Covering Diversity

Sarah Newsad
sn845312@ohio.edu

Diversity. It seems like it is rather easy to be diverse, and to understand different perspectives or cultures. How can an eight letter word leave such a plateau in the society we live in? As a journalist, how can we effectively portray diversity in the most respectable way? Often too many times, innocent lives are lost in today's world; and often too many times, the way journalists handle these situations have a negative effect on the world.

One of the most important aspects in the society of journalism is covering the diversity that goes on within society. Minorities are rising within America, and most of the time the public has a hard time trusting what journalists are going to say when they report on them. Society fears that the media is not doing their job, that they often twist the words of innocent victims families, and they're not letting them speak out on their own.

Perhaps the hardest part of reporting on diversity is trying to get your message across without harming those who are involved. When do you find a balance? Trying to cover diversity while still maintaining public trust and credibility can be the most challenging thing as a journalist. In 2012, America was shaken up when Trayvon Martin was tragically killed in Florida. The media caused quite the controversy when they only released younger photos of Trayvon.

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One of this biggest controversial cases of our time was when Michael Brown was shot in Ferguson, Missouri. What seemed like months, the media followed this devastating turn of events. The media took a huge hit, the controversy soon took over Ferguson and it became one of the biggest protests this era has seen.

In 2013, after the devastating loss of Trayvon Martin, one of the biggest push towards equality since the Civil Rights Movement came about. Black Lives Matter is an international activist movement that originated from the African-American community. The Black Lives Matter movement fights for equality and to stop innocent violent attacks against blacks.

The Black Lives Matter movement has caused an uproar in society and has made it hard for journalist to cover the issue. Earlier in the summer, at a protest, a fox news reporter was attempting to cover President Obama's speech. The protest got aggressive and they forced the reporter back into police protection. Situations like these make it hard for the general public to trust journalist. Being diverse in your writing is essential for society.

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It's truly a flaw in the journalistic world that many minority groups think there is a lack of media accuracy when it comes to reporting on diversity. It's something we as journalists have to work on. It should be a privilege to report on the change and diverse matters of the world.  The more equality and less hate we portray to the public, the easier it will be for the media to trust.

The times are changing, equality should no longer be a privilege; it should be a right. The time is now to take a stance in the diverse culture change the world is facing. It is no longer acceptable to sit on the side lines, journalists should be embracing the change and accept the reality of today.