MCOM 105: DIVERSITY READER



MCOM 105: DIVERSITY READER RACE / ETHNICITY

OVERVIEW DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE

AMERICA'S ETHNIC DIVERSITY IS INCREASING

Despite the difficulties of precise measurement, demographic trends clearly show that America's already diverse population will become even more so. Ethnic minorities constitute a growing share of the population (see Figure 1), and heterogeneity within all ethnic groups is growing.

|[pic] |

|SOURCE: Reprinted with permission from America Becoming: Racial Trends and |

|Their Consequences. Copyright 2001 by the National Academy of Sciences. |

|Courtesy of the National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. |

|Figure 1--The Changing Racial and Ethnic Composition of the United States |

Changes in the U.S. population mix stem largely from immigration. Thirty-eight percent of the Hispanic population and 61 percent of the Asian population are immigrants. Not only has immigration remained steady at high rates for decades, but a greater percentage of immigrants are choosing to remain in the United States.

Nearly every U.S. ethnic population has undergone significant changes in recent decades, but the main story in U.S. demographic trends over the past 20 years is the explosive growth among Hispanic Americans, from 6.9 million in 1960 to over 35 million in 2000, and projected to grow to 55 million by 2020. Relatively high birth rates among resident Hispanic Americans, combined with high levels of migration from Latin America, account for this change. This group remains ethnically heterogeneous. Mexican Americans constitute about 65 percent of Hispanic Americans and are concentrated heavily in the Southwest. Puerto Ricans, the second-largest group, are clustered primarily in Northeast urban areas, especially New York. Cuban Americans, the third-largest, are concentrated almost exclusively in Florida. Growing groups of immigrants from Central and South America have taken up residence in other urban areas, including New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. Two dominant and apparently antithetical trends tend to define the Hispanic population: on the one hand, a drive toward conventional assimilation; and on the other, a pattern of poverty, isolation, and possible cultural alienation from American life. Because of their numbers, the direction Hispanics take will have major implications for the country as a whole.

The Asian American population has also undergone dramatic changes in the last three decades. Since 1970 and the end of immigration limits originally imposed in 1924, the Asian American population has grown from 1.5 million to nearly 12 million in 2000 (including mixed race), and is projected to grow to 20 million by 2020. Once largely U.S.-born and consisting predominantly of Japanese Americans and Chinese Americans, the Asian American population is now predominantly foreign-born and spread across several different nationalities. As the sources of this immigration have diversified, this population has also become increasingly heterogeneous. The major sending countries include Vietnam, Korea, American Samoa, India, Thailand, the Philippines, and China. Asian Americans are only beginning to crystallize their presence as a force in America's political and cultural landscape.

The Native American population also increased sharply between 1960 and 2000; this is partly due to fertility rates above the national average and also to changing racial classifications in the census. Probably because of ethnic consciousness-raising that began during the 1960s and '70s, many more Americans now identify themselves as Native Americans. Overall, the Native American population has rebounded from a nadir of about 275,000 in 1900 to around four million today (including mixed race). This is the group most affected by the option in the 2000 census to check multiple categories: about two million checked only Native American and another two million checked that and something else.

Although the Black population has remained relatively stable by comparison, it has also undergone shifts. After several decades of net migration from the South to large cities in the North and West, Black Americans began returning to the South in 1970. Furthermore, the Black population is also becoming more ethnically heterogeneous. Census estimates project that by 2010 as many as 10 percent of Americans of African descent will be immigrants from Africa or the Caribbean.

[pic]  Basic Facts about Immigration

(Sources: Pew Hispanic Center & U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services)[pic]

How many undocumented people are currently in the United States?

Approximately 11.5 to 12 million people in March 2006.

How many undocumented people in the U.S. are employed?

Approximately 7.2 million in March 2005 (at that time, it is estimated that there were a total of 11.1 million undocumented people in the U.S., including children and dependants of undocumented workers). The 7.2 million represents 4.9% of the civilian workforce. The total labor force at the time was estimated to be 148 million workers.

What kinds of jobs do the undocumented workers hold?

They make up a large share of all workers in a few more detailed occupational categories, including 24% of all workers employed in farming jobs, 17% in cleaning, 36% in insulation installation, 29% in roofing and drywall installation, 27% of butchers and other food processing. (All figures refer to March 2005.)

What proportion of the undocumented population has migrated to the U.S. recently?

One third of the undocumented population has been in the U.S. for more than ten years. 40% of the population has been in the U.S. five years or less. (All figures refer to March 2005.)

What are the countries of origin for the undocumented people?

Of the total in 2005, 56% were from Mexico, 22% from the remainder of Latin America (especially Central America). South and East Asia are also significant contributors to the undocumented population.

What are the family characteristics of the undocumented people in the U.S.?

In 2005, the undocumented population included 5.4 million adult males (49% of the population), 3.9 million adult females (35% of the population) and 1.8 million children (16% of the total).

How many U.S. families (immediate families) have an undocumented parent and/or spouse?

6.6 million families in the United States (March 2005).

How many U.S family members (native, documented and undocumented) have an undocumented (immediate) relative?

14. 6 million people (March 2005).

How many children who are U.S. citizens by birth are living in families with one or more undocumented parents?

3.1 million children (March 2005).

How do undocumented people enter the U.S.?

Approximately 40% of the undocumented people living in the U.S. originally entered the country with non-immigrant visas. These people have become "undocumented" by overstaying their visas.

Summary of Reports: Immigration's Impact on the Economy and Labor Force

Research has illustrated that increased immigration has contributed to the growth of the economy, in part because immigrants (both undocumented and "legal") are a primary source of less-skilled labor and earn wages significantly less than U.S. born laborers. However, some concerns have been raised about the impact of immigrants on the job prospects and earnings for less-educated and low-skilled native-born laborers.

The first report is a monograph from researchers at the RAND Corporation's Center for Research on Immigration Policy. Though it is an older report (1997), it shows that California's economic growth was due in part to the productivity of immigrant labor, but also because of the decline in the earnings of immigrants in comparison to their native-born counterparts. At the same time, the researchers find that immigrants fill 60 percent of jobs for workers without a high school diploma in 1990, leading them to conclude that the job prospects for Californians without college are dwindling. They also argue that immigration has contributed most to lowering the employment rate for high school dropouts. However, immigration reduced the earnings of less educated native workers in the 1970s only, and continues to have a more significant impact on the earnings of immigrants themselves.

For more information, see Immigration in a Changing Economy: California's Experience, Questions and Answers Kevin McCarthy and Georges Vernez:



Other research confirms that undocumented immigration has contributed to the lowering of wages for native-born high school dropouts, but suggests that economists may have previously overestimated the unique impact of immigration. Below is a link to a New York Times article that highlights some key findings from a recent study.

Porter, Eduardo. "Cost of Illegal Immigration May Be Less Than Meets the Eye." New York Times, April 16, 2006, p. 3.3.



Also provided is a link to the actual report authored by George J. Borjas and Lawrence F. Katz for readers interested in more in-depth analysis.

Borjas, George J. and Lawrence F. Katz. "The Evolution of the Mexican-Born Workforce in the United States." NBER Working Paper No. 11281. April 2005. Cambridge, MA: National Bureau of Economic Research.

From: The National Association of Hispanic Journalists – NAHJ

The National Association of Hispanic Journalists has been studying coverage of Latinos on the network evening news for the past 11 years in an effort to provide the public with a greater understanding of how Latinos are portrayed.

We also conduct this study because the network evening news continues to play a major role in setting the national news agenda. We hope each year that network coverage of issues affecting Latinos will improve; however, we remain baffled when the results are otherwise.

Despite the growing influence and presence of the nation’s Latino community, stories about Latinos remain woefully absent on the network news. Occasionally, as was the case this year, we see some signs of improvement. Nonetheless, when a story about Latinos periodically makes it on the air, the coverage is often stereotypical.

Although the U.S. Latino community has grown significantly since the inception of this report, the amount of coverage devoted to Latinos does not reflect this reality. We believe the lack of Latino journalists and managers working at the networks is the primary reason for dismal coverage of the Latino community.

Poor coverage of communities of color has real consequences for our society. We call on the networks to cover our community fairly because it is a question of journalistic credibility. And we believe the credibility of the news media will remain in question as long as the issue of fair coverage of communities of color is not addressed.

Until then, NAHJ will continue to call on the networks and the U.S. news media to improve the representation of Latinos not only in their news coverage, but also in their newsrooms.

Rafael Olmeda Manny De La Rosa

President, NAHJ Vice President-Broadcast, NAHJ

Full NAHJ report online:

Summary of 2006 NAHJ Report:

The booming growth of the Latino population (in numbers and in economic and

political power) should serve as a wake-up call for the news networks. But each year very little changes and this report continues to yield the same dismal results.

Latinos make up 14.5 percent of the U.S. population but less than one percent of stories on the network evening news.

One major problem shown by this report is that Latino voices are lacking in news

coverage. Key political stories about Latinos lacked Hispanic perspectives. The vast majority of immigration stories were also not told from the Latino perspective.

NAHJ strongly believes that increasing the number of Latino journalists and managers

will improve news coverage of the Latino community.

Summary of 2006 NAHJ Report: (continues)

| | |

|The quantitative analysis of the |• The networks dedicated more time to |

|2005 network news showed: |Latino stories. Stories that lasted less than |

| |30 seconds decreased to 24.8 percent of |

|• Out of an estimated 12,600 stories aired |stories in 2005 from 33 percent in 2004. |

|by ABC, CBS and NBC, only 105, or 0.83 |And, stories that lasted between two and |

|percent, were found to be exclusively |three minutes comprised half of the |

|about Latinos or Latino-related issues. This |stories (50.5 percent) in 2005 compared |

|represents a slight increase from 2004 |with 43 percent of stories in 2004. |

|when Latino stories comprised 0.72 |• Only five Latino stories featured Latino |

|percent of coverage. |reporters. |

| | |

|• Of the estimated 329 hours the networks |The qualitative analysis of Latino |

|devoted to the evening news in 2005, 3 |stories found: |

|hours and 2 minutes were dedicated | |

|exclusively to Latino stories, making up |• Latinos were featured in a variety of |

|0.92 percent of the total time. |universal stories that did not focus on |

| |ethnicity. |

|• In 2005, no single topic dominated | |

|more than 20 percent of coverage. The |• In contrast to 2004, Latinos were more |

|top five topics for Latino stories were |often portrayed in crime stories in 2005. |

|domestic government (20 stories or 19 |For most of these stories, Latinos were the |

|percent), crime (19 stories or 18.1 |perpetrators, not the victims. |

|percent), human interest (18 stories or | |

|17.1 percent), immigration (15 stories or |• Immigration did not dominate the |

|14.3 percent) and sports (12 stories or |framing of Latino stories as it has in years |

