I wanted to see what the contributing factor could possible be to the lack of diversity and the type of coverage Blacks get in the media industry and what I found was expected, but still low. I discovered that there are only roughly 240 black-owned radio stations operating across the country. African Americans make up almost 13% of the U.S. population but only own less than 1% of the country's television stations. This is a sad number. I think that this in part is the reason for the lack of and over representation of African-Americans in the media.
I think that the reason that Blacks are viewed in a particular manner is because there is someone that is not Black determining what the think it means to be Black. I think that this is a direct effect of the lack of ownership in media. If Blacks owned more television shows and stations, they should be able to give better programming and representation of Blacks.
I also argue that BET does not adequately show Blacks and that some of the things they display has a negative effect on how Blacks should and wish to be viewed. I honestly don't consider BET to be a real station because of their content. They do not show images and programming that I feel appeals to certain demographics within the Black community and I feel like their programming in some way gives a negative connotation of how Blacks act and live.
I also feel that the media only shows black imagery in news stories to where the suspect is possibly Black or if the story is in a low income area. I think they use over sensationalism when they cover stories in these areas and they also use a lot of framing to make it seem as if this is all there is to the Black community and that isn't true. We are not all low income families and we are not all criminals and uneducated. Part of the problem is that we do not demand better therefore they think it is okay to show these images.
Black entertainment is suffering because we do not whole our entertainers accountable for the content they put out there and we do not demand that the stations give us better programming options. I don't want anyone to see that this is a black/ white issue because it is more than that. This is a diversity issue, I am just focusing on the Black aspect because I am Black myself.
I ask that you all weigh in on this topic and give your opinions and statements regarding diversity in programming and the media as a whole.
2 comments:
I agree, I definitely thing diversity starts at the top. If the owners box is not diverse how can we expect the newsroom to be and the coverage. More importantly, once Blacks do step in the owners circle they must honor that responsiblity to shed a positive light on the race. For example Oprah Winfry on Tyler Perry, they both have strong influence the images they choose to put out there are very important as to how blacks are viewed by society.
This assault on the image of Black people and especially Black men is nothing new. What we are now seeing
is the consequence of these negative images on our psyche and future as a race of people. Raging inner city unemployment, over 1 million Black males in prison and the increasing Black H.S. drop out rate threaten our future. Added to this, 72% of Black children born to unwed mothers. 70% of Black women who aren't married.99% of our money is spent outside of our community. There is an insidious silent plan to eliminate us that many of us seem to be cooperating with and refuse to acknowledge. We must start to love ourselves in the true image and likeness of our creator.
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