Lecture 11: Race and media ethics
In the past decade, the private video camera has become an important source of breaking news. While the media shies away from using hidden cameras or shooting without permission, private citizens do it all the time. The resulting images are often used by the media.; Eg. Rodney King beating. Media feel they're not under the same ethical obligation if they didn't shoot the image themselves.
Stories about racism such as the Rodney King episode are often not initiated by the media. Reason: most of their readers/viewers are not perceived to be minorities. Most major media still serve a white, middle class audience. News coverage reflects this mainstream bias.
In last decade, coverage of Latino and Asian communities has improved at many Southern California media entities because of a growing realization of these minorities' huge political and economic influence.
Result: specialty newspapers, magazines. Increased coverage of subjects of interest to minority audiences in mainstream media.
Growing debate: should minority reporting be mainstreamed or separated?
Another problem: sensationalism -- expecting dramatic results from minority journalists. puts too much pressure on the journalist. eg. Washington Post and Janet Cook. L.A. Times and Alisa Valdez Rodriguez.
Media timidity often leads to bad coverage and failure to ask the tough questions of a news story with sensitive racial elements. eg. Simpson trial.