|11.4 percent). |past. Even so, immigration was still a |

| |popular topic for the networks to cover. |

|• One positive trend: a notable drop in the |One dominant theme in immigration |

|networks’ focus on immigration with 14.3 |coverage for 2005 was the notion that |

|percent of stories this year devoted to the |immigrants, mostly undocumented, were |

|topic compared with 34.7 percent of |changing communities across the United |

|stories in 2004. |States. These stories were often told from |

| |the perspective of longtime community |

|• One negative trend: a sharp increase in |residents, and not from the perspective of |

|crime coverage with 18.1 percent of |immigrants. |

|stories devoted to this topic in 2005 | |

|compared with 7.8 percent in 2004. | |

| |• Once again, networks are missing Latino |

|• A significant portion of Latino stories |political news stories. This year, stories |

|continued to lack a diversity of opinion. |concerning Los Angeles Mayor Antonio |

|Of 105 stories, one third (33.3 percent) |Villaraigosa and U.S. Attorney General |

|did not cite a single source. Of the stories |Alberto Gonzales provided the networks |

|using sources, one third (33.3 percent) |an opportunity to explore the political |

|presented mostly one perspective. |climate of the Latino community. Not one |

| |network did a story that provided the |

| |Hispanic perspective on these issues. |

| | |

|• Latinos continued to be nearly absent | |

|from non-Latino related stories. Out of an | |

|estimated 12,495 non-Latino stories aired | |

|by the networks in 2005, Latinos | |

|appeared as quoted sources in only 217 | |

|stories (1.7 percent), the same percentage | |

|as in 2004. | |

Cultural Group: Asian Americans Demographics

According to the 2000 U.S. census, Asian Americans make up 4.3% of the total U.S. population -- that's about 12 million people who identify themselves as at least part Asian. However, this number represents an increase of 63% from the 1990 census, making Asian Americans the fastest growing of all the major racial/ethnic groups in the U.S., in terms of percentage growth. But in so many ways, the presence of Asian Americans is much more prominent than even these numbers suggest. Keep in mind the first stereotype about Asian Americans -- they are all the same. The numbers within the Asian American population show they are not all alike. Within this culture is great diversity among Asian Americans from different ethnic groups which make up the overall Asian American population.

|Racial/Ethnic Group |Growth Rate, 1980-1990 |Growth Rate, 1990-2000 |

|Whites |4.09% |5.08% |

|Blacks |11.98% |15.26% |

|American Indians |35.44% |14.42% |

|Latinos/Hispanics |53.02% |39.42% |

|Asian Americans |96.13% |63.24% |

|Largest Asian American Ethnic Groups, 2000 Census |

|Ethnic Group |Asian alone |Asian & at least One Other |Total Population, |

| | |Race (i.e., Filipino-White)|Alone or in Any Combination |

|  |Single Ethnicity |Two or More Asian Ethnicities |  |  |

| | |(i.e., Chinese-Vietnamese) | | |

|Chinese |2,314,537 |130,826 |289,478 |2,734,841 |

|Filipino |1,850,314 |57,811 |456,690 |2,364,815 |

|Asian Indian |1,678,765 |40,013 |180,821 |1,899,599 |

|Korean |1,076,872 |22,550 |129,005 |1,228,427 |

|Vietnamese |1,122,528 |47,144 |54,064 |1,223,736 |

|Japanese |796,700 |55,537 |296,695 |1,148,932 |

|Cambodian |171,937 |11,832 |22,283 |206,052 |

|Pakistani |153,533 |11,095 |39,681 |204,309 |

|Laotian |168,707 |10,396 |19,100 |198,203 |

|Hmong |169,428 |5,284 |11,598 |186,310 |

|Thai |112,989 |7,929 |29,365 |150,293 |

|Taiwanese |118,048 |14,096 |12,651 |144,795 |

|Indonesian |39,757 |4,429 |18,887 |63,073 |

|Bangladeshi |41,280 |5,625 |10,507 |57,412 |

Information from: The National Association of Asian Journalists – NAAJ



In 2005, the San Francisco Bay Area made history by having the most Asian American men on the air in the same year in a single market in the U.S.

Robert Handa, reporter, KTVU/ Fox2 SJSU Graduate

Mike Inouye, traffic anchor, KNTV/NBC11

Lloyd LaCuesta, South Bay bureau chief, KTVU/ Fox2 SJSU Graduate

Vic Lee, reporter, KGO

David Louie, reporter, KGO/ABC7

Raj Mathai, sports anchor, KNTV/NBC11

Rob Mayeda, weather anchor, KNTV/NBC11

John Sasaki, reporter, KTVU/ Fox2

Will Tran, video journalist, KRON

Alan Wang, reporter, KGO/ABC7

At the end of 2005, KNTV also announced that George Kiriyama would join their reporting team. Vic Lee moved to KGO January 2006.

The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is the nation’s largest professional

and educational organization for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) journalists.

AAJA has approximately 2,000 members in 19 chapters across the U.S. with one in Asia.

MISSION of the NAAJ:

_ Encourage Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to enter the ranks of journalism

_ Work for fair and accurate coverage of AAPIs

_ Increase the number of AAPI journalists and news managers in the industry

AAJA is committed to diversity, with the belief that incorporating different viewpoints into newsrooms across the country would more accurately reflect the stories of all communities. AAJA is an alliance partner in UNITY: Journalists of Color, along with the Native American Journalists Association, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and National Association of Black Journalists.

[pic] [pic]

An exceptional Media example of diversity outreach by a newspaper during an emergency:

Seattle Times front page edition:



Seattle Times Puts Public Service on its

Front Page

[pic]

AAJA commends The Seattle Times for its multilingual warning against carbon-monoxide poisoning which has so far claimed several lives, including those of a Vietnamese family. Six deaths have been reported since last week's storm left hundreds of thousands without power, forcing many residents in the Seattle area to use grills and generators for heat.

The newspaper this week published a health and safety warning in six languages -- across the entire top half of its front page. The warnings were printed in Vietnamese, Spanish, Russian, Somali, Chinese and English. The Web site ran the same information at the top of its main page.

"It's a heroic act on the part of The Seattle Times to trade conventional front page design and premium space for the need to inform its multilingual readers of a fatal hazard," said Rene Astudillo, AAJA Executive Director. "It's even more heroic that it did so in six languages."

|Front Page as Public Service Announcement |

|The Seattle Times runs a safety warning on its front page in six languages. Poynter's Al Tompkins asks why. And Poynter's Jeremy Gilbert |

|asks how. |

|By Al Tompkins | |

| | |

| |

|I am so impressed with the work The Seattle Times -- and its Web site -- did in time of emergency. This is an idea that you should store in|

|your idea drawer. |

| |

|As you know, the Seattle area has been soaked by rain and hit by 100 mph winds in some wicked weather. More storms raked the Northwest last|

|night and others are expected to hit this morning. Thousands -- 160,000 as of Wednesday evening -- are without power and many will be until|

|Christmas. Some folks have started using grills and generators to keep warm. Six people have died and more than 100 have been hospitalized |

|for carbon monoxide poisoning. |

| |

|Many of the victims were recent immigrants. Four members of a Vietnamese family died of carbon monoxide poisoning. A fifth member of that |

|family is still seriously ill. |

| |

|[pic] |

|David Boardman |

| |

|Taking all of this into consideration, the Times published a health and safety warning in six languages -- across the entire top half of |

|the front page. The paper published the warnings in Vietnamese, Spanish, Russian, Somali, Chinese and English. The Web site ran the same |

|information at the top of its main page. |

| |

|Times executive editor David Boardman told me that while the page may be among the "ugliest we've ever published -- it is one of which I'm |

|most proud." |

| |

|For more on the design implications of the Times' multilingual front page, see |

|the piece from Poynter design editor Jeremy Gilbert. |

| |

|I interviewed Boardman by e-mail. |

| |

|How did this idea of publishing warnings in multiple languages come about? |

|What were you trying to accomplish? |

| |

|As you know, the Seattle area has been devastated by a massive power outage that, at its peak, had more than a million households and |

|businesses in the dark. Even now, a week later, more than 150,000 customers remain without power. |

| |

|Along the way, more than 100 people were hospitalized for carbon monoxide poisoning caused by using electrical generators or charcoal |

|grills indoors. On Monday, a family of four Vietnamese immigrants had died from carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator they had placed |

|in their garage so as not to disturb neighbors with its noise. |

|  |

|I went to bed Monday night troubled by all of that and pondering how we might address it. The idea for this page came to me, believe it or |

|not, in my sleep. Well, almost. My subconscious was clearly working on it, because I woke up Tuesday morning with the idea nearly fully |

|formed: We should publish a warning, in five or six languages, not to use generators or grills indoors. And we should use the top of the |

|front page -- the only space that has a chance of attracting the attention of these non-English speakers -- to do it. |

|  |

|I threw it out to some folks here first thing in the morning, and by 8 a.m. we were hard at work on it. Turns out it was a lot more |

|difficult and complicated than I anticipated, as we didn't get it wrapped up until almost 7 p.m. But a group of very creative and energetic|

|people here pulled it off beautifully. |

|What obstacles did you have to overcome?  |

| |

|First, we needed to choose which languages to include. |

| |

|Western Washington has many different immigrant groups. We consulted with Public Health -- Seattle & King County on which would be most |

|appropriate. We settled on these: Chinese, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian and Somali. And English, of course. |

|  |

|We then had to decide exactly what we would say in just a few words that would get the attention of the target audiences and convey a clear|

|message. |

|  |

|Assistant metro editor Ian Ith spent the day working with Public Health -- Seattle & King County, which used a contractor to translate the |

|warning into the five languages. |

| |

|[pic] |

| |

|A real issue was ensuring that the translations were legitimate and would actually communicate with the various immigrant communities in a |

|meaningful way -- without embarrassing the paper by using incorrect grammar. Or worse, making a terrible mistake of syntax that might |

|insult the community or show us to be out of touch. |

| |

|For the county health people, that meant enlisting translators through a private contractor, who performed translations of the text we |

|provided in an extremely accelerated schedule. Many of the translators did not have any power themselves and were working with light from |

|generators. One of them ran out of gasoline and finished in the nick of time. This service, the county reported, normally had a turnaround |

|time of up to a week, and they pressured -- and paid for -- the work to be done in hours to meet our deadlines. |

| |

|But then, for us, it meant taking the translated text and "peer reviewing" it by taking it out into the various communities -- by telephone|

|and e-mail on an extremely tight deadline -- to make sure the syntax and grammar were correct. We found native speakers who were |

|enthusiastic about the idea and jumped to help. |

|  |

|Worth noting is an obstacle we DIDN'T have: the business side of our company. We gave circulation, advertising and our publisher, Frank |

|Blethen, a heads-up midday [Tuesday] that this [was] the direction we were headed. Although there was a clear risk that this would cut into|

|single-copy sales right in the middle of the Christmas buying season, they were universally supportive. |

|  |

|What has the public reaction been? |

| |

|It has been voluminous and overwhelmingly positive. |

| |

|The director of Public Health -- Seattle & King County wrote us: "I want to personally express my deep appreciation for the top of The |

|Seattle Times front page dedication to warnings about carbon monoxide poisoning. You can be assured that your support during this time has |

|helped prevent tragedy. I know that your staff are proud of your commitment and leadership, and we feel very fortunate to have you as a |

|public health partner." |

| |

|And we've received many reader letters like this one: "Thank you so much for your wonderful front page today. Instead of just reporting the|

|grim news of carbon monoxide poisoning you chose to use your space to make an effort to prevent more death and injury." |

| |

|I should add, however, that we have heard from several readers who are angry that we would publish in a language other than English. I just|

|took a call from one reader who cancelled his subscription, saying that if these people can't read English, tough. |

|  |

|Also, we're apparently being raked over the coals at the moment by conservative talk radio. |

