Media Coverage

One thing that I felt was really important in Chapter 11 was media coverage. The media is trying to cover all segments of society whether if it deals with race or lifestyles such as being homosexual. I think that the media is moving in the right direction by covering all aspects of society. The New York Times is now publishing same-sex marriage announcements. A lot of the readers were angry about this but I think that the Times is doing the right thing. How is it fair if all other marriage announcements are being published, but not homosexual marriages? I really liked the quote on p. 387 that said “Journalists have a simple duty to cover all segments of society fairly and accurately and to make informed distinctions.” I definitely agree with this quote because everyone should be treated fairly and the media has an obligation to carry out that rule when covering stories.

There are a limited number of African Americans and Hispanics represented in the media; however, the entertainment industry has been trying to improve that. There has been a small number of African American characters starring in T.V. sitcoms because of the lack in interest of white audiences. But shows such as The Bernie Mac Show and My Wife and Kids have appealed to white audiences as well as African American audiences. Journalists are trying to improve their coverage of African Americans as well, but it sometimes is stereotypical. There was a survey in Chapter 11 that examined the coverage of African Americans in newspapers and found that half of the people were either sports figures or entertainers. The study suggested that African Americans are only “curiosities or sources of amusement” (p. 387). Journalists definitely need to step up and include more minorities in their stories and keep it as fair and accurate as possible.