Covering racial communities
N&O public editor Ted Vaden addresses a provocative -- and often posed -- question: Can the African American community be covered adequately by a reporter who is not black? His short and not-surprising answer is, yes. (Reg. req.)
That, also not surprisingly, is mine, too.
People who view the world narrowly through a single lens, be it race, politics, religion or morality, can't understand how anyone can see the world through multiple lenses. So we get into endless debates centered on the belief that if the journalist doesn't look like me or personally believe what I believe, he is biased and will get it wrong. But that is not the case. On the occasions that we do get it wrong, it's less likely an issue of bias and more likely a process problem, i.e., not enough time or space, lack of confirmation.
Ted's take: ...it is not journalistically sound to assign reporters based on race, or to assume that they can't cover a population because of their own ethnicity. Reporters are professionals who are trained to use their reporting and writing skills to cover a variety of topics under any set of conditions and circumstances.
And this point, which we've discussed many times here.
More important than the race of individual reporters, (deputy managing editor Linda) Williams said, is whether the newsroom is stocked with journalists of varying backgrounds who can bring cultural awareness and sensitivity to the reporting so that it avoids stereotypes and covers issues that affect different communities differently.
Comments (7)
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John, exactly where is "the African American community"? Last time I checked, there were African Americans from all different backgrounds, beliefs, religions, political affiliations, and income spread all across the county.
Posted on March 12, 2007 2:23 PM
Exactly. In this case, Ted was paraphrasing a question raised at a community meeting in Raleigh.
Posted on March 12, 2007 2:42 PM
What I would love to know is when the N&R will start covering the black churches and their political involvement the way you cover -- and singe/indict -- nearly any Republican political candidates' involvement with a traditionally white church or religious organization. (See coverage of any Bush involvement with churches, but NONE of Hillary)
Here's Hillary in Alabama!
Seriously, when will the double standard end? (No reply necessary -- as IF)!
Posted on March 12, 2007 8:06 PM
So the race of the INDIVIDUAL reporter doesn't matter (because of professional technique), as long as there is an appropriate "stock"--unfortunate word choice, that--of minority journalists on hand in the newsroom to diffuse a warm multicultural glow, thereby bringing to light--what, precisely? The stereotypes that somehow slip through professional technique?
Bias ISN'T the problem when we get it wrong (it's process), but just in case, we'll stock the newsroom to countervail bias.
It's all clear to me now.
Posted on March 12, 2007 11:53 PM
Brian444 this reminds me of Col. Jessup on the stand in a Few Good Men.
The analogy being that every "professional journalist" is so good that they don't need to be told or steered in the right direction, yet, the measures are there to make sure they are...
Of course, you and I can't handle the truth.
I'm still dying to know when Democrats who coordinate with black churches will get the scruntiny that Republicans who have ANYTHING TO DO with churches get...
I guess this is the case of black journalists -- and other liberal journalists (is there any other kind? -- another veiled reference to A Few Good Men) -- not seeing anything wrong..
What double standard?
Posted on March 13, 2007 6:59 AM
I agree, Brian444 - this is doublespeak at its worst.
Racial bias doesn't affect the work of individual reporters, who collectively make up the whole of the newsroom. However, it's important to make sure a newsroom is racially and culturally diverse...in order to prevent bias.
Jim, I'm reminded of another movie - The Wizard of Oz. "Nothing to see here. Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain...."
Posted on March 13, 2007 11:31 AM
News in the black community can be covered adequately by an individual of a different race. I think the arguement here is a matter of comfort. The comfort of knowing that there are black reporters and that the press isn't racially bias.
Like a lot of news some things that are brought to the table may not be newsworthy. The News & Record isn't representing a small community, but a city and the surrounding areas. There are smaller publications that do cover the things that the News & Record doesn't.
Posted on March 26, 2007 10:34 AM