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |

| |

LATINO USA (online radio)

Tuesday, 11 December, 2001 Published on:

Study says racism can be reversed

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A new study says racism is not programmed into the brain but is, in fact, a by-product of human evolution that can be altered.

|The research suggests that the |

|apparent tendency towards |

|noticing someone's skin color - |

|which many scientists had thought|

|was inevitable - is actually a |

|changeable feature of brain |

|mechanisms that emerged for |

|another reason: to detect |

|shifting coalitions and |

|alliances. Robert Kurzban, UCSB |

Visual cues that betrayed "whose side" a stranger was on would have been important for survival in hunter-gatherer societies - but the color of skin was unlikely to have been one of these markers because of the limited range over which ancient human groups moved.

Experiments at the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB), US, show that we tend not to notice skin color so much when viewing groups of mixed race.

The researchers say their results indicate that it may be easier than previously thought to diminish racist tendencies.

Survival tactic

Other studies have suggested that human brains note three characteristics of a person on first meeting: sex, age and race.

But the new research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that skin colour is less important than initially thought by scientists and psychologists.

The UCSB scientists argue that while instinctive categorisation might exist for sex and age, there would have been no evolutionary benefit to ancient humans in marking out people solely by the colour of their skin.

This is because hunter-gatherers would rarely have strayed far enough to meet humans that were strikingly different from the individuals among whom they moved.

Instead, the researchers propose that our ancestors were wired by evolution to detect coalitions by boosting the saliency of any visual marker that suggested who might have allied with whom. Recognising a friend or foe would have been a valuable survival tactic.

Hope for children

The UCSB scientists developed their new theory after a series of tests in which the methods people used to detect rivalries or allegiances were studied.

These included dressing different races in different groups in similar colored shirts. This was designed to see if race was a factor in deciding who was considered to be in a coalition and who was not.

The scientists found that when alliances were of mixed race, observers' tendency to notice others' racial identity rapidly diminished. This led the research team to conclude that race was merely substituting the notion of alliance or coalition.

UCSB scientist Robert Kurzban, who headed the research, said the discoveries raised hopes that children could be encouraged not to assume racist opinions.

"Racism has to do with categorizing someone as a member of a certain race or group; if you can prevent the categorization in the first place then that ought to prevent... stereotypes," he told the BBC.

In fact, the scientists found that it took a person's lifetime experience of race only four minutes of exposure to "an alternate social world" to be considerably altered.

Is Massachusetts Ready for a Black Governor?

By Glen Johnson, AP

[pic] Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick

Deval Patrick won the 2006 Massachusetts guberanatorial race, and in January, 2007

became only the second African American governor in the United States (the first was Douglas Wilder 15 years ago) since the Reconstruction era.

Associate Press story on Deval Patrick before the election: September, 2006

BOSTON - In April 1976, Ted Landsmark stumbled into a crowd of whites demonstrating against the city's desegregation school busing and was speared with the pointed staff of an American flag. A photo of the attack won a Pulitzer Prize and branded Boston as racially intolerant.

Thirty years later, Landsmark is president of Boston Architectural College. And he watches with great interest as another black man, Deval Patrick, runs neck-and-neck with his opponents in Massachusetts' Democratic gubernatorial race.

Should Patrick win the Sept. 19 primary and the general election, he would be the state's first black governor and could be only the second black person ever elected governor in the nation. Two other black candidates Kenneth Blackwell and Lynn Swann are running for governor this year in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

"The state's demographics have changed dramatically in the 25 years since we last had a person of color elected statewide," Landsmark said, referring to Sen. Edward W. Brooke III. "And there's been a substantial increase in the minority electorate in cities across the state. That opens possibilities for a candidate to be considered less on the basis of race per se and more on the basis of their managerial skill and vision for the commonwealth."

Patrick, 50, a lawyer and former assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Clinton administration, is in a close primary battle with state Attorney General Tom Reilly and Boston venture capitalist Chris Gabrieli. The winner will face Republican Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey to succeed Gov. Mitt Romney, who decided not to seek a second term. If Healey wins, she would be the first woman elected governor in Massachusetts.

David Gergen, a former White House aide who now is a national political observer and teacher at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, said it's hard to gauge public opinion, since voters may not answer racial questions honestly.

Nonetheless, Gergen no longer thinks race costs minority candidates 2 to 3 percentage points at the polls, as analysts believed was the case in 1989 when L. Douglas Wilder of Virginia became the nation's first black elected governor.

"We also now have one state, Illinois, where (Sen.) Barack Obama's race turned out to be a modest advantage for him," said Gergen. "He has become a national figure and a prominently mentioned potential presidential candidate in 2012 primarily because he has such moral stature, and that stature comes from the fact that he's black and he has been fighting against discrimination."

Patrick, a first-time candidate, sat atop the polls through the spring and summer, although recent surveys have shown his lead close to within the margin of error. Internal polls by the candidates' campaigns show Patrick with a lead, although the Gabrieli camp insists their candidate is ahead. Reilly aides concede he's in third place.

Patrick minimized the role of race in the election, although he conceded it may be on some voters' minds.

"I know that this is America, so race is on people's minds, but the welcome has been warm, and look at what we've built, look at it: We've got 20,000 contributors and volunteers across the commonwealth," Patrick said in an interview. "We've got a broader, deeper organization than this commonwealth has ever seen."

Massachusetts and Boston have built reputations for racial intolerance since the days of criticism by professional athletes who felt discrimination and the 1970s battle over court-ordered busing and school desegregation in Boston. Minority representation in the Legislature has increased, and in 2004 Boston residents elected a black woman as Suffolk County sheriff.

The flag spearing of Landsmark was one of the city's low points.

Landsmark was hit, kicked and shoved by the protesters, and then was struck with the flag pole. He suffered minor injuries. Several demonstrators were arrested, including the white man with the flag, who was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon.

Today, Reilly says he does not believe race will affect the election outcome.

"People are pretty savvy; they can size people up," said the attorney general.

Gabrieli said the warm reception Patrick has received indicates race will not be a factor.

"I think it would be hard to say, on the basis of the number of powerful Democratic incumbents and constituencies who are supporting him, that he's anything other than welcomed by the establishment," Gabrieli said.

CBS News – Published Online : Dec. 19, 2006

When The Topic Is Race, Media Turns Uneasy Lens On Itself

|[pic] |

|(CBS) |

Not long after Russ Mitchell was named co-anchor of “The Early Show,” he got a call from Eric Deggans, a media critic at the St. Petersburg Times. Deggans was working on a piece about diversity at CBS News, a story spurred by a spate of recent news involving African-American CBS News correspondents. First came the death of longtime “60 Minutes” correspondent Ed Bradley, who passed away on Nov. 9. Less than a month later, CBS announced that René Syler would be leaving “The Early Show,” where she has been co-anchor since October 2002. A few days after that came word that Mitchell would become the hard news anchor of “The Early Show,” starting in January.

Deggans, who is black, asked Mitchell if he felt his race had something to do with him being offered the anchor job. Mitchell, who says he has never been asked such a question,* later characterized it as “insulting.”

“You'd like to think once you hit a certain level that your credentials stand on their own,” says Mitchell. “Nobody's denying who they are. I’m proud of being a black journalist. What I have a problem with, and I think anybody would have a problem with, is someone making an assumption that the only reason you got something was because of the color of your skin.”

Deggans' piece, "When it comes to color, CBS News pales," discussed what he called "the network's ongoing struggle to develop new talent" when it comes to journalists of color. (The other news networks, he claimed, have the same problem.) After noting that Bradley and other journalists were hired in the 1970s to "answer criticisms over the lack of race and gender diversity in network news," Deggans lamented the fact that "[t]hree decades later, CBS has not found the next Ed Bradley."

“It is very difficult because as I explained to several people that I talked to for this column, I'm not trying to denigrate anybody's achievements,” says Deggans. “These are questions that I feel have to be asked.” Deggans argues that African-American journalists cannot "totally remove themselves from the notion they're a symbol."

CBS News National Correspondent Byron Pitts says he is "clear and comfortable with the notion that many people, when they see me, they will see my race first.” Still, the media’s treatment of race can get to him. “When Ed Bradley died, I was struck how in many of the national articles written about him, in the first sentence was the fact that he was an African-American man. I was stunned by that. When Peter Jennings died, nobody said one of the premiere white journalists, or one of the premiere Canadian journalists. They didn’t point out in the first sentence that he didn't finish college. No one said that.”

Diversity in the media can often be covered in a perfunctory way because many journalists are uncomfortable confronting the issues brought up by Pitts. Bradley's legacy is tied to the fact that he was an African-American who succeeded in a field long dominated by whites, but too much of a focus on his race can trivialize his achievements. There are those who say that no one, regardless of race, could ever replace him. "First and foremost anybody that's a journalist wants to be recognized for their abilities," says Crystal Johns, CBS News director for career development and diversity recruiting.

Richard Prince of Journal-isms says that journalists need to put aside their discomfort when it comes to race. "You have to get over it," he says. "It's just like covering anything else. You don't have to be a Frenchman to cover France. You just educate yourself."

According to Pitts, the media does an “awful job” dealing with issues of race and class. (He adds that “the only people who are treated worse on television than black people are poor whites.”) Part of the problem, he says, is that those making decisions and setting agendas lack diversity themselves – racially, culturally, and socio-economically.

“There are few people of color in front of the camera, and even fewer behind the camera,” says Pitts. “I don't want to diminish the significance of seeing people of color on camera. That is invaluable. But also having people of color and women behind the scenes adds value. Because if the mission of journalists is to seek truth and tell truth – and there are different shades of truth – you need a wide range of people to go find that truth.”

Pitts says that while there are "tons" of people of color at the lower rungs of the news business, there are few in positions of power. "You can flood the lobby with as many people as you want, but until people are allowed on the top floor, nothing is going to change," he says.

It's a sentiment echoed by National Association of Black Journalists Vice President Barbara Ciara.

