Racism in the media

[MJC]

"...after looting a grocery store..."
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/050830/480/ladm10208301530

"...after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store..."
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/050830/p...hxwaoma_photo1



EDIT: link fixed

[Wanted]

I don't get what you're trying to imply...

State your case.

[Tanooki]

second link doesn't work, even with copying and pasting. i think what he's getting across is instead of saying "this man was seen wading through deep water after the horrible hurricane ripped through his home" the caption connects a horrible tragedy with a man looting a store. i fail to see the purpose of connecting the two

[sun]

Without a journalism study of some magnitude, we cannot know for sure..I willl give an example
...A book was written about bias in the media, toward political Presidential Candidates, in newspapers....It looked at column inches to each of the candidates running, position in the paper, size of photographs, and was extremely extensive covering many newspapers, and how they presented that election.
...Now, what you are proposing, is: does the media single out a certain race for certain types of stories as opposed to others? Is that correct?
....The one picture that I was able to link to, showed what appeared to be an Afro American swiming off with some stuff...(I suppose from New Orleans)
... What I know about the situation is that those that could not get out were the poor, tourists, and a few that wanted to stay...The poor in New Orleans, were mostly Afro-American..Does that mean the entire media is racist? (from one or two pictures?
...I do not know without extensive study, Violence, spectacular events, are the media friend...Is the "News" racist? Is the entire media racist? That question cannot and should not be answered simply without evidence and proof...Stuart

[MJC]

Without a journalism study of some magnitude, we cannot know for sure..I willl give an example
...A book was written about bias in the media, toward political Presidential Candidates, in newspapers....It looked at column inches to each of the candidates running, position in the paper, size of photographs, and was extremely extensive covering many newspapers, and how they presented that election.
...Now, what you are proposing, is: does the media single out a certain race for certain types of stories as opposed to others? Is that correct?
....The one picture that I was able to link to, showed what appeared to be an Afro American swiming off with some stuff...(I suppose from New Orleans)
... What I know about the situation is that those that could not get out were the poor, tourists, and a few that wanted to stay...The poor in New Orleans, were mostly Afro-American..Does that mean the entire media is racist? (from one or two pictures?
...I do not know without extensive study, Violence, spectacular events, are the media friend...Is the "News" racist? Is the entire media racist? That question cannot and should not be answered simply without evidence and proof...Stuart

I'm not saying the entire media is racist, as a matter of fact I didn't really say anything. Just want to get people thinking.

[Tienshin]

I saw that earlier and it's pretty interesting how the two situations were depicted, that's for sure. Though the two stories were from completely different news agencies.

But yeah...they found the food? Come on now, that's just silly.

[zmanjz]

Well... when it comes to perishables that will go bad before the store owners return... and really food in general, the general legal perspective is "Ya gotta eat" (to use the technical term) So I would say that AFP/Getty got it more correct in their caption than AP did.

Now the people that are pillaging the local electronics store for tvs that may still work....... well, they've got no excuse.

However, I don't think that Racism is an issue here, as a careful examination of the Getty picture infers that the female with the bread may herself be a member of a racial minority, or of mixed lineage.

I really don't know due to the low picture quality.... But I don't think that Racism is an issue in this, Simply, one guy said "Taking food without paying" = Looting, and another guy thought "Taking food that's about to go bad anyway" = smart

[SonGoku V3]

I don't get what you're trying to imply...

State your case.

Don't know if your joking or not....

Question for everybody: Does the name Latoya Figueroa ring a bell? Well, how about the name Laci Peterson? Two young women who died almost exactly in the same way, yet Laci's story was what got major coverage. Figueroa barely got any national coverage, and only occassional local media coverage. There has always been an issue with how the news media reports in regards of race. This could be seen back during the OJ trial when the magazine enhanced his picture to make him look darker and "creepier". Look at majority of the missing/dead people that has received national attention. Young white women (from Jon Benet, to Natalie Halloway, to the "Runaway Bride").

Tienshin makes a good point that the excerpts come from different agencies, but the situation of race in the media is nothing new.

[James]

I for one have a big hatred against media and journalists. Manipulative and largely untouchable.

That said, one has to recognize on issues of racism, they are only reflecting supply and demand.

