Blacks in Congress seek more diversity on Sunday talk shows
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are asking the Sunday morning talk shows to add more minorities to their guest lists.
An article in the congressional newspaper The Hill carries this quote from U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., the chairwoman of the Black Caucus:
“I’m not pleased at all with the diversity issue as it relates to talk shows. We have, what, 17 subcommittee chairs and four full-committee chairmen? These members are brilliant; they know their stuff. They’re powerful and they should be part of the Sunday morning talk shows.”
Reporter Mike Soraghan of the Hill writes:
Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), secretary of the CBC, calls himself a “fan” of the Sunday shows, but said he’d like to see change.
“The morning talk shows need to increase the number of African-Americans,” Butterfield said. “Not only for diversity, but it would also be good for the ratings.”
The comments come three years after a study found a striking lack of black participants on the shows. The original study was completed before Democrats took over Congress in the 2006 elections, which put many more black and Hispanic lawmakers into positions of power.
But some legislators say that hasn’t been reflected on the shows.
Lee said the CBC, composed of 41 House members and Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.), is working on the issue and has been in communication with the producers of the shows.
Later in Soraghan’s article:
Roll Call tracks lawmakers’ appearances. The CBC member with the most appearances this year is Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), with two. The only other CBC member on the list is House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), who appeared once on “Fox News Sunday.” No Hispanic members are on the list.
This past weekend, not one minority lawmaker appeared on the Sunday shows. All seven of those who appeared are white and six are male. A majority of the Congress is composed of white males.



Steve Parker is the deputy managing editor for news, and oversees the Post-Dispatch's front page. STLtoday's online news editors are on his newsroom team. Parker has been at the paper since September 1980.
Should the majority cares what Lacy Clay has to say? I can see it now, affirmative action for talk shows Yes! is this country great??????