“It's not just one layer. It's not just ‘I want to see black faces,’" says Ciara. "I want to hear black voices in editorial meetings. I want to hear a diverse opinion about what should be covered.”

Mitchell says media outlets need to cover issues of race within the media better than they do now. "Unfortunately, because there are so few of us in this business, it is a legitimate issue," he says. But he cautions against reading too much into recent movement at CBS News.

"People need to find out statistics, talk to people in the industry, talk to folks who have been around for a long time, and talk to executives," says Mitchell. "Don't just look at a couple things that have happened in the last few weeks and draw conclusions from them."

[pic]

*Clarification: Mitchell writes in: "You said in the article that I said I have never been asked a question

regarding getting a job and race. Of course over the course of my 25-year career I have been asked that

question many times. It comes with the territory. What I should have been clearer about is no one besides

Deggans...no critic, no friend, no enemy, no one...has asked me that question in regard to my new position

at The Early Show."

[pic]

Transcript: Good Morning America –SPECIAL REPORT 'GMA' Explores America's Secret Prejudices

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Anchors Robin Roberts, Diane Sawyer Advocate Honesty

Dec. 4, 2006 — The subject of race and prejudice has been in the headlines recently, following the racist comments of

comedian and "Seinfeld" star Michael Richards.

The Supreme Court will hear arguments today on desegregation in our public schools, more than 50 years after first

addressing the issue.

So, what does it mean now, in 2006, to talk about prejudice?

Richards' shocking and inflammatory comments and his unusual apology have seared through our collective consciousness.

In the aftermath, famous comedians have vowed to clean up their act; club owners are even banning the use of racist words. But is it the message that is most offensive or the messenger?

One of the country's most well-known comedians, Chris Rock, gets laughs from language that is off-limits to white comedians, often using the "N" word.

"I think we need to decide as a society on words. Are they OK to use? And if they're not, then no one should be allowed to use the word," said Glenn Beck, host of the syndicated TV show "Glenn Beck on Headline News."

Comedian Judy Gold can make jokes about Jews and lesbians and it's funny because she's both Jewish and gay, Beck points out.

"It puts us in a situation, by saying, 'Well, if you're funny, that's great,'" Beck said. "It puts us in a situation of saying, 'Well, wait a minute. You weren't just not funny, maybe you're a racist, too.' And I don't want to look into somebody's soul."

Perhaps what jars us about incidents like those involving Richards and Mel Gibson — who made headlines over anti-Semitic remarks he made during a recent encounter with police — is that they bring to light something questionable within all of us.

Do we all have secret prejudices and thoughts? Is it possible to really be colorblind?

"When you try to be colorblind, what is perceived often is that you're insensitive to the possibility of discrimination in society," said Sam Sommers, assistant professor of psychology at Tufts University.

Even between good friends who can talk about anything, there are those awkward moments.

One such awkward exchange occurred between "Good Morning America" anchors Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts last week, after the news surfaced about Richards.

Diane Sawyer: Yeah. But you keep saying, where did that come from?

Robin Roberts: Yeah.

Sawyer: Where?

Roberts: What do you say? What do you say after you see something like that?

Sawyer: Where (sic) do you say?

Roberts: Hmm.

Sawyer: What do you say?

Roberts: I don't know what to say, to tell you the truth.

Roberts and Sawyer had earlier talked about discussing the topic on the show. Roberts knew what she wanted to say, but when the moment came, it just didn't feel right.

After the show aired, Roberts was stunned at the responses from viewers and friends. Some were upset with Sawyer because they thought she put Roberts on the spot. Others were angry with Roberts because she didn't respond.

People naturally assumed this was something the pair wouldn't be comfortable talking about, but shouldn't they be?

"Diversity and multiculturalism have a lot of benefits, but to realize those benefits, you have to be willing to not avoid all controversial issues," Sommers told ABC News.

And that is usually the case with Sawyer and Roberts. Their friendship is stronger than the difference in the color of their skin and is best when they say exactly what's on their minds.

Confronting Tough Issues of Race

Dec. 5, 2006 — Pretending everyone is colorblind is a running joke on America's comedy shows.

"Now I don't see race, people tell me I'm white and I believe them because I belong to an all-white country club," Steven Colbert recently quipped on his show, "The Colbert Report."

Robin Roberts discusses your questions about race in a LIVE WEB CHAT, today at noon E.T.

Colbert's Comedy Central colleague Dave Chapelle gets laughs playing a blind white supremacist unaware of his own color

"Good Morning America" wanted real women to weigh in on the issue of race. "GMA's" Diane Saywer and Robin Roberts gathered together a panel of three black and three white women —- among them, mothers, college professors and journalists — to talk about the truth.

Fear of Sounding Racist

The women agreed right away that among the first things people notice about each other are gender and race, and that's OK.

Sawyer brought up the first topic: do a lot of white Americans feel they're being tested by black Americans by having to watch every word lest they be accused of racism ? She asked, "What if I said something really insensitive and boneheaded?"

"It would be my responsibility to say to you, 'Diane, that's a racist remark and I'm offended by it, so don't do that again,'" said Glenda Dubois, who is black.

"But Glenda aren't we quick to say that was a racist remark?," Roberts asked.

"Right. How can I ever talk again if you think that that actually sounded like a racist remark?," Sawyer continued.

"I think most people are less likely to say … that was just offensive, period," Mitzi Miller said.

Being Comfortable Around Different Races

All the women agreed that people have to give each other the benefit of the doubt.

They also agreed that there is a tendency to feel more comfortable around people of the same skin color. Is that discrimination?

Miller said feeling comfortable isn't a black versus white issue, it's a green issue.

"It's a green issue, because there's a lot of free thought when you're young and you don't have a lot of money and you don't have a lot of obligations, but as you get older, the people that you're really comfortable around are the people in your same economic bracket," she said.

Psychology professor Rebecca Bigler claimed that gross inequities between black and white Americans are part of the reason race is such a big issue.

"Why we're here today is there are terrible racial inequities in the United States in almost every domain you look at: health, mental health, physical health, in education levels, in income levels, white Americans are privileged over others," Bigler said.

Bigler said Americans are uncomfortable mainly because we don't often sit down and talk openly about questions of race.

But a study shows that by five-years old, 80 percent of children know that all American presidents are white. A third of them think it's against the law for a black person to be president.

Bigler said white families, in particular, shy away from talking about race, and that's a disservice.

"It's what black parents have been doing, so white parents need to talk about race with their kids, but specifically, they have to educate them about racism, and this is tricky," she said.

Teaching Kids to Embrace Diversity

What should families say to their kids?

"What you say is people have a tendency to like their own groups better," Bigler suggested. "And you say to kids that that's something that's probably wrong."

The women agreed that it's important to emphasize to children that people who speak different languages and practice different religions are interesting and worth getting to know.

"I think it's critical," Dubois said, "because if we don't, we will drift farther and farther away, schools will again become segregated schools, communities will become that way."

It's not just a social obligation to talk frankly with each other. Studies show that black and white people actually need each other to perform best.

In one study, a white jury was tested on remembering evidence, then a black jury was tested on the same thing. Neither of those two groups did as well as the racially mixed jury.

"Take your children to diverse places," Bigler suggested. "It might make us uncomfortable, but it'll be an adventure and we'll learn something."

Roberts asked the women if being uncomfortable was prerequisite to trying something new.

"You say that, 'uncomfortable,' and I know people at home are going, 'But does it have to be uncomfortable? Is it always going to be uncomfortable? Is it okay for it to be uncomfortable?,'" Roberts asked.

Dubois said being uncomfortable and breaking new ground is a sign that something good is happening.

"Because that's when you grow. That's when you grow," she said.

Does Everyone Have Hidden Prejudices? ABC’s Online Blog Responses

|Dec. 5, 2006 — On Monday and Tuesday, "Good Morning America" explored a touchy |(Page 2 of 4) |

|subject for many Americans: racial prejudice. As part of that series, GMA anchor |That's so helpful that you and your boyfriend are willing to have difficult |

|Robin Roberts took your questions about race. Inundated with your questions, Robin|discussions about race. Just because we don't know answers doesn't mean we |

|answered as many of your queries as she could. Here are some of her exchanges. |should stop asking them. And not agreeing on something is OK too. |

|Roberts: Hi, It's Robin. I'm here and ready to start answering your questions. |More on the 'Hot Stove' |

|Thanks so much. | |

|ZephyrAsh: Thanks for having this chat. You're a brave woman. |Wrfreedom: I would like to know why it seems that past enslavement of African|

|Robin Roberts_GMA: It's the only way to be. I think it's brave for people to ask |peoples does not seem to have as much validity as enslavement of other |

|tough questions. Truly appreciate it. |people. |

|* * * |Why would the term "slaving over a hot stove" offend you, when other groups |

|Harlan1011: Robin, do you know about Marshall Rosenberg's nonviolent |of people have slaved over hot stoves for their enslavers? |

|communication? It offers hope for all of us because it offers alternatives to all |Roberts: Hi "Free," Slavery is slavery no matter what your background. But |

|judgment, reframing all judgment language into a form that offers a heart |you're right about blacks as slaves receiving a lot more attention. |

|connection. |Please let me make it clear again that I am not offended by the term "slaving|

|Roberts: No, I am not familiar with this work, but I will certainly look for it. |over a hot stove." I don't particularly care for the phrase, but I certainly |

|Sounds enlightening. Thanks for the heads up. Really appreciate it! |don't think it's offensive. The point Diane and I were trying to make |

|*** |yesterday is that certain words and phrases can mean different things to |

|Ozzy_6: First Robin, I don't think you ought to quit; we like you and appreciate |different people and that it is considerate to be aware of that. |

|the candor and openness of being able to at last talk about what's on our minds. |*** |

|Roberts: Really appreciate your encouraging words. You are right on the money |Katiecakes2004: Oh, one more thing and then I intend to move on from this. |

|about all of us being able to talk about what's on our minds. Thanks! |Regarding your apology, don't tell me what I saw and heard. I have it |

|*** |recorded! |

|Nicolenay: Hey Robin, I just wanted to say that I think you are a very successful |Roberts: Great! I am glad you have it recorded. You will see and hear what I |

|black woman and I admire your works. |said for yourself. Please listen to what I said on your tape, not what other |

|About the race issue, this is an issue that will always be. There is always a |people said. |

|battle between good and evil. There is so much evil in this world, and it's so |Thanks. |

|sad. This is just the world we live in. But Robin you have a special gift — the |How Long Will Race Be an Issue? |

|gift of helping people. Just stay on God's side and he will be on your side. Much |Maryzrn: Robin, This is my first time here and I am very impressed with the |

|love, Nay |openness of the people here. I wonder if you think that someday race will no |

|Roberts: Thank you! |longer be an issue, or gender, or even economic status. |

| |Roberts: You know, I honestly think race will remain an issue for quite some |

