The coverage of news about Black Americans is a thorny topic that has existed for several decades and subjected the community to stereotypes. But are we about to witness any change in how the media depicts the black community? Recent events that have taken place in America have exposed how media outlets cover news involving the community. The anti-racist protests in 2020 as well as Donald Trump’s presidency highlight the documentation of stories done by the major news outlets and how they view African Americans.
A new research paints gloom on the perception of Black Americans on news coverage. They believe the media exercise bias while reporting about the community. If the results from the survey are anything to read from, major news channels operating in America still have a lot to do to reach their target audience. The results of the findings cast a huge doubt on the dedication of the news channels to serve all their audiences with fairness.
Racist or negative depictions of Black Americans in news media
Majority of Black Americans believe media depicts them unfairly
A portrait of George Floyd. His killing and the protests that followed was widely covered by the news media.
The research which was conducted by the Pew Research Center observes that nearly two-thirds of respondents receive negative coverage of the community more than positive news. How the media portrays the black community as unearthed by the research indicates that most members of the community are subjected to racially insensitive coverage.
Several members of the community also decry negative stereotypes by the news media. The survey reveals that four out of 10 people involved in the survey believed the media subjects them to negative stereotypes. They believe that other racial groups receive more positive news.
US Vice president Kamala Harris and Senator Raphael Warnock. They are among the prominent African-Americans the news media covers
The future of the community changing its perception on how the media covers them hangs in a balance. The survey reveals that very few Black Americans have high hopes that the depiction of their community will improve in their lifetime. Only 14 percent of those are confident positive coverage of the community will improve.
Does the media cover all segments of the lives of the black community? The community believes only certain aspects of their lives made it as news in most coverages. The survey indicates that half of the participants claimed they are always missing important information about the community. Furthermore, 57 percent say the news only covers certain segments of Black communities.
How to improve coverage of the black communities
An African-American model poses for a photo. Majority of Black Americans believe the media portrays them negatively
Even though the media industry is facing a lot of questions in regard to how the media depicts the black community, there is a belief the situation may improve in the future. Below are some of the steps the news media can explore to build the confidence of the black community in their news content.
Training journalists and reporters
About 64 percent of the participants are confident that educating journalists about issues impacting the black community could be a critical step to improving coverage. The training may help inculcate skills that stop journalists from entrenching the racial and stereotypical angles in their news content.
Hiring more black people in leadership roles
Diversity plays an integral role in improving news reporting. The research by the center reveals that about 53 percent of black Americans believe hiring more black people will improve the coverage of the community. READ ALSO: Cherelle Parker becomes the first black woman elected as mayor of Philadelphia
Hiring more black journalists and reporters
The stories of distortion of culture and the African-American lifestyle can be corrected if media houses employ more black journalists. International Journalist’s Network reports that incorporating journalists from the community improves the coverage of underrepresented areas. These include topics that journalists from other races are likely to ignore. This clique of journalists is able to see the stories from an African-American lenses.