Certainly in the UK, you'll notice that all the children that are go missing are pretty ones. It's not necessarily skin related, but virtually all missing kids who get national attention are normally a) female, b) pretty. Simply because people identify with pretty children. Female inate reaction is "what a shame, such a pretty girl she had her whole life ahead of her.." male reaction is "what a shame, bet she'd have been a looker when she gets older..."

A little glib, but you get the point. The media offers what stories will grab attention and sympathy of their readers. In a predominantly white country, you'll find more shock horror at a death of a middle class real estate agent walking home from work, than maybe a black youth in the degenerated areas of London. It's all about empathy.. and while race, class and culture remain an underline issue of the culture, the media will supply to that demand.

I'm not commenting on the two specific pictures, they seem a little broad to comment on.

There is racism, there is class issues, there are all sorts of issues in the media which aren't treated fairly, but that's because in life they aren't treated fairly either. One could argue that the media should be trying better not to cater to such negative social aspects, but like any business, they are there to make a buck, not buck social trends.

[Fone Bone]

"...after looting a grocery store..."
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/050830/480/ladm10208301530

"...after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store..."
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/050830/p...hxwaoma_photo1



EDIT: link fixed

That is meeeessssssed up. Both on Yahoo, huh? I wonder if the left hand knew what the right was doing.

[SonGoku V3]

I for one have a big hatred against media and journalists. Manipulative and largely untouchable.

That said, one has to recognize on issues of racism, they are only reflecting supply and demand.

Certainly in the UK, you'll notice that all the children that are go missing are pretty ones. It's not necessarily skin related, but virtually all missing kids who get national attention are normally a) female, b) pretty. Simply because people identify with pretty children. Female inate reaction is "what a shame, such a pretty girl she had her whole life ahead of her.." male reaction is "what a shame, bet she'd have been a looker when she gets older..."

A little glib, but you get the point. The media offers what stories will grab attention and sympathy of their readers. In a predominantly white country, you'll find more shock horror at a death of a middle class real estate agent walking home from work, than maybe a black youth in the degenerated areas of London. It's all about empathy.. and while race, class and culture remain an underline issue of the culture, the media will supply to that demand.

I'm not commenting on the two specific pictures, they seem a little broad to comment on.

There is racism, there is class issues, there are all sorts of issues in the media which aren't treated fairly, but that's because in life they aren't treated fairly either. One could argue that the media should be trying better not to cater to such negative social aspects, but like any business, they are there to make a buck, not buck social trends.

Sadly, this is exactly the truth in pretty much every aspect. Though the fact remains that it's not right. Just because a youth who was murdered is Black (or Hispanic, or Asian) and not from a more affluent part of town doesn't mean that they deserve to get downplayed in the media...one of the only times cases with minorities do get reported is when they are doing something that can be deemed as negative. Such as "looting" from the grocery store.

Which brings us to the issue with the pictures. It's the all too common image of the minority (in this case, Black) doing something deplorable and illegal, and the white person being painted in a nicer light. With all of the writings, research and statistical information, and discussion on this very topic out there that has been going on for atleast 10 years, this is more of a serious issue than some here may think. The way the media portrays certain groups of people really does shape the image of them in the mind of the viewer, and that's why issue is taken with pictures like that.

[Wanted]

Don't know if your joking or not....

No. I was dead serious. There's no difference between what the two groups are doing. I see no difference between the two photos. NONE.

And, consider this: what they're covering, nobody (except for the storeowners) will care about in a month or so.

[SonGoku V3]

It's not the photos themselves that's being questioned, it's how they are described (reported) that's the issue. I thought the first post was showing this clearly.

Also, I doubt even the store owners will care, because things such as bread and other food/drink products sold in the store will just go bad from the dirty water assuming it hasn't gone bad already. This thread deals with how the different races are portrayed in the descriptions, not literally what's being done in the picture.

On an unrelated note, thank you for linking Mr. Harris' blog in your sig. This is the first time I'm seeing it, and I love it right now...

[Mr.E]

"...after looting a grocery store..."
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/050830/480/ladm10208301530

"...after finding bread and soda from a local grocery store..."
http://news.yahoo.com/photo/050830/p...hxwaoma_photo1



EDIT: link fixed

Yeah its sad that the media is focused more on the looting and less on the disaster of the hurricane,and of of course, they're focusing on my people.