|How History Offends |time. I would love to say we're just another generation or two away, but I |

|Boogirltt: Please tell me why the Mississippi State Flag is offensive to |just don't know. |

|African-Americans. I was at a Christmas parade in Pearl, Miss., and a black lady |But you're right about including economic status with race and gender. That's|

|with her two kids was standing by us and the re-enactors of the Civil War came by |a huge problem, and until it's addressed properly we will be less likely to |

|throwing out candy and that lady told her kids that they could not have that |not have race be an issue. |

|candy. Why is that? |I agree with you. I am also impressed with the openness of this board. Isn't |

|Roberts: Always appreciate hearing from someone from my home state. |it fantastic?! |

|Many black people find anything to do with the Civil War highly offensive. The |Thank you. |

|treatment of many blacks during that time in history was hurtful. Yes, it was more|Everyone Discriminated Against? |

|than a hundred years ago, but for some families that means only a couple of |Mereborn: Thanks Robin, for making this topic a public forum. |

|generations. The memories are still vivid for some. |I have a question for you. Aren't we all discriminated against at one time or|

|I know it sounds funny, but believe it or not history can be viewed differently by|another? Or do I have the wrong idea of what discrimination is? |

|different people. |Roberts: Thanks for being a apart of this forum. I don't know of anybody who |

|Thanks for your question. |hasn't felt discriminated against at one time or another. But whether or not |

|Pageants and BET |you actually have been can, at times, be debatable. |

|Mymrdudley: I am a white female, 50 years old and am dating a black man that I |A lot of eyes are on the Supreme Court right now over school assignments. In |

|work with. Although we often discuss issues of our race, there are things we do |news reports I saw both white and black protestors claiming discrimination. |

|not agree on. One of them is that I feel the white race is being discriminated |Thanks for your question. |

|against. |Adopting Children of a Different Race |

|When we had a Miss America pageant, we had to include all other races, but are we |335121: Robin, We are looking to adopt a child currently in foster care. We |

|included in the Black Miss America pageant? Also is there a white college fund? I |are white; she is black. I can't take up your time with all details, but I |

|feel that all races want to be in our white issues, but then also want their own |want to know your opinion on how to make this work. |

|and exclude us. |We are in our 30s, three daughters already. We are all white. What are some |

|Does anyone else notice this? |things we should consider in making her feel at home? By the way, she is 12. |

|Roberts: You bring up some great points. |And yes, I want your honest opinion. |

|We have had a few people ask Diane and me a similar question about Black Miss |Thank you! |

|America and Black Entertainment Television. How if it was the other way around |Roberts: First of all, how fortunate that this little girl is going to a |

|lots of folks would go nuts. |loving home. |

| |So how do you make her feel at home? Ask people who know her what she likes —|

|Honestly, I don't know how to answer that. So we are asking people who study this |music, clothes, food. Don't assume because she's black she likes certain |

|what the answer is and will share that with you once we know. |things. All of us have different tastes. |

| |I'm going to be honest with you; hair is a major issue with black women. It |

| |is a daily discussion. It would be helpful if you have black women who are |

| |neighbors, church members, colleagues whom you can ask. |

|(Page 3 of 4) |(Page 4 of 4) |

|I wish you all the best. Thanks. |Shocking Comments |

|Inside vs. Outside |Mcmjault1: Robin, I really enjoy "Good Morning America" and I am on here late|

|Carjimila: Hi Robin, I think the racial issue is way overused today. It isn't what|and this may have already been covered. |

|we are on the outside, but what we are on the inside that counts. When we stop |What is your reaction to the African-American professor that was on C-Span |

|looking at the color of one's skin and look at the character of the person, we see|calling for the extermination of all white people? This was the only solution|

|what they really are and that is the important thing. |to the African-Americans problems? |

|Don't you agree? | |

|Roberts: I certainly do agree with you! Just like you, I want to be judged by my |Roberts: What?! I didn't see this. Of course I strongly object to this and |

|character not by the color of my skin. When I say stuff like that I'm accused of |statements like this don't help race relations. |

|not being realistic. |We are all in this together and we have to find ways to understand our |

|Whether we like it or not, race is still an issue in this country. But your strong|differences. And the bonus is, more times than not we find we have more in |

|feelings certainly help. More and more people feel like you (and me), and we'll |common than we think we do. |

|get there. |Thanks a lot. |

|Thanks so much. |An Attempt at Dialogue |

| |Bigbubbabiz: This is solving nothing! |

| |Wake up, folks. This is an attempt of some sort of damage control about what |

| |she said yesterday! |

|Being Sensitive to Others |Roberts: Bigbubba, No damage control here. I welcome this opportunity to have|

|Lisamariac: Robin, My family heritage has deep Southern roots. At 50, fortunately,|a frank discussion about race. You're right. Nothing may be solved today. But|

|I've never been subjected to the prejudiced views of my ancestors. (They all died |the point is many on this board are trying, myself included. |

|young.) My grandmother made all the granddaughters a "Mammy" doll and it's now |I've been told you are at times critical of my work, but also fair and even |

|quite an antique. |funny. By the way, thanks for giving me my birthday off. Truly appreciate |

|I would like to display it with pride but am concerned that it may be viewed as |your comments. Thanks |

|insensitive, disrespectful or racially motivated. I am a white woman. What are |Words |

|your thoughts? |PeggySu912: Being a white woman in America I find it hard to understand why |

|Thanks. |it is OK for a black person to say the "N" word but offensive for a white |

|Roberts: Lisa, my goodness this is such a great question! You have every right to |person to say it. I find the word offensive no matter who says it. I wonder |

|be proud of your heritage and people should understand that. Just as people have |what your thoughts on this are. Do you agree? |

|to understand that someone's heritage may be hurtful to others. |Roberts: I love your screen name! |

|I have had white friends who have been in a similar situation. A teammate in |I am so happy you asked this. I am totally with you. I find the word |

|college had something Confederate that was very important to her. My freshman year|offensive no matter whose mouth it's coming out of. We were never allowed to |

|in college, without me realizing, she would take it down when I went to her room. |say it when I was growing up! I get just as upset when I hear a black person |

|We got to know each other better and better and she talked to me about her prized |say it as anyone else. Thank you. |

|possession. I appreciated her sensitivity, but because we now had taken the time |A Farewell |

|to get to know each other it was no big deal. I knew what her intentions were to |Roberts: Wow! I had no idea there would be so many questions. I've already |

|display it. Nothing more than to honor her family. I didn't find it disrespectful |stayed longer than I planned, but unfortunately I have to go now. Sort of |

|at all. |have to prepare for tomorrow's show. |

|Again, dialogue is so key — talking to one another and explaining where we're |I cannot begin to express to you my gratitude for this opportunity. I said it|

|coming from. |this morning. It takes courage to discuss a sensitive subject like this and |

|Thanks so much. |once again you have answered the call. You have been fearless in asking the |

|Race at Work |tough questions. |

|LisaMoore80: Hi Robin, I watch you every morning before I head to work and I think|What I also appreciate is the dialogue that takes place between posters. I |

|you and Diane are a dynamic pair! I am a 26-year-old African-American woman and |was doing my best to get to your questions and I loved seeing how you were |

|you are a great inspiration to young women of color. You seem to be really genuine|having a conversation without me. Way to go! |

|and yourself each morning, not to mention you are really funny! |To try to make things easier for you, we will post my answers to your |

|Keep up the great work. |questions on our Web site later today. Thank you for your time. Thank you for|

|My question is do you deal with a lot of challenges in your workplace that you my |overlooking my grammatical errors, and thank you so much for caring. |

|feel are racist and sexist that your colleagues may not receive? If so, what is |See you bright and early! |

|your strategy in overcoming the obstacles? |Robin |

|Roberts: Thanks, Lisa. Glad to hear you enjoy the show. I think any time you don't| |

|see a lot of people who look like yourself around the office you can feel that you|MCOM 105 STUDENTS: |

|are being judged. Even if that is not the case, it's hard not to feel that way |PREJUDICE EXERCISE |

|sometimes. |ASSIGNMENT: If you could have e-mailed several |

|What I have done is decided to give people the benefit of the doubt. Many of us |questions for Robin Roberts to address, what |

|spend so much time worrying about what other people think about us that we're too |would YOU have asked her to discuss on network TV? |

|exhausted to do anything else. |Type and submit in class only at least 3 and no more than 5 questions. |

|My strategy has been to take the time to develop friendships at the office — true |Be prepared to discuss them in class. |

|friendships. For example, Diane and I have each other's back. We have earned each | |

|other's trust. I wish you well. | |

|Thanks. | |

|Inundated with Questions | |

|Faith156: Are only the favorable BLACK comments being replied to? | |

| | |

|Roberts: Absolutely not. I'm trying to get to as many different questions as I | |

|can. The response was much more than I thought. Sorry. | |

Race, Culture & Media: Online Information

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cultural identity is the (feeling of) identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as she/he is influenced by her/his belonging to a group or culture. Cultural identity is similar to and has overlaps with, but is not synonymous with, identity politics.

Some critics of cultural identity argue that the preservation of cultural identity, being based upon difference, is a divisive force in society, and that cosmopolitanism gives individuals a greater sense of shared citizenship

Media may refer to:

In communication:

• Print media, communications delivered via paper

• Electronic media, communications delivered via electronic or electromechanical energy

o Multimedia, communications that incorporate multiple forms of information content and processing

• Published media, any media made available to the public

o Mass media, all means of mass communication

▪ Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass electronic communication networks

▪ News media, mass media focused on communicating news

▪ News media (United States), the news media of the United States of America

In data storage:

