Toronto (Ontario, Canada) and Los Angeles (California) are two cities that provide television programs for specific ethnic groups. During a sample week, 13 percent of the total broadcast time of stations serving Greater Toronto was devoted to programs for ethnic groups. In another sample week, minority ethnic broadcasts took up 17 percent of the total broadcast time of stations serving the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The context within which ethnic television has developed in these two cities has affected its nature and purposes. Geography, history, economic factors, public policy, and the sociocultural context have determined the number of types of populations that ethnic television can reach and the number and types of programs that the stations can provide. Toronto and Los Angeles television personnel see ethnic television as a means for affecting social impact on ethnic communities by lowering cultural barriers, promoting multiculturalism, enhancing community solidarity, and maintaining cultural identity. Current developments indicate that some ethnic programs are being discontinued in favor of programs for larger ethnic group audiences or for subscription television, or for financial reasons. At the same time, future plans indicate expanded opportunities for ethnic television, a prospect which has implications for television's role in promoting cultural awareness and understanding. (MJL)