media reality, reality

1
media reality, reality

• news and race

2
news as a social construct

• what shapes news?
• general news norms (proximity, impact,
  timeliness, etc.)
• news management
• public relations
• technology (24/7 news)
• economics (crime on local news)

3
Charles and Carol Stuart

• police AND media believe Charles story
  immediately, even though routine to suspect
  spouse
• media quickly buy idea of black assailant
• media just following police, follow sources
• media know of, ignore, inconsistencies
• black leaders fault media coverage

4
Rev. Charles Stith

• starting point negative, racist assumptions
  (e.g., black men criminals)
• rush to judgment, condemnation
• ignoring common sense, not pursuing a thorough
  investigation

5
Frank Lomax, Urban League

• background media coverage of African Americans
• media framing blacks problem people (rather
  than every-day life portrayal)

6
Charles Sobran, journalist

• case study of how we generalize about blacks and
  crime
• stereotypes blacks as criminals

7
Susan Smith case

• 1994
• Union, South Carolina
• African American man hijacks car, takes two small
  children of white woman
• national hunt for this black criminal extensive
  media coverage sketch of criminal
• final admission

8
Entman studies

• study of 200 news shows in Chicago
• blacks more likely to be in physical grasp of
  police (message more dangerous)
• blacks less likely to have names displayed on TV
  (message not as important anonymous criminals)

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USA Today Study
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coverage of rape

• story 1 29 year old woman, assaulted, forced to
  jump off roof, rescued. limited news coverage
• story 2 28 year old woman, assaulted, in coma,
  near death. major news coverage
• whats the difference?

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• are the media white?

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• personnel
• visibility
• stereotypes
• sources
• Kerner Commission
• Miami, 1980
• LA 1992

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goals of good reporting

• accuracy
• reflecting the every-day life
• of the community

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1. personnel

• 1970 1 of U.S. newspaper employees people of
  color U.S. population then 14 non-white.
• 2001 12 percent of U.S. newspaper employees
  people of color US population 20 non-white
• 40 of US newspapers still all white staffs
• television news staffs 9 percent non-white

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personnel

• personnel issues why the emphasis on hiring?
• knowledge
• experience, connections
• sensitivity
• hiring alone not enough
• avoiding pigeon-holing
• newsroom culture

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2. visibility

• visibility matters
• symbolic annihilation

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New York Times, 1998
18
New York Times, 2001
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3. stereotypes

• deeply held in the society, visible in the media

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4. sources

• reporters talk to people they know, people like
  them
• failure to develop sources in minority
  communities (e.g., Los Angeles 1960s, 1990s no
  key sources in black community)
• key source on minorities police (so news about
  crime)

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5. Kerner Commission, 1969

• National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders
  1966-67 riots
• media make a real effort, but failed
• exaggerated mood, events many errors

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Kerner

• problems with reporting
• little understanding of black community
• failure to cover underlying issues (all event
  oriented)
• reliance on white sources white property
  owners, police

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6. Miami, 1980

• Liberty City, Overtown
• key source of info police
• no sources in black community
• underlying context
• black press reports ignored in mainstream media
• focus on white losses (property, deaths)

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7. Los Angeles, 1992

• Rodney King beating, 1991 acquittal of police
  officers,1992
• reliance on official sources (police, public
  officials) limited black sources
• underlying conditions not covered
• over-emphasis on inter-racial conflict
• emphasis on white losses

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some solutions

• wider source base
• give voice to all community members
• cover every day life throughout the community
• recognize, limit white perspective on news

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• Diversity and News
• -- part 2

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Ethnic/community media

• Wide variety of media
• Commonalities
• Target key audience, content for that audience
• Visibility
• Resistance
• Advocacy

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Mainstream Media

• Issue of ACCURACY
• Methods
• Personnel
• Diversity of Sources
• Photo audits
• News guidelines/checklist