• Digital media, electronic media used to store information

• Recording media, devices used to store information

| |

| |

|Race Matters, Media Matters |

|by Chon Noriega |

|If race is something about which we dare not speak in polite social company, the same cannot be said of the viewing of race. Patricia J. Williams 1 |

|Race is a paradox. Its signs appear everywhere in our media culture, while the profound ways in which race factors into the "distribution of sadness" remain hidden|

|from view.2 Thirty years ago, the Kerner Commission reported that "our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white — separate and unequal."3 Today,|

|notwithstanding the resulting affirmative action programs, African — American and Latino families are three times more likely to live below the poverty line than |

|whites, and their median income is about 55 percent that of their white counterparts.4 Nor does education narrow the earnings gap, suggesting something else as the|

|determining factor.5 |

| |

| |

|Clearly, things have improved since the days of de jure segregation. Yet, in a 1990 Gallup poll, the "average" American thought that the U.S. population was 32 |

|percent Black, 21 percent Hispanic, and 18 percent Jewish.6 In other words, according to this view, Anglo-Americans — not to mention Native and Asian-Americans — |

|accounted for no more than 29 percent of the "imagined community" of the nation.7 In fact, the actual figure was precisely the opposite! Ironically, the |

|demographic and electoral majority imagined itself to be a minority. |

|Two things explain this misperception. First, most Americans continue to live in racially segregated environments. Second, the mass media, which represent our |

|major source of information about the world outside our immediate and segregated lives, play the "race card" in consequential ways. Nonwhite racial groups remain |

|underrepresented in the mass media — both in terms of employment and portrayals — but they have also been equated with violent crime across the programming |

|spectrum, from entertainment to the nightly news.8 So the little visibility that nonwhites receive nevertheless plays into very basic fears about personal |

|security. Even though a black or Latino actor may now play a homicide detective as often as a violent criminal, the association of race with crime remains |

|unchallenged. |

|The mass media do not cause racism, of course, but neither do they offer a value-free medium for the exchange of ideas and information. They are marketplaces and |

|we are both their consumers and a product sold to advertisers. But in addition, as noted by Marshall McLuhan in the 1960s: "The medium is the message."9 In any |

|modern society, four basic infrastructures allow a nation to function as a social, political and economic entity: telecommunications, transportation, energy |

|utilities and the system of currency exchange. Each is a medium not only for moving some value across space, but also for defining that space in societal terms. |

|Because these infrastructures are essential modes for trade and discourse, "infrastructure industries are always the focus of direct state intervention, whether by|

|way of promotion, subsidy, or regulation."10 Furthermore, as Robert Britt Horwitz explains, "Telecommunications is a peculiar infrastructure because it is a |

|primary medium for the circulation of ideas and information, a realm where, in principle, political life can be discussed openly and in accordance with standards |

|of critical reason."11 What is the message, then, if certain racial groups are excluded from that medium or from the peculiar infrastructure of our democracy? |

|The message is that race defines the boundaries for our sense of nation. Since race is almost never used in the media to refer to "whites" and "Americans," it |

|becomes understood as a deviation from both whiteness and citizenship. Since race is used to refer to crime and criminals (with the notable exceptions of |

|white-collar crime and serial murder, which are more racially exclusive, albeit for white men), it becomes a defining feature of that which is against the law. |

|Since race has been one of the few ways in which we talk about class in the United States, affirmative action became coded as an isolated form of privilege rather |

|than as a compromised response to centuries of continuing white privilege.12 As George Lipsitz demonstrates, there is a possessive investment in whiteness.13 |

|All in all, the message from such a racially exclusive medium is one in which race is seen as an active and detrimental force in our society. Race becomes |

|synonymous with crisis. Little wonder, then, that "Americans" felt that nonwhite racial groups made up 71 percent of the population amid a major downturn in the |

|national economy. |

|But what is race? The most accurate answer is also the least satisfying: "an unstable and 'decentered' complex of social meanings constantly being transformed by |

|political struggle."14 In other words, race is not an innate truth about the human body and mind. Instead, it is a concept that participates in ongoing social, |

|political and economic forces; as such, its meaning changes over time. Race has been used to codify various social relations on the basis of perceived biological |

|differences: nationality (the German race), immigration policies (the Chinese Exclusion Act), citizenship (before universal suffrage), property relations (from |

|slave versus master to redlining), intellectual capacity (mostly directed at education policy) and sex, marriage and reproduction (miscegenation and racial |

|classification laws). Over the past four decades, however, science has replaced the concept of race with population genetics. Biological attributes are not "fixed |

|and discrete" in the way implied by the concept of race; significantly more genetic variation occurs within than between populations, racial or otherwise.15 In |

|short, while the biological fact of human variation remains, there is no such thing as racial purity, nor can science explain variations in human behavior across |

|populations by means of genetic, let alone racial, differences. Such variations are cultural, reflecting a complex world very much of our own making, one in which |

|race is less a scientific object than a contentious category within the economy, the law, the political representation system, social movements and popular |

|culture.16 |

|To be sure, "culture" is as fuzzy and mercurial a concept as "race." Therefore, we must forgo answers, and begin the process of asking questions about the world |

|beyond our immediate experience and media culture. Independent film and video offer an important alternative to the mass media, both in terms of point of view and |

|social function. |

| |

|Many independent producers started on local public-affairs series in the late 1960s and early 1970s. That period saw a vibrant and broad-based media reform |

|movement aimed at making commercial television follow its legal mandate to serve the public interest of local communities. As a result, minority public affairs |

|series served as the birthplace and training ground for black, Latino, Asian-American and Native American "cinemas." By the end of the decade, however, with the |

|rise of deregulation, the producers of these films found themselves working as "independents," offering their films to the programming margins of public |

|television. Against great odds, these producers continue to produce new work, although distribution remains difficult. Deregulation, instead of democratizing |

|commercial television, gave rise to a handful of global media conglomerates, which integrate broadcasting with cable, satellite service, film studios, video rental|

|chains, publishing, music recording, sports teams, retail stores and theme parks. These conglomerates have developed joint ventures and equity interests with each |

|other as well as with finance, computer and telecommunications corporations.17 For all the hype about the democratizing effect of the deregulation and digital |

|revolutions, one is hard pressed to find much diversity coursing through the medium, let alone new models for social equity and intercultural dialogue. |

|Independent film and video can serve as an important first step in reducing our dependence on global media for what we know about the world. But it is only a first|

|step when it comes to race, racism and racial conflict. We must do more than just view race; we must put ourselves into the picture, in large part by stepping |

|outside our everyday life. Developers of the Viewing Race Project believe in the efficacy of dialogues across difference. The following essays provide practical |

|information about using independent video to stimulate discussions on race. They stress that we cannot look for a quick fix, but must focus instead on uncovering |

|the experiences, assumptions and points of view that contribute to understanding race. |

|Before we can resolve racial conflicts, we must understand them. The endings of two documentaries exemplify this difficult and painful fact: Renee Tajima-Peña and |

|Christine Choy's Who Killed Vincent Chin? (1988) and Spike Lee's 4 Little Girls (1997). The films both close with a scene of a mother who has lost her child to |

|racial violence. These powerful images create an almost unbearable empathy without sentimentality. In the former, Vincent Chin's mother responds to the acquittal |

|of her son's killer with disbelief that such a thing could happen in her country. The camera zooms in on her hand, clenched tighter and tighter, like a heart about|

|to disappear. In the latter, Spike Lee interviews the mother of one of four girls killed in a church bombing in Atlanta, Georgia, in September 1963. Now, 35 years |

|later, the mother talks about the process of letting go of her anger and opening up to compassion. In her gentle, yet slightly playful dialogue, we see both the |

|difficulty and the possibility of living in a better world. |

|The videos and ideas featured in this Web site provide one avenue by which to pursue better understanding of racial conflict, cultural difference and intercultural|

|dialogue. Through screenings and discussions, participants can begin to learn and appreciate the complex ways in which we are both different and the same. This Web|

|site explores several practical ways in which the videos can be used to facilitate such a process in the classroom, workplace, community center and elsewhere. But |

|the most important part will be you who use these tools to contribute to a discussion that can bridge our differences by understanding them. |

|1 Patricia J. Williams, Seeing a Color — Blind Future: The Paradox of Race (New York: The Noonday Press, 1997), p. 17. |

|2 I borrow the phrase "distribution of sadness" from Carlos G. Velez-Ibanez, Border Visions: Mexican Cultures of the Southwest United States (Tucson: University of|

|Arizona Press, 1996), see especially chapter five. The phrase refers to the way in which some racial groups are disproportionately represented among those people |

|facing poverty, violence, crime and other social ills. |

|3 Report of the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders, Otto Kerner, Chairman (New York: Bantam Books, 1968). |

|4 Alissa J. Rubin, "Racial Divide Widens, Study Says," Los Angeles Times, March 1, 1998, sec. A, p. 18. |

|5 Shawn Hubler and Stuart Silverstein, "Education Doesn't Narrow Earnings Gap for Minorities," Los Angeles Times, January 10, 1993, sec. A, pp. 1, 14-15. |

|6 George Gallup, Jr. and Dr. Frank Newport, "Americans Show Generally Low 'Census I.Q.'," The Sunday Oklahoman, March 25, 1990, sec. A, p. 15. |

|7 For a very readable and useful account of the modern nation-state as an "imagined community," see Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities: Reflections on the |

|Origin and Spread of Nationalism, rev. ed. (London: Verso, 1991 [1983]). |

| |

|8 The Directors Guild of America, Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild release annual reports on minority employment. The one area where there has |

|been significant improvement over the past three decades is in acting roles for television commercials. See also Sally Steenland, Unequal Picture: Black, Hispanic,|

|Asian and Native American Characters on Television (Washington, D.C.: National Commission on Working Women of Wider Opportunities for Women, August 1989). |

|9 See Marshall McLuhan, Understanding the Media: The Extensions of Man (Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1994 [1964]). |

|10 Robert Britt Horwitz, The Irony of Regulatory Reform: The Deregulation of American Telecommunications (New York: Oxford University Press, 1989), p. 12. |

|11 Ibid., p. 14. |

|12 See John David Skretney's comprehensive account of the development of affirmative action, The Ironies of Affirmative Action: Politics, Culture, and Justice in |

|America (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996). |

|13 George Lipsitz, The Possessive Investment in Whiteness: How White People Profit from Identity Politics (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1998). |

|14 Michael Omi and Howard Winant, Racial Formation in the United States: From the 1960s to the 1980s (New York: Routledge, 1986), p. 68. Emphasis in the original. |

|15 Quoted phrase from Sandra Harding, ed., The "Racial" Economy of Science: Toward a Democratic Future (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1993), p. 8. See, in|

|the same anthology, Frank B. Livingstone, "On the Nonexistence of Human Races," pp. 133-141. For a useful popular discussion of the science of race, see the |

|special issue of Discover in November 1994. The classic text on race, racism and biological determinism is Stephen Jay Gould, The Mismeasure of Man, rev. ed. (New |

|York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1996 [1981]) |

|16 See Kimberle Crenshaw et al., ed., Critical Race Theory: The Key Writings That Formed the Movement (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1995). |

|17 For an overview, see Edward S. Herman and Robert W. McChesney, The Global Media: The New Missionaries of Corporate Capitalism (London: Cassell, 1997). |

|Source of this article: |

| |

|Viewing Race Project is Presented by National Video Resources |

|73 Spring Street, Suite 403 • New York, NY 10012 |

|tel:212.274.8080 • fax:212.274.8081 • [pic]• |

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA:

Media negotiate race and culture in two general ways, through representation and effect. Media representations of racial and ethnic minorities usually don't accurately reflect population proportions, and racial and ethnic minorities are often symbolically annihilated, a technical term that basically means they aren't represented at all, they're represented in a negative light, or their lifestyles and roles are trivialized. Can you name five white male actors? White females? Black males and females? Asian Americans? Latinos? Native Americans? South Asian Americans? As of 1996, people of color represent only 13% of prime time programming and 5% of

children's programming, even though, all together, they're estimated to make up the majority of the population within the next five years.(Girls Inc.'s TV Trivia!, Girls Inc. June 1996)

