Is there gender and racial profiling in missing persons coverage?

[Vektor]

Interesting article about a topic we have discussed many times here at DU.
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Why do we care about Natalee, Laci, Jennifer?
Is there gender and racial profiling in missing persons coverage?
Why some stories, like Tamika Huston's, are never told.


Missing American girls are often the lead story: The networks and the cable news channels can't seem to get enough of Laci, of Chandra, of Lori, of Jennifer, of Elizabeth, of Natalee.

Their disappearances have brought heartbreak and anguish to their families. But if all you did was watch the TV news in this country, you might think that these are the only people who are missing — or that their fate in particular is incredibly important. News channels tell the story of their disappearances not once, but again and again.

But in a country of almost 300 million, many other Americans are missing too.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8667821/

[mr mister]

1. Only pretty white girls count

The rest do not. Simple as that. Joe and Lizzie Racist watching Faux News won't be rivetted to a story about a missing person of color, which means they won't buy stuff advertised there.

[Orangepeel]

2. I don't think that it is conscious

That doesn't make it right or fair or mean that the issue of bias in coverage shouldn't be addressed. But I don't think that anyone is doing it on purpose.

Part of the problem is raciscm in society -- the news media push stories that they think people will be interested in, and viewers care about stories if they can imagine some personal connection ("she looks like my daughter" -- even if she doesn't really -- and the majority of viewers are white). Society does care more about white people than nonwhite people.

But part of it is media savvy. I saw some of the Dateline story on this issue last night, and Tameka Huston's aunt said that she called every news show to try to get them interested. None of them picked up the story. Well, no. You can't call the receptionist at the Today show and expect somebody to do a story on an issue, no matter what it is. Families who got their missing persons story on air had hired PR people to serve as a spokesperson. They probably had personal connections with reporters. Once some media start talking about it, a herd mentality occurs and everyone wants to talk about it.

[journalist3072]

4. I think it is very conscious

The media simply doesn't think a missing young Black woman makes a good story.

By contrast, the media (owned mainly by Whites) think that missing young White women (especially blondes) make a good story.

[Orangepeel]

9. well, everyone's entitled to his/her own opinion

IMO, one of the things that makes modern racism so insidious is that many people who behave in prejudiced ways honestly don't believe that they are bigoted.

Maybe some reporters actually have, as a conscious thought, the idea that "oh, she's black. no one will care about her." But I doubt it. If they did, the bias would be easier to fight against. There are people in the news media who are professionals and would recognize the bias and resist it.

But it often isn't a conscious thought. It often isn't a conscious thought when a white person hires the white job applicant that they feel a "connection" with over an equally qualified black applicant. It often isn't a conscious thought when the sales clerk is more suspicious of the black shopper. And, it often isn't a conscious thought when the reporter thinks, "ooh, that's a cool story" when the missing person is a pretty white woman.

[Merlot]

3. I think the bigger issue is violence against women and girls

and how the media loves to linger over it. Just another way of telling woment they aren't safe in our society.

I'm no fan of the "Law and Order" series because when I try to watch it, there is usually a dismembered woman corpse. Usually young and white. Is that all they do on that show???

[fasttense]

6. Heard on Dateline last night that most of the people reported missing are

men. Yet you hardly ever hear about them.

[manic expression]

5. Umm......YES

It's so obvious it's unbelievable.

[PurityOfEssence]

7. If you're white, we write; if you're not, you rot

There sure as hell IS bias. Pretty blonde women will spark obsession 'til the cows come home.

[leftofthedial]

8. in news coverage generally

there is a racial slant

advertisers want ratings

"most" people in the most desirable demographics are alleged to be less interested in stories about nonwhites

[wli]

10. the MSM is so racist they might as well be running KKK recruitment ads

[Akoto]

11. Well, looking at Nancy Grace ...

I'd have to say yes. She's been reporting on the same missing girl for weeks. Not surprisingly, it's always the "beautiful" ones that get the coverage, and forget it if they're not white.

Nancy Grace throws in some ads for other kids at the end of the show, but it's pretty much an afterthought.