Black Leaders Want Local Media to Stop Reporting Crimes (Pittsburgh: middle-class, lawyers)

[Pretzelogik]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I was just shaking my head in disbelief as I read this morning's Post-Gazette and saw that local African-American leaders want our three primary television newscasts to stop covering stories regarding violent crimes if they involve African-Americans because they feel as if the media is making the black community look badly by doing so.

TV news directors assess coverage of the black community

With this coming on the heels of an African-American city councilman pitching to no longer require job applicants to disclose if they have been convicted of a felony when they seek employment with the city because it is supposedly racist I'm tiring of the pattern I'm noticing with so many in Pittsburgh crying foul and pulling the race card when it's inappropriate to be doing so.

From the article:

"If the only information about black people is what's in the news, there's a reason why unemployment rate is astronomic and why we have all these negative issues -- because the imaging of black people is extremely negative," said BPEP president Tim Stevens. "Not only does it affect the viewpoint of white people with their thoughts on black people, I say it affects the psychology of black people."

^ In other words let's stop reporting actually important news and start adding feel-good "fluff" specifically meant to boost whites' image of African-Americans in Pittsburgh? According to President Stevens the reason why the African-American unemployment rate in the city is so high is because WTAE, WPXI, and KDKA aren't showing blacks that they could lead upstanding professional lives in lieu of criminal lives? In other words, it's up to television to motivate blacks to get jobs?

Let's not forget that "racism" is a two-way street in this city. The only time I ever had any difficulty performing my job was during a delivery to a Homewood housing project when three young African-American males intimidated me in their apartment because of my race.

"Many attendees complained the main coverage of black Pittsburghers was at murder scenes or courthouses. "I'm tired of turning on the news and seeing a sister with her hair all over the place, five teeth missing and looking like she just stepped out of the bedroom. That's not something I want to see every time an African-American is interviewed on the news," one BPEP activist said."

^ In other words let's encourage our local news media to ring the doorbell of a college-educated African-American family in Fox Chapel to interview them about an unrelated violent crime story in Homewood? I'm just not quite understanding the point these "activists" are trying to get at. If that black woman with unkempt hair, missing teeth, and questionable appearance is pivotal to garnering more information about a breaking news story, then why ignore her and not report the story at all? I've seen plenty of unkempt white-trashy Caucasians interviewed on the local news, especially in and around Carson Street after dark.

"News officials countered that they go wherever important crimes are, and don't choose coverage along race or neighborhood lines.

"We're not pursuing bad news. But look, if there's a shooting in Wexford we're going to go cover it. If there's a shooting in Homewood we're going to go cover a shooting in Homewood," said Alex Bongiorno, news director for WTAE-TV."

^ My sentiments exactly. Wasn't it a Caucasian man that murdered his young female neighbor in Shadyside a few years ago? Didn't the media SWARM all over that story like vultures to a dead carcass?

What exactly are leaders in the local black community trying to accomplish here, as I still don't understand?

"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? As long as its not reported...it didn't happen, right?

[sky40]

Originally Posted by Pitts10yrs

Who's generalizing? The statistics are overwhelming!!! Visit Shuman detention center or Pittsburgh Publics alternative schools. The minority is a majority but not in a good way.

And what about the 100 Historical Black Colleges? What about those kids? What about their parents? What about the black kids in colleges throughout the country? What about their parents?

Shuman Center and Alternative schools do not represent the majority of black children in Pittsburgh. You can't see that because you don't want to see that. What you want to see and believe are the limited images of African Americans that are fed to you from the media---which is fine, but just be honest about your bias.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

Well, not to excuse anyone, but this is what tends to happen in many inner city neighborhoods. The "snitches get stitches" rule is in effect. Many of the bystanders don't tell what they saw out of fear of the criminal. The fear of retribution from the culprit scares many people more than their actual crime on someone else. If you want to address that issue, one needs to address this: Why are some people fear retribution from the criminals in the neighborhood?

Are you implying the police are being paid off? Or that witness protection isn't available for inner city witnesses? Or what?

Because that intimidation sh#t doesn't work outside of the dangerous inner city neighborhoods. I'm not afraid to report a crime. I'm not afraid to testify. I have. I have. Without fear. I don't care who someone is or where they are from. I'll do the right thing if a crime causes harm to others.

I also know that there are people in the inner city neighborhoods who do dare to stand up. There was a woman in the news just within the past year. I can't remember details. It was about a murder. She wouldn't be silenced and there were vigils with the community coming out in support of her efforts. I guess we can thank the media for making that known, otherwise I would have never heard about it. I'll tell you right now, I was damn proud of that woman for taking a stand. I have no idea what came of it. Maybe the media dropped the ball on follow up. Maybe I missed it because I don't watch local news.