The other way racial, ethnic and cultural differences come into play is by the affect media has on member of these communities. For example, African American women usually have a lower rate of eating disorders than European American women (although no one is exempt). Learning about your own culture's relationship with media representation of the body is important in understanding your personal relationship, but it's also important to take a critical look at how all groups are represented, how that has shaped your viewsl, and how accurate media are in their representations.

| |

|Eaten up by stereotypes |

|Christopher Columbus' stereotypes of Caribbean natives have been used by some of history's greatest writers and philosophers, says Dr. Philip Boucher, a |

|history professor. |

|Boucher's new book, "Cannibal Encounters: Europeans and Island Caribs 1492-1763," says Columbus' description of Caribbean island people as "ferocious |

|cannibals" influenced the work of William Shakespeare, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. |

|Columbus influenced the anthropological views of writers who have influenced modern thought, Boucher said. "A majority of writers participated in this |

|degradation of American Indians. There was not in fact such a huge gap between 'primitive' and 'civilized.' These were distortions perpetuated by Columbus |

|and most of his successors." |

|The belief that some people of faraway places were cannibals was accepted by Europeans long before they arrived in the New World. But cannibalism has never |

|been proven to have existed among the islanders Columbus encountered. |

|Columbus and other Europeans had selfish reasons for spreading the message of cannibalism: It allowed colonists to enslave the islanders, an economic boon. |

|After meeting enslaved islanders, Queen Isabella ordered the slaves released. Before her death, however, she relented and allowed the enslavement of |

|"cannibals." Spaniards used the loophole to enslave almost any Indian within their grasp. |

| |

|WHO ARE THE WORLD'S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES? By: Charles Scheiner |

| |

|Nov 24, 1992 by unic@peg. in igc:unic.news */ |

| |

|People everywhere, often without realizing it, have been influenced by the cultures and achievements of indigenous peoples -- through the foods on our |

|tables, the words in our languages and the medicines we use daily for everything from headaches to heart disease. |

|Many of the world's staple foods, such as peppers, potatoes, lentils, peas, sugar cane, garlic and tomatoes, were first cultivated by indigenous peoples. |

|From the various indigenous languages of the Americas come familiar words like canoe, barbecue, squash, powwow and moccasin. An estimated 75 per cent of the |

|world's plant-based pharmaceuticals, including aspirin, digitalis and quinine, have been derived from medicinal plants found in tribal areas. |

| |

| |

| |

|Indeed, the contribution of indigenous peoples to modern civilization is pervasive. |

|Indigenous peoples are descendants of the original inhabitants of many lands, strikingly varied in their cultures, religions and patterns of social and |

|economic organization. At least 5,000 indigenous groups can be distinguished by linguistic and cultural differences and by geographical separation. Some are |

|hunters and gatherers, while others live in cities and participate fully in the culture of their national society. But all indigenous peoples retain a strong|

|sense of their distinct cultures, the most salient feature of which is a special relationship to the land. How many indigenous peoples are there, and where |

|do they live? The world's estimated 300 million indigenous people are spread across the world in more than 70 countries. Among them are the Indians of the |

|Americas, the Inuit and Aleutians of the circumpolar region, the Saami of northern Europe, the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders of Australia and the |

|Maori of New Zealand. More than 60 per cent of Bolivia's population is indigenous, and indigenous peoples make up roughly half the populations of Guatemala |

|and Peru. China and India together have more than 150 million indigenous and tribal people. About 10 million indigenous people live in Myanmar. |

|What are the living conditions of indigenous peoples? Despite their diversity, they face similar problems. Under the march of colonialism, the spread of |

|non-indigenous religions and the relentless pace of development and modernization, indigenous groups have seen their traditional cultures eroded and their |

|landholdings confiscated or signed away as part of the economic coercion to which they were subjected. This legacy has helped to make indigenous peoples some|

|of the most disadvantaged groups on Earth. |

|Most of India's tribal peoples live below the poverty line. |

|The life expectancy of indigenous people in northern Russia is 18 years less than the national average. |

|Unemployment among Australia's Aborigines is five times the national average. More generally, indigenous peoples who are integrated into a national society |

|face discrimination and exploitation in housing, education and in matters having to do with language and religion. Those remaining in their traditional |

|territories face disruption of their cultures and forced displacement as their lands and natural resources are claimed for national development. It is no |

|exaggeration to say that some indigenous peoples live under the threat of extinction. |

|What is the status of indigenous peoples? The growing awareness about human rights in the post-war era of the past 40 years or so has not been matched by |

|parallel progress in enhancing the rights of indigenous groups. However, a new activism by Indian, tribal and aboriginal groups in the last decade or so has |

|produced signs that a different attitude is developing. |

|In 1979, the Parliament of Denmark granted self-government to Greenland and jurisdiction over education, health care, social welfare and economic |

|development. |

|Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Mexico have adopted far-reaching laws on the rights of indigenous people. |

|The Government of New Zealand and the National Maori Congress are engaged in a constructive dialogue that aims to resolve a number of disputes, including the|

|issue of self-rule. |

|In Canada, one million indigenous people, among them Mohawk, Cree and Inuit, have increased their visibility, attained a level of political power previously |

|unimagined and used their newfound position to protect their lands and carve out new social and economic gains. Still, despite these successes and their |

|growing political and organizational competence, indigenous peoples continue to lose their lands, resources and identities. |

|What are the concerns of indigenous peoples? Among the issues that concern indigenous peoples are: |

|land and resources |

|human rights |

|internal colonization |

|self-government |

|self-development |

|environment |

| |

|discrimination |

|health |

|education |

|language |

|cultural survival |

|intellectual property rights |

|social and economic conditions |

|Indigenous peoples see themselves as the legitimate claimants to their territories and natural resources, and consider control over local economy, social |

|planning, land use and taxation essential to their existence. Thus they are seeking greater degrees of autonomy and self-rule. |

|The lives of the 50 million indigenous people who inhabit the world's tropical rainforests are threatened by deforestation. But while indigenous people are |

|on the frontlines of environmental degradation, they also have a vital role to play in environmental protection. For centuries, they have engaged in |

|sustainable land management and land-use in the areas in which they live. |

|The annual market value of drugs derived from medicinal plants discovered, developed and passed from generation to generation by indigenous peoples exceeds |

|$43 billion. Drug companies tap into this indigenous knowledge basis but rarely share the profits with indigenous peoples. Thus indigenous peoples are |

|attempting to gain greater protection for their intellectual property. |

|The high quality of indigenous artworks and cultural artifacts generates great demand for them, but theft and the unauthorized sale of indigenous items robs |

|the creators of both money and their cultural patrimony. Thus indigenous peoples are looking to secure the right to their cultural property. |

|Indigenous peoples want to maintain their distinct cultures and transmit their cultural heritage to subsequent generations. Thus they are demanding the right|

|to educate their children in their own languages, with their own textbooks and school material. |

|What are indigenous peoples doing to achieve their goals? Indigenous peoples have been demanding justice from the international community for many years. |

|They have organized locally, nationally and regionally and are active in the international diplomatic arena, seeking respect for their cultures and ways of |

|life and full participation in the decisions that affect them. |

|Twelve indigenous peoples' organizations have consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). These are: Four Directions |

|Council, Grand Council of the Crees (Quebec), Indian Council of South America, Indian Law Resource Center, Indigenous World Association, International Indian|

|Treaty Council, International Organization of Indigenous Resources Development, Inuit Circumpolar Conference, National Aboriginal and Islander Legal Services|

|Secretariat, National Indian Youth Council, Nordic Saami Council and World Council of Indigenous Peoples. |

|Indigenous communities have also resorted to the legal system, in some cases winning recognition of their claims. The Passamaquaddy and Penobscot Indians of |

|Maine were recently awarded $80 million over a violation of the Non-Intercourse Act, which was passed in 1790 and provided that no one could buy or take land|

|from Indians without official United States approval. The tribes used part of the award to purchase 300,000 acres of timberland. |

|What is the United Nations doing for indigenous peoples? The United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations is the centre of indigenous rights |

|activities within the United Nations system. |

| |

|The Working Group: |

|reviews Government policies covering the protection of the human rights of indigenous peoples; |

|makes recommendations to the United Nations Sub-Commission on Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and to the United Nations Commission |

|on Human Rights, which promote action on issues related to indigenous peoples; and |

| |

|is drafting, as part of its mandate to develop international standards concerning the rights of indigenous peoples, a Universal Declaration on the Rights of |

|Indigenous Peoples, which is expected to be completed in 1993. |

|Increasingly, indigenous organizations make use of the United Nations complaints procedures for human rights violations. For example, the "1503" procedure |

|established by the ECOSOC enables indigenous organizations to voice their concerns before the United Nations and to appeal for redress. |

| |

|Media Blackface |

|"Racial Profiling" in News Reporting |

| |

|By Mikal Muharrar |

|Racial profiling--the discriminatory practice by police of treating blackness (or brownness) as an indication of possible criminality--has lately been the |

|focus of frequent legal or legislative action, resulting in a significant amount of coverage in the mainstream news media (e.g. New York Times, 5/8/98, |

|5/10/98; Nightline, 5/31/98; Time, 6/15/98). |

| |

|The coverage of police racial profiling has been fairly accurate and balanced. Yet while the mainstream media continues to cover police racial profiling, |

|they have generally failed to acknowledge their own practice of media racial profiling. And when it has, the result has been more cover-up than coverage. |

| |

|Issues in Blackface |

| |

|There is need for a broader understanding of "racial profiling." As a general concept and not just a specific police policy, racial profiling may best be |

|understood as the politically acceptable and very American practice of defining a social problem in "blackface"--i.e., in racial terms--through indirect |

|association. Once portrayed in blackface, the "blackness" of the problem encourages suspicion, polarizing antagonism, and typically leads to the targeting of|

|the racial group for punitive (public policy) action. |

| |

|The link between the stereotypical profile and the public policy is key. In police racial profiling it is direct: Individual officers act on racial |

|stereotypes against racial minorities, especially African-Americans. But when it comes to the news media, the racial profiles projected are indirectly |

|related to punitive public policies, thus giving the mainstream news media the "out" of deniability. When the news media over-represents the number of black |

|people in the category that is at issue, the issue becomes "black," stigmatized, linked to some form of always-justified politically punishing behavior, and,|

|in turn, further racialized. |

| |

|Examples of issues defined in blackface and subjected to a racial profile include the black drug abuser and drug dealer, the threatening and invasive black |

|criminal, the black welfare cheat and queen, and the undeserving black affirmative action recipient. |

| |

|The punitive actions associated with drugs, crime, welfare and affirmative action policy are self-evident, and involve punitive action disproportionately |

