ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the theoretical purview of "color-blind racism" to the representation of South Asian American identity on TMP. It examines the formative representations of ethnic and racial groups, specifically minorities, on television. The chapter also examines those representations over time, highlights the implications that racial justice campaigns have had on minority representations. It discusses research on mass media's representations of people of South Asian origin. South Asian Americans are witnessing greater visibility in mass media and popular culture. Additionally, researchers who have studied depictions of women in media share similar findings: mass media objectify women and portray them in subordinate roles to reinforce the social order. Mass media's characterizations of racial and ethnic groups influence how people construct relationships with racial and ethnic minorities. Mainstream media networks, such as FOX, operate within the context of a political economy that seeks to utilize entertainers who embody this post-racial ideology.
