Black Americans Concerned About News Depictions: Black Americans Worried About News Representation. They feel the news portrays them negatively or in a racist manner, disregarding parts of their town.
Pew Research Center surveyed Black people on news views. Black people often hear racist or inaccurate news about themselves. Four out of five Black individuals often see such information.
George Floyd, a black man, died 3 years ago. People discussed race and media coverage after his passing. Pew wanted to know how this event affected Black Americans’ view of the news.
The study finds that Black adults perceive news about Black people as more harmful than news about other groups. Approx. 63% felt this way, while 28% thought it was fair.
Northwestern University professor Charles Whitaker says these results aren’t unexpected. He says Black people are upset about media portrayal for a bit. Whitaker believes news often lacks the whole story when portraying Black Americans negatively or as victims.
The study found that over half believe media selectively portrays Black groups, with only 9% thinking it presents diverse perspectives.
Richard Prince, a writer, wants more event info in news stories. He believes Black people should face equal issues as others. He also mentions that ads depict everyday activities of Black individuals, such as family time or dining preferences.
Prince discussed how the media portrays innocent Black crime victims as guilty. This means displaying photos of arrested individuals. He and other writers discussed a 1980s case where five black men were wrongly accused of assaulting a white person in Central Park.
The study found that black Dems and Reps had similar news views. Both groups believed the news made false assumptions about Black people.
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The study found that wealthier, more educated individuals have negative views about Black people in the news. For instance, 75% of higher earners agreed, compared to 57% of lower earners.
Participants, regardless of age, were pessimistic about the future.
40% of respondents said it was important for Black journalists to cover race and inequality but less critical for general news.
Efforts are being made to educate journalists on history and improve their knowledge of covered locations. People want more “solutions journalism,” which focuses on societal problem-solving.
Since Floyd’s death, Black writers have gained media visibility. The TV industry is declining, and social media is expanding. This hampers news innovation.
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