to the entertainment community to bring forth the pressure and to produce the type of scripts that Hollywood wants to see. I think the NAACP would be better suited towards addressing the problems that affect the majority of African-Americans in the community. I think they would be better off addressing high drop-out rates, low test scores, and pushing to improve the overall quality of the African American in society by addressing education and revitalizing the community.

TERENCE SMITH: Earl Hutchinson, what do you believe explains the scarcity of minorities in leading roles in these shows?

EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON: Well, I think the NAACP is on the right track. If anything, my complaint is they should have started earlier. The fall shows are already in. Network TV executives made the point six months ago. They said, Look! With this new season, we're going after a whole different market -- young, white males - young, white females. We're changing the whole demographics. They essentially said the advertisers want that and we want that. We feel comfortable with that. That's why you see the great TV whitewash. The NAACP and certainly other social activist organizations are certainly correct in trying to correct an imbalance, because I deeply believe that the network executives can't get away with just simply saying, "we're going to go after and target one segment of the market with our programming and series," when we look around and see the demographics of America, African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asians in increasing proportion of the overall population. And I might add something else, a big proportion of the consumer buying market - and also they watch more TV than any other segment. So, there's a duty and an obligation there to service that market.

TERENCE SMITH: If that's true, that they're an ever larger market and there's money to be made there, what would explain this? Is this economics? Is it racism? What explains it?

EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON: Well, it's certainly not economics, because it certainly is not in their economic interest to exclude that entire segment of the viewing market and also the buying public. I think it's a combination of things. I think it's uncomfortability. Obviously writers, producers, and network executives feel comfortable. Most of these are white males. They feel comfortable writing about and producing programs that reflect their experience. And I think there is racism involved, too. It tends to be a very insular world that they move in, so as a result of that, their colorblindness is a colorblindness toward others don't reflect their colors. So I think comfortability, insecurity, and, yes, racism is there. It's just easier to deal with young whites and give and put that product out there, rather than deal with the whole range of colors that make up, in fact, not only the TV viewing audience, but also what should be viewed on the TV screen.

TERENCE SMITH: Damon Standifer, do you agree with that and those components?

DAMON STANDIFER: On some level I do. I don't believe racism is the problem. I do believe that the television executives are mistaken when they ignore a large portion of a population, by excluding or not including blacks, Latinos, and Asian Americans. However, the fact that there are no blacks on television isn't necessarily reflective of racism. I believe that, like Mr. Hutchinson said, these people are writing from their experiences, and their experiences have not included people of color. And until these experiences are broadened, we won't see people on television of color. Also, I think that the business in and of itself is conservative by nature. And they're unwilling to take chances. And I think that sometimes they believe that if they include African Americans or other groups on TV, they'll be targeted for protests and consumer boycotts if those particular people aren't represented in a manner that they think is appropriate.

TERENCE SMITH: Earl Hutchinson, in the past, some of the complaints about - on this subject have mentioned stereotyping of roles -- placing minority actors in certain rather predictable roles. Is that part of the problem there? Is that what you're talking about as well?

EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON: Well, I think it's two things. What we're looking at the fall season, it's a question of putting African Americans, Latinos, and Asian American actors in no leading roles. We're not even talking about stereotypes. We've gone way beyond that in terms of total and deliberate exclusion. However, stereotyping is a major, major problem. When you look at the whole history of television and certainly Hollywood pictures, you see a pretty much one-dimensional role when you talk about African Americans, the drug dealer, the crook, the thug, the charity case, the welfare person, the crack mom, the crack dad. Well, that's not realistic. When you look at the overall African American communities, what do you see? You see businesspersons, professional persons, educators, doctors, attorneys, trades people. The problem is you don't see that reflected on the big and the little screen, but on the other hand, if you look at what you see passes for white performances in series on TV you see the full range. I see white drug dealers, but I also see young, white stockbrokers too. So it's simply a question of this: You've got to have diversity but in the context of diversity you also have to broaden out and show the full range of dynamic of African American communities, Latino communities, and Asian American communities.

TERENCE SMITH: Damon Standifer, you argued in an op-ed page piece over the weekend that, in fact, this kind of activism - you labeled it political correctness sometimes, actually makes producers gun shy to create roles and parts and shows based on minority characters.

DAMON STANDIFER: Well, I think so. I think Mr. Hutchison just mentioned that there are stereotypes of crack whores or welfare mothers, and that there's not a broad range of black characters. But my experience, what I've seen, is there has been definitely an increase in the amount of black professionals you see television. Lawyers such as in "The Practice;" police detectives such as in "Homicide." Andre Braugher was considered by Television Guide the best actor on TV. I don't see the welfare moms and the crack whores and the negative stereotypes that Mr. Hutchinson claims exist. Also, I think that that's one of the reasons why television executives are hesitant. It's like no matter what they do, they get accused of putting out the same type of stereotypical product. And so you're talking about a group of people that aren't inclined to take chances in the first place, and then when they do, they get bombarded with pickets or negative letter-writing campaigns or concerned -- or criticisms from the African American community and in some cases other communities saying that what they're doing is wrong, when, in fact, I see the opposite. I see several positive roles out there being played by black people.

TERENCE SMITH: Well, Earl Hutchinson, what about that? Does this activism at least have the potential to backfire?

EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON: Absolutely not. I think that is really one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. The fact of the matter is the fact that you've gotten the kinds of upgraded roles where you do see the Andre Braugher, where you do see individuals in the practice, where you do see even the Cosby Shows, it's a result of that very same activism. I have to remind people, the whole history of the movie industry, the whole history of the TV industry has been protests about stereotypes. And the response from the industry has been to continue those stereotypes, but in addition to that, responding another way they have upgraded the roles, the have added more quality and more full-bodied dimensions and depictions of African Americans and Latinos and Asian Americans. So I think you've got it backwards. The fact of the matter is, it is, in fact, a result of the pressure that's been put on by groups like the NAACP for decades and decades that got and cleansed many of the stereotypes out of there, that the Damon Standifers now can be offered even more opportunities to play different kinds of roles. So I think that we have to be very clear. The danger is blaming those individuals that are, in fact, advocates for you, not opponents to you, and one other thing, too, about the TV executives -- I think the interesting thing is I haven't heard with this latest go-around of criticism of the TV industry for their white wash, I haven't heard not one TV executive from ABC, NBC, CBS, or Fox, not one of them have offered that as an excuse or a rationale why you don't see minority people in their series. They haven't said that. So even the TV executives don't even offer that as a lame excuse for why they have essentially ethnically cleansed the airs of people of color.

TERENCE SMITH: Damon Standifer, a final word from you. What do you expect, if as promised, this protest continues, if litigation is even brought into it? What do you think will be the result?

DAMON STANDIFER: I really don't know. I don't think it's a good thing. I think we're in far too litigious a society. I don't think that anyone has a right to tell anyone who they should hire. And I mean, I wouldn't want someone telling me that I have to hire X amount of people for more roles. And what about the shows that feature all black performances, will they be required now as a result of this lawsuit to put proportionately -- the same proportionate numbers of Asians or Latinos on their shows? Don't they have a right to be creative? Don't the Eddie Murphys of the world and the Martin Lawrences of the world have a right to put forward the product they want without interference for advocacy groups?

TERENCE SMITH: Okay.

DAMON STANDIFER: I'm sorry.

TERENCE SMITH: All right. Well, I appreciate it. We're out of time. But it's an argument that obviously continues. Thank you both, gentlemen, very much.

EARL OFARI HUTCHINSON: Thank you.