[sky40]

Some people are limited in their thinking, and it serves their prejudices to remain limited!

Know that, and keep doing what you are doing.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Are you implying the police are being paid off? Or that witness protection isn't available for inner city witnesses? Or what?

Because that intimidation sh#t doesn't work outside of the dangerous inner city neighborhoods. I'm not afraid to report a crime. I'm not afraid to testify. I have. I have. Without fear. I don't care who someone is or where they are from. I'll do the right thing if a crime causes harm to others.

I also know that there are people in the inner city neighborhoods who do dare to stand up. There was a woman in the news just within the past year. I can't remember details. It was about a murder. She wouldn't be silenced and there were vigils with the community coming out in support of her efforts. I guess we can thank the media for making that known, otherwise I would have never heard about it. I'll tell you right now, I was damn proud of that woman for taking a stand. I have no idea what came of it. Maybe the media dropped the ball on follow up. Maybe I missed it because I don't watch local news.

I wan't implying anything. I was asking a question and looking for an answer.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by sky40

Shuman Center and Alternative schools do not represent the majority of black children in Pittsburgh. You can't see that because you don't want to see that. What you want to see and believe are the limited images of African Americans that are fed to you from the media---which is fine, but just be honest about your bias.

Let's be as accurate as possible so pitts can grasp this. Shuman Center and Alternative schools have a higher percentage of minorities because they aren't given breaks by the magistrates and their parents can't afford to send them to private school when they screw up. There are plenty of white teens who are guilty of the same thing as those minority teens in Shuman Center and Alternative schools.

Living in the "Great White North" (stealing Copanut's phrase) I've seen this first hand. Many white teens get a slap on the wrist by the magistrates. The parents of white teens are likely to send their children to private school when they are expelled to prevent their children from attending alternative schools. They also are likely to send their children away to rehab. Why? Because they have the social advantage in court and they have the money for private schools and treatment.

I'm not saying there's an easy solution. I'm just saying a person has to be an idiot to not realize that many factors contribute to hindering people who don't have the same advantages.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

I wan't implying anything. I was asking a question and looking for an answer.

I didn't mean that to sound confrontational at all. (I'm looped on Benedryl for allergies right now.)

Those questions were what immediately came to my mind when I read your post.

I really want to know why too. The only thing I can think is that the witnesses feel they won't be protected by law enforcement.

What else could it possibly be? Either the cops are on the take or witness protection isn't provided to impoverished minority victims.

For Pittsburgh, I think it's unlikely that the cops are on the take in any large scale way. It seems more likely that witnesses aren't properly protected when they step forward.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I didn't mean that to sound confrontational at all. Those questions were what immediately came to my mind when I read your post.

I really want to know why too. The only thing I can think is that the witnesses feel they won't be protected by law enforcement.

What else could it possibly be? Either the cops are on the take or witness protection isn't provided to impoverished minority victims.

For Pittsburgh, I think it's unlikely that the cops are crooked. It seems more likely that witnesses aren't properly protected when they step forward.

No problem. I just didn't know if you thought I was trying to say something about cops being paid off.

This was what I suspected. This is what I think the case of a bystander fearing retribution from the criminals is about. I would say it is partially a lack of trust in the justice system.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

No problem. I just didn't know if you thought I was trying to say something about cops being paid off.

Sorry about that. I'm stoned on Benedryl right now. I'm a lightweight. Seasonal allergy medication knocks me on my butt.

Originally Posted by green_mariner

This was what I suspected. This is what I think the case of a bystander fearing retribution from the criminals is about. I would say it is partially a lack of trust in the justice system.

I couldn't agree with you more. We need equal representation of minorities in positions of authority---from teachers to police officers to lawyers to judges. I can't imagine things improving until society allows this. It makes me sick that my suruban school district doesn't have any black teachers. Actually, most suburban school districts are like same. It's wrong.

[zip95]

Originally Posted by Hopes

I'm not saying there's an easy solution. I'm just saying a person has to be an idiot to not realize that many factors contribute to hindering people who don't have the same advantages.

Agreed. 1 in 3 people are idiots and believe whatever television tells them. 2 out of 3 people are smart enough to not believe everything they see, but nevertheless are influenced by television. And that's the problem; when media outlets filter which "facts" to report and then report those facts in such a way as to feed peoples negative emotions... all in the name of ratings.

The point I thank many are missing here, is that it doesn't have to be this way. Many media markets across the country have admitted that in addition to maximizing ratings and profits, they have a social responsibility to not promote anti-social ideas... Pittsburgh really is 20 years late with this.