Covering White Supremacy

John Steitz

js810618@ohio.edu

Photo via Charlottesville Tomorrow

  

    Coverage of white supremacy in today’s newsrooms leaves much to be desired. Only when domestic turmoil arises in places like Minneapolis and Seattle does the media cover the topic with the focus and purpose it deserves. Much of this is due to what Howard French describes as “the enduring whiteness of the American media.”

    In his article for The Guardian, French discusses his own experiences as a black reporter and how the racial makeup of newsrooms impacts news coverage. What he calls “the persistent issue of typecasting” refers to a deeply embedded practice that classifies certain news topics as “black” and the rest as “white”. Combine this with a systemic failure to integrate newsrooms by welcoming and encouraging African-Americans, and you’re left with predominantly white newsrooms that are responsible for conditioning Americans’ understanding of America and the world.

    So how can journalists effectively cover hate, violence, and white supremacy, without amplifying those groups and their messages? According to a Poynter article on the subject, the key is to use the traditional tools of journalism- precision, clarity, and context to give audiences the whole story, while also taking steps to avoid giving a platform to hate groups and their movement.

    Precision and the language we use in our writing are of the utmost importance to our reporting. We must avoid being subjective and using vague labels in descriptions such as far-right or far-left. Instead, describing people’s actions, words, and goals helps the audience better contextualize and understand events, as well as how they unfolded. For clarity, it’s also best to not make assumptions about your audience. Avoid codes and shorthand writing, and explain everything.

    Context is also essential, especially with regards to any pictures or videos that are being included. We have to select media that accurately reflects the events and aids in our audience's understanding. It may be necessary to censor hateful signs or language. Showing our audience what they need to see to understand what’s happening can be accomplished without amplifying the voices and messages of hate groups, who would love for journalists to include their insignia and logos in their stories.

    Journalists need to learn these lessons so they can adequately report on white supremacy in America without boosting the platform of hate groups. As professionals, we must approach the topic of white supremacy with all the seriousness and contextual depth it requires. Treating instances of civil upheaval like an aberration, instead of a symptom of a larger systemic issue, is damaging. Even as the public shifts its attention, we must be diligent in our reporting.