The United States has an extremely volatile and racially charged history with blacks that still carries on until present day. In the United States, instances of police brutality and killings of African-Americans at the hands of police officers have become so frequent that many Americans have become desensitized to such happenings. And while such events are highly disturbing, media reporting on these events is equally disturbing.

In his article, When the Media Treats White Suspects and Killers better than Black Victims,  Nick Wing analyzes the discrepancies between news headlines of white suspects and black victims. Wing argues that “news reports often headline claims from police or other officials that appear unsympathetic or dismissive of black victims”. In comparison, news articles on white suspects and accused murderers are written with “an air of disbelief at an alleged white killer’s supposed actions”.

In the aftermath of the shooting of Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson, the Los Angeles Times ran side by side articles on Brown and Wilson; however the headings (and reportings) for each person were drastically different. While Wilson’s article heads as A Low- Profile Officer with Unsettled Early Days, Brown’s article is titled A Teenager grappling with Problems and Promise. Brown’s article calls him “no angel”, categorizing him as a troubled and rebellious teenager who had dabbled in alcohol and drugs; on the other hand, Wilson’s article highlights his contributions to the police force, describing him as “a gentle, quiet man… a distinguished. Wilson’s actions are seemingly dismissed, portrayed as acceptable due to the fact that his experiences came from a department “that wrestled historically with issues of racial tension, mismanagement and turmoil; the article seems to say that Wilson’s actions are not his fault but rather that of the police department. Wilson’s article correlates with Wing’s analysis that news outlets “appear to go out of their way to boost the suspect’s character”.

The media is supposed to provide society with accurate and reliable information; however, as seen in Wing’s article and the discrepancies between Brown and Wilson’s articles, media framing of black people is often unfavourable and discriminatory, further perpetuating racial stereotypes. Leigh Donaldson points out that the misrepresentation of blacks in media “create problematic attitudes in audiences… a persistent antagonism toward black men”. The dominant portrayal of a black person in media is that of a thug, someone struggling with unemployment, poverty and drug addiction. Such portrayals often cause black people to internalize these stereotypes, causing them to become victims of society’s perceptions. The media is a powerful and influential force, capable of shaping popular attitude, belief and opinion. If the media chooses to create favorability by burying the truth behind discriminatory headlines, then it is ultimately up to us to find it; and if not for our benefit, then for the sake of the wronged. 

WORKS CITED

Donaldson, Leigh. “When the Media Misrepresents Black Men, the Effects Are Felt in the Real World.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 12 Aug. 2015. Web. 04 Mar. 2018.

Eligon, John. “Michael Brown Spent Last Weeks Grappling With Problems and Promise.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 24 Aug. 2014. Web. 04 Mar. 2018.

Robles, Monica Davey and Frances. “Darren Wilson Was Low-Profile Officer With Unsettled Early Days.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 24 Aug. 2014. Web. 04 Mar. 2018.

Wing, Nick. “When The Media Treats White Suspects And Killers Better Than Black Victims.”HuffPost Canada. HuffPost Canada, 06 Dec. 2017. Web. 04 Mar. 2018.