Race and Ethnicity. How Are Black People Portrayed in Press?

Race and ethnicity. How are black people portrayed in press?

As press is one of the main sources of up to date information, it includes articles of what people want to know and approve, and in this way, it influences public opinion and reflects it at the same time. When analyzing attitude to race, the way race is portrayed in press is an important factor to find the answer. Since racism and prejudice is one of the main issues associated with attitude to race, the focus of the following observations will be placed accordingly. Notably, however, the United States is the main area of the observations, as a country with very ethnically diverse population.

First of all, its evident that the problem of racism against black people is openly discussed, not ignored. The press is transparent about it. People express their opinion even if they reveal the truth of a persistent discrimination that occurs in the society. In a May 13 article of New York Times a life story of an elderly black woman, that prepares her commencement at North Texas University recalling the time when racism made it impossible for her to be a student when she was young.

However this discrimination is more of prejudice, related only to individual’s decisions and choices. For ex:

”One time at the post office I was waiting in a line for an open service window. Two windows became available to me at the same time. The closer window was manned by a black woman and the further window by a white woman. When I caught a glimpse of disappointment and hurt on the black woman's face because I chose to go to the white woman, I realized how innately prejudice I was being. It was a wake up call for me.”

New York Times, May 10, 2011

This has a harmful effect and still a problem, of implicit racism which is still rooted people’s minds. Nevertheless, as its openely discussed racism against black people has been publicly disapproved and shamed by press i.e. public opinion.

Achievements of black people are not...