Monday, January 27, 2014

Fox Network and Stereotypical Negative "News" Stories

A writer writes!

I have long heard that the Fox network is a bastion of negative news when reporting on events related to minorities.  I was watching the local morning Fox news, my mistake, when a brief news blurb came on about the "Black Expo Shooter".

Black Expo is a yearly cultural event in Indianapolis.  It is a week of activities that occur in July.  Positive stories, information, a health fair, and other cultural events are presented in downtown Indianapolis.  On occasion, a small group of teenagers or young adults have attempted to cause disruption in downtown at night during the Black Expo events.  One year some misguided person shot a gun into a crowd downtown.  He was tried and convicted of the crime.  It was of course negative press about African American males which the local news stations ran  towards and presented as opening breaking news stories.  Nothing like a good negative story on Black males to feed the starving stereotypical appetites of the locals.  Such stories are typical in this region of the country.  You rarely see a story on the positive accomplishments of a minority male, unless they are an athlete.

This morning's depiction of the shooter as "The Black Expo Shooter" made it appear as if the person was sanctioned by Black Expo or in fact worked for Black Expo.  It was a typical attempt to paint a negative image of both Black Males and Black Expo as a cultural event.  Now, people living in safe upbeat neighborhoods will relate Black Expo with shootings.  The seed has been planted by Fox and the person responsible is smiling to themselves and likely getting compliments for a good story.

I challenge Fox to cover a positive story about Black Males.  In the Indianapolis area Fox can start by doing a story on the graduation of Black Males from the local 100 Black Men of Indianapolis, Beautillion Program this Spring.


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