Television obscures complicated questions about race, class, justice, morality and family because it deals with these complex issues in simplistic ways, says Herman Gray, author of the new book "Watching Race: Television and the Struggle for 'Blackness.'" He will speak about race and the media Thursday, Dec. 7, as part of a series at UC Davis entitled "Conversations on Cinema and Cultural Studies." Gray specializes in studying the way television represents blacks and the way those representations affect concepts of blackness within the black community. The UC Santa Cruz associate professor of sociology believes television depends on spectacle and drama, and the tension between good and bad that forces the audience to choose sides. Images of black menace, gangs and decaying families create an entirely different image of the black experience than do stories about contributions such as African American literature and film. Gray argues that television is an important place for blacks to author and authorize their own representations through programs involving black popular culture, black television makers, audiences and programmers. The talk will take place 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in the Mee Room of the Memorial Union at UC Davis. It is co-sponsored by 13 campus organizations.