Can Media Remove Racial Barriers?

“Modern racism” is a new term for the “muted racial hostility in the media (Henry). It can be assumed that media have already softened rules for ethnic minorities by allowing them having shows, channels, web-sites and so on. Of course, it is an undeniable fact that groups of races will always have the problem of discrimination, but still media are the first sources that create stereotypes and therefore media can somehow prevent problem of racism by stabilizing equality between all races and moreover not exaggerating their real image. However, the problem is far more complicated; media can prevent racism but do media care about this problem and moreover is it a problem for media? As usually our wishes and abilities do not go well together. So that people by themselves should decide which side of reality to choose. They should be encouraged to expand their knowledge by taking into account alternative information concerning racial divisions, even if it differs from the mainstream one, rather than to believe in unrealistic image of ethnic minorities portrayed by media. Issues of ethnic under representation result in problems with communication between different races and religions. Sometimes this misunderstanding can cause phobias, for instance, Muslim phobia that nowadays gains more and more popularity since the tragedy of 9/11. The problem conceals in the aspect that media do not educate people the real world, but most of the time breed useless awareness. As an example, if media defined the difference between ‘sunni’ and ‘shia’ Muslims, then people would not grow useless fears. They would bear in mind the fact that 90% of Muslims are ‘sunni’ and they are as friendly as Christians, the rest are ‘shia’ Muslims that are, on the contrary, act as an aggressors, so that it can raise belief that not all Muslims are terrorists and phobia can be fought. It can be interpreted as the proof of the fact that knowledge is one of the components to break stereotypes. Yet, it is still not clear if media care or not about racial minorities. Since 1960s the great progress has been noticed concerning racial minorities- allowance of black journalists, but according to the FCC research in America, majority- whites were dissatisfied with the circumstances, as they didn’t identify themselves with offered representation, so media had no choice but to play by rules that are dictated by mass-audience (Lloyd). Also should be mentioned the situation with the Section 275 of the 1996 Telecommunications Act, where the section required FCC “to remove the barriers to participation by minorities in the communication industry” (Lloyd). However, the Section 257 was not passed, this action demonstrated FCC’s opinion about the problem; in addition, it is better to say that they didn’t define it as a problem at all, as they just ignored it. This by all means shows that media passed a long way to build the barriers for minorities, it would be nearly impossible to remove them. Until society with the habitual regulations is divided to minority and majority groups, there is always place for media that is aimed on majority, when non-majority stays in a shade of unrealistic portrayal (“Ethnic and Visible Minorities”). What media do is giving people opportunity to decide whether to choose mainstream media or alternative one. Furthermore, media do steps forward changes, but they still leave the truth about ethnic minority groups invisible. It should be taken into account that it depends on viewer/listener/reader’s right to select factual information over bias.


Works Cited

“Ethnic and Visible Minorities in the News.” Media-Awareness. Dec. 28, 2008.
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/issues/stereotyping/ethnics_and_minorities/minorities_news.cfm

Henry, Sylvia. “Racial Profiling in the Media: Investigated Trough a Ritualistic Lens.” Colorado Uni. Fall, 2007. University of Colorado at Boulder. Dec. 29, 2008.
http://www.colorado.edu/Communication/meta-discourses/Papers/App_Papers/Henry.htm

Lloyd, Mark. “Remove the Barriers to Minorities in Media.” American Progress. Center for American Progress. Aug. 10, 2005. Dec. 28, 2008.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2005/08/b959321.html