[Mr.E]

Don't know if your joking or not....

Question for everybody: Does the name Latoya Figueroa ring a bell? Well, how about the name Laci Peterson? Two young women who died almost exactly in the same way, yet Laci's story was what got major coverage. Figueroa barely got any national coverage, and only occassional local media coverage. There has always been an issue with how the news media reports in regards of race. This could be seen back during the OJ trial when the magazine enhanced his picture to make him look darker and "creepier". Look at majority of the missing/dead people that has received national attention. Young white women (from Jon Benet, to Natalie Halloway, to the "Runaway Bride").

Tienshin makes a good point that the excerpts come from different agencies, but the situation of race in the media is nothing new.

As a matter of fact, Dateline talked about how you only see pretty white girls missing in the media.

[guinaevere]

It's not the photos themselves that's being questioned, it's how they are described (reported) that's the issue.

But you're speaking of two different reporters. Everyone can see the same picture and the description which we all come up with will be different in subtle ways. Technically, they both could have been captioned/written up: Katrina refugees aquire necessities of survival by looting from local shops.

[MahouShoujo13]

As a matter of fact, Dateline talked about how you only see pretty white girls missing in the media.

Yes. I always wondered why whites get more noticed in the media than any other race here in the US.

One time I asked my brothers why the kidnappings of certain people are in the news, while hundreds happen each day but are not noticed. My eldest brother said because kidnapping is a bad thing and stuff like that. I asked why those certain people are heard on the news, and not others, and my second eldest brother said it's because they're pretty, they're white, and they're rich.

And then, we see people of other races on the media...and how? They do negative things against the law.

Wow, what a nice image the media is painting of minorities. [/sarcasm]

[SonGoku V3]

But you're speaking of two different reporters. Everyone can see the same picture and the description which we all come up with will be different in subtle ways.

The difference in the two descriptions aren't subtle at all though. Even if this came from two different reporters, it's interesting that one person (a young Black male) looted from a grocery store, where as two other people found food at a grocery store (white people, and quite possibly the same grocery store). One just finished doing a criminal activity and the other just so happens to find something. Race plays a factor (either good or bad) in what is reported and how it is reported. Just do a google search on "race in the news media" or something and you'll see that what is going on in the two descriptions is something that has been going on for quite a while.

Again, there may be two different reporters, but you can't deny that one painted a pretty negative picture, especially considering the conditions ALL people in that area are stuck in now. Even Louisiana senators and politicians are trying to defend some of these looters by saying that they're just trying to survive at this point.

Technically, they both could have been captioned/written up: Katrina refugees aquire necessities of survival by looting from local shops.

Maybe in a better world where race (or even class) isn't an issue anymore, but I have a hard time ignoring the media's handling of race considering that they've been doing the same thing for years. It's just that the media refuses to look at itself (aside from the Dateline story), and many people tend to sweep issues dealing with race under the rug.

I think this OP/ED enforces SJJ's initial point that the news media is only catering to what people want to see. It also hits my point that what is reported and how it's reported is a problem, and just because they're only trying to make money, it doesn't make them right.

[Fone Bone]

But you're speaking of two different reporters. Everyone can see the same picture and the description which we all come up with will be different in subtle ways. Technically, they both could have been captioned/written up: Katrina refugees aquire necessities of survival by looting from local shops.

Doesn't really matter to me if they're different reporters. Even if it WAS a coincidence it's paints a pretty bad picture. Stuff like that happens all the time but it IS kind of disturbing to see them side by side like that.

The mentally ill get a bad rap too. Despite most of us being non-violent if there is a dangerous criminal out there the media always does a background check to see if the person was suffering from mental illness. I have yet to see a story of a person rushing into a burning house and rescuing a trapped baby being checked to see whether the person is mentally ill or not.

SJJ is right. Fear and racism sells. If we truly want to see this crap stop we're going to have to stop reading these crappy newspapers or watching these crappy newcasts. Until then, we can look straight into the mirror when we wonder who the media is pandering this crap to.

[Fone Bone]

Someone posted this on Animation Insider. I don't know where they got it but I think it illuminates the situation nicely. Be kind this is the first pic I've ever posted.