Prime-time TV gives government employees their due

More favorable portrayals of government and of civil servants are emerging on prime-time television, according to a report released last week by the Council for Excellence in Government. Among current television programs with government themes, nearly three out of four episodes portray government positively, and favorable character portrayals of civil servants have increased from 22 percent to 30 percent since 1992, according to the report, "Changing Images of Government in TV Entertainment." Of the 14 job categories included in the study, civil servants had the second most-improved television image of any group over the last decade, moving from 10th to sixth place in the study's favorability index. The television image of doctors improved the most.

Although the report says the depiction of government employees on television is still a mixed bag, their image has improved in general and in relation to the portrayal of other professions over the last 10 years. The current television depiction of civil servants, who for years were perceived as lazy and incompetent, is now more positive than prime-time portrayals of reporters, business people and teachers, the report said. The portrayal of elected officials has also improved slightly since the 1990s, when that group's television image ranked last on the study's list of occupations. The study, which looked at television depictions of individual characters and the overall portrayal of government on the four major television networks over the last two years, attributed the industry's increasingly positive attitude toward government to the popular prime-time NBC series, The West Wing. According to the report, The West Wing's depiction of a government run by leaders with a keen sense of politics, but also a deep commitment to public service, is largely responsible for the move away from television's more cynical portrayals of government during the 1990s. "Politicians and staffers on The West Wing are always very aware of the political consequences of their actions, but their awareness goes beyond what will further their careers. Their activities are not devoted solely to obtaining or retaining power as an end in itself, but as a means of making America a better place for all its citizens," the report said. The report also praised CBS' Judging Amy for positive portrayals of government employees. In one episode, a former colleague tries to persuade the title character's mother to return to her job as a social worker because he fears his staff lacks her experience. Although he calls his staff inexperienced, he also says they are dedicated, and does not imply that they are lazy or incompetent.

According to the council's report, this positive attitude toward public servants marks a departure from depictions on such past television shows as Cheers and Seinfeld, which featured characters who worked for the Postal Service as being either incompetent or sneaky. According to the report, "Changing Images of Government in TV Entertainment", law enforcement, as depicted in shows such as NYPD Blue and Law & Order, remains the most visible part of government on prime-time television.