This exploratory project was carried out by scholars at the University of Texas at Austin in collaboration and consultation with scholars from UCLA, the University of Georgia and UC Santa Cruz from January through August 2002. It focused on the interplay between the entertainment television industry, minority-ethnic-oriented advocacy groups, and academic researchers with respect to efforts to improve the employment and representations of people of color in and by the industry. Such changes we see as crucial to the vitality of U.S. democracy. The history of these efforts in the last eleven years was chronicled through interviews with key players and through detailed analysis of industry trade reports and advocacy group studies. We concentrated on why particular efforts have been effective or ineffective and on surveying individuals from the industry and advocacy groups regarding initiatives that could have a productive impact. The project offers a number of recommendations to the Ford Foundation and other foundations regarding significant future policy initiatives. It also provides condensed biographies of those we interviewed, short descriptions of key organizations, and a select research bibliography.