|affecting African-American people. |

| |

|The brilliance of racial profiling as an instrument of modern, deniable racism is that the issue--be it crime, welfare, drug abuse or what have you--is seen |

|by many as a real issue that is only coincidentally about race. The trait of blackness associated with the problem is viewed as nothing more than an |

|unfortunate reality that is secondary to the public hostility and the punitive measures. So it's not really racist, is it? |

| |

| |

|By looking at the ways in which the mainstream news media has covered (or failed to cover) several recent studies/stories involving the news media and race, |

|we can begin to get a better understanding of this practice of racial profiling as it relates to the news media. |

| |

|Racial Profiling as the Missing Link |

| |

|In March 1998, two studies on U.S. drug policy were released by two prominent groups of physicians within a day of each other. The first study was issued by |

|Physician Leadership on National Drug Policy (PLNDP), a high-profile group of doctors composed, in part, of high-ranking health officials from the Reagan, |

|Bush and Clinton administrations. The voluminous and exhaustively documented PLNDP study concluded that drug treatment for drug addiction was not only an |

|effective health measure but that it was much more cost-effective then the criminalizing policies of the current "drug war". |

| |

|One section of the study showed how, contrary to popular perception, drug addicts are not primarily members of minority racial and ethnic groups. "The |

|research we are releasing today," the PLNDP announced at its press conference, "shows, conclusively, that drug addiction is very treatable and that it |

|reaches across all strata of society, with affluent, educated Caucasians being the most likely drug users, and the most likely to be addicted." Looking at |

|adult drug users, the PLNDP study found that more than half of those who admitted using heroin last year are white and 60 percent of monthly cocaine users |

|are white. (Also, 77 percent of regular marijuana users are white, while one in six is African-American.) Youth drug use followed similar patterns. |

| |

|Paralleling this point about the public misperception of drug use were the results of a survey of 50 years of public opinion called the "The Public and the |

|War on Illicit Drugs," which was featured in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) (3/11/98). The study found that although Americans did |

|not think the so-called "War on Drugs" was succeeding, they did not want to abandon the criminalization approach pushed by the government. The study also |

|found that there was weak support for increasing funding for drug treatment. |

| |

|One of its key conclusions was that public opinion polls indicated the overwhelming majority of Americans had "relatively little firsthand experience with |

|the extent of the problems associated with drug use," and that "the majority of Americans report getting most of their information about the seriousness of |

|the illicit drug problems from the news media, mainly television." In fact, the PLNDP presented the JAMA study at its press conference to emphasize how |

|public opinion and the judgment of seasoned physicians were at odds with each other, and how the news media was playing a leading role in misinforming the |

|public about the health and financial issues at the heart of "Drug War" policy. |

| |

|The powerful findings of these two reports were not covered by any of the three major newsweeklies (Time, U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek), nor were they |

|covered by the New York Times or Washington Post. When the story was covered, moreover, the dominant media focused on the disconnect between the views of the|

|public and the research of the physiciansbut said nothing about the role of the news media in fostering the stereotypes fueling the bad drug policy (CNN |

|Today, 3/17/98; Associated Press, 3/17/98; USA Today, 3/18/98). |

| |

| |

| |

| |

| |

|The role of the news media in promoting racial stereotypes was the missing link between the two studies. Even when Nightline (3/18/98) began its coverage of |

|the story with the acknowledgment that, when it came to the issue of drug addiction and drug policy in the U.S., "most Americans get their information from |

|the new media," the show glossed over the central problem of news media misinformation. Nor did Nightline host Ted Koppel refrain from reinforcing the very |

|misconceptions his show could have been debunking: Koppel's repeated emphasis on how "society does not want to spend money on rehabilitation"--when a main |

|point of the PLNDP report was that treatment saves money--amounted to a brief for the very media-enforced ignorance the doctors' groups sought to dispel. |

| |

| |

|Almost alone in its coverage of this story was an article by Raja Mishra written for the Knight Ridder News Service and appearing in the Denver Post |

|(3/19/98). Mishra went to the heart of the story when reporting how "the doctors said the public had been misled by media accounts." The role of the news |

|media in promoting racial stereotypes was the missing link between the two studies. Given the nature of the studies, an obvious conclusion. But it was all |

|but obvious to the mainstream press. |

| |

|No Surprise |

| |

|Another study, "Crime in Black and White: The Violent, Scary World of Local News" appeared in the academic journal Press/Politics at the end of 1996 |

|(Spring/96). Although appearing in a scholarly journal on journalism, this study received almost no attention in the media, except for its coverage in the |

|Washington Post (4/28/97) by its media correspondent, Howard Kurtz. |

| |

|Done by UCLA professors Franklin Gilliam and Shanto Iyengar, "Crime in Black and White" found through a content analysis of local television station KABC in |

|Los Angeles that coverage of crime featured two important cues: "crime is violent and criminals are nonwhite." The real revelation, however, was that |

|television viewers were so accustomed to seeing African-American crime suspects on the local news that even when the race of a suspect was not specified, |

|viewers tended to remember seeing a black suspect. Moreover, when researchers used digital technology to change the race of certain suspects as they appeared|

|on the screen, a little over a half of those who saw the "white" perpetrator recalled his race, but two-thirds did when the criminal was depicted as black. |

|"Ninety percent of the false recognitions involved African-Americans and Hispanics," Gilliam said. |

| |

|To his credit, Kurtz acknowledged the public policy implications of the study when he stated that "support for punitive law-enforcement policies was highest |

|when the stories featured black suspects or provided no information about race and was lowest when the suspects were white." But his response to the |

|"riveting" findings was fatalistic: "This is not the first complaint about coverage of minorities and crime, and most local stations have not seen fit to |

|change their approach," he wrote. And when he said that the study placed a "surprisingly harsh light on television and racial attitudes," one might ask: To |

|whom should this be surprising? |

| |

|When, a few months later, Kurtz addressed another study of racism in the news media, he again expressed surprise. The study by Yale University professor |

|Martin Gilens, entitled "Race and Poverty in America: Public Misperceptions and the American News Media," was published in Public Opinion Quarterly (vol. 6, |

|1996) and found that while African-Americans make up 29 percent of the nation's poor, they constitute 62 percent of the images of the poor in the leading |

|news magazines, and 65 percent of the images of the poor on the leading network television news programs. Not only were the poor disproportionately portrayed|

|as black, but they were also portrayed in the most unsympathetic fashion. The most sympathetic groups of the poor--i.e. the elderly and the working |

|poor--were under-represented and the least sympathetic group--unemployed working-age adults--was over-represented. |

| |

|Kurtz, who did not discuss these findings in the Washington Post, was part of a discussion of the study on the CNN "media watch" program Reliable Sources |

|(8/24/97). "Who Put the Black Face on Poverty," the show asked. Well, the mainstream media "whiteout" of the story provides a clue. Gilens' study |

|specifically looked at the coverage of Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report and ABC, NBC and CBS news. Unsurprisingly, none of these big media outlets |

|covered the release of the study results. Neither did the New York Times. USA Today (8/9/97) and the Washington Post (5/15/97) covered it in a mere paragraph|

|or two. |

| |

|It was left to the Associated Press (8/18/97) and CNN's Reliable Sources (8/24/97) to really cover the story. AP's coverage stood out because it addressed |

|Gilen's point about the news media perpetuating racist misperceptions of the poor that are associated with greater opposition to welfare policy among whites.|

| |

| |

|But in "Who Put the Black Face on Poverty," CNN's Reliable Sources succeeded in avoiding this point altogether--and in denying that racism was the reason the|

|"black face" was on poverty in the first place. The problem, according to Kurtz, was one of "video wallpaper"--"the pictures that automatically get thrown |

|up" when big city media outlets use photos from, well, big cities with inner cities populated by high concentrations of poor black people. |

| |

|The fact that Gilens explicitly addressed and refuted this claim in his study never came up. Also unmentioned was Gilen's point about how "apparently |

|well-meaning, racially liberal news professionals generate images of the social world that consistently misrepresent both black Americans and poor people in |

|destructive ways." Surprised? |

| |

|Spooking the Public |

| |

|Given the prevalence of racial profiling documented here and elsewhere, it only makes sense that a recent survey of young people found that they not only |

|recognized that racial stereotyping was rampant on television, but that TV news was a worse perpetrator of racial stereotyping than TV's entertainment |

|programming. |

| |

|The poll, sponsored by the child advocacy group Children Now, interviewed 1,200 boys and girls aged 10-17, with 300 children coming from each of the four |

|largest racial groups. White and African-American children said they see people of their own race on television, while Latino and Asian children were much |

|less likely to see their race represented. |

| |

|Across all races, children are more likely to associate positive characteristics with white characters and negative characteristics with minority characters.|

|"A Different World: Children's Perceptions of Race and Class in the Media" reported that "children of all races agree that the news media tend to portray |

|African-American and Latino people more negatively than white and Asian people, particularly when the news is about young people." In addition, "large |

|majorities of African-Americans (71 percent), Latino (63 percent) and Asian (51 percent) children feel there should be more people of their race as |

|newscasters, while most white children feel there are enough white newscasters (76 percent)." |

| |

|Again, there was a virtually complete news media white-out of this critical finding. All CNN Newsnight (5/7/98) could say was that the study found that |

|children were "influenced by television news." The Associated Press (5/6/98) did no better. |

| |

|On a Nightline (5/6/98) program about the study, guests complained of disproportionately negative images of people of color. The children said they wanted to|

|see television reflect the "realities of their lives," to "feature more teenagers," to be "real," and most importantly, to show more people of all races |

|interacting with each other. The Nightline guests echoed this sense. In response, Nightline host Ted Koppel asked if it was the function of the media to |

|present things "as it is or as we think it should be?" |

| |

|The children's perception that the news media were the worse perpetrator of racial stereotyping was indeed mentioned but was never really addressed in the |

|show. Clearly, then, news media are not presenting things as they are--but rather as racial fears project them to be. And a racialized policy agenda is being|

|served up and served. The news media's practice of racial profiling gives the news consumer no real choice: Too often, we don't get the reality of what |

|really is, or the dream of what should be, but an imaginary nightmare in blackface. |

| |

| |

| |

|See FAIR's Archives for more on: |

|Race and Racism |

|FAIR stands for Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting at: |

|Article: The Portrayal of Race, Ethnicity and Nationality In Televised International Sporting Events. |

|Discussions of race relations within sport gained public and academic attention during the late 1960s. During the 1970s and 1980s, sport media organizations |

|sometimes were criticized for racist depictions of athletes of color. These critiques served as a touchstone for the public, journalists, and broadcasters to|

|discuss how racial prejudices are reflected in sport media. A number of research studies showed that televised sports sometimes reinforce racial stereotypes.|

| |

|Online: Media Awareness Network media-awareness.ca |

|Read Pdf of the complete report … |

|

|ional-Athletic-Events-Report-pdf.pdf |

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