MEDIA, CRIME AND THE BLACK REALITY (FROM CRIME AND ITS IMPACT ON THE BLACK COMMUNITY, 1976, BY LAWRENCE E GARY AND LEE P BROWN - SEE NCJ 48198)

• NCJ Number: 48205
• Author(s): C B GOODLETT
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: Howard University
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

SENSATIONALISM IN THE MEDIA WITH REFERENCE TO CRIME, RACIST ORIENTATIONS IN THE MEDIA, DISCRIMINATION IN THE GRANTING OF TELEVISION AND RADIO LICENSES, AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVED MEDIA COVERAGE ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THAT STUDIES HAVE SHOWN A RELATIVELY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF TIME AND SPACE IS DEVOTED TO CRIME COVERAGE IN NEWS AND TELEVISION MEDIA, IT IS ARGUED THAT WHAT IS PRESENTED IS SLANTED AND USUALLY SENSATIONALIZED VIOLENCE AND HUMAN MISERY. IT IS CLAIMED THAT THIS TENDS TO DULL THE PUBLIC'S OUTRAGE TOWARD CRIME AND COMPASSION FOR THE VICTIMS. A MORE SUBDUED AND INFORMATIVE APPROACH TO CRIME AS A SOCIOECONOMIC PROBLEM IS SUGGESTED. THE MEDIA IS GENERALLY PORTRAYED AS A WHITE-DOMINATED, RACIST INSTITUTION OPERATED PRINCIPALLY FROM THE SELF-INTEREST OF THOSE IN MANAGEMENT POSITIONS. IT IS CHARGED THAT THERE IS A GOVERNMENT DESIGN TO EXCLUDE BLACKS FROM OWNING RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS, THUS BARRING BLACKS FROM COMMUNICATING THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND PRIORITIES ON ISSUES AFFECTING THE BLACK COMMUNITY. A BRIEF HISTORY OF BLACK NEWSPAPERS IS PRESENTED, WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS ABOUT HOW THIS MEDIA MIGHT BEST BE USED FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY. IN THE CONCLUDING COMMENTS, BLACKS ARE URGED TO MOUNT A CAMPAIGN TO CONTROL COMMUNICATIONS IN THE BLACK GHETTOS. (RCB)