Kenosha, Wisconsin–[Via Democracy Now]: The mainstream media’s role in perpetuating racism has come under increased scrutiny during the nationwide uprisings against injustice, leading to resignations and firings at news outlets across the country and calls for more diverse newsrooms.
Daniel Thompson, the former digital editor at Kenosha News, says that’s what led him to quit his job after his news outlet ran a misleading headline and article about a peaceful Jacob Blake protest that focused almost exclusively on one speaker’s threat of violence.
He says that the companies ignorance can be attributed to their lack of diversity.
“Now more than ever for the media, it’s important to try to give a full, accurate picture.” says Thompson. “I don’t think the situation happened out of any malicious intent. I think it was simply ignorance and a lack of diversity or diverse voices that were part of the decision.”
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1 Comment
Hope Daniel Thompson is right about no malicious intent. I called Bob Heisse chief editor of Kenosha News in Wisconsin. He said the headline is a factual account and it’s news. Ha, nothing like stoking the flames! I’m sure he could go to any right wing or Trump rally and hear similar comments but I’m not sure he would make it headlines. He did say if “the other side” said the same it would be big headline news. That is not true. Racist rightwing fascist aggressive comments have been around on almost any comment section of online news. I recall a Madison, WI poster who wrote about taking “headshots” from his dorm window while watching protestors before the Iraq war. The FBI and SPLC have been warning about the danger of rightwing groups for a long time. Now rightwing aggressive comments are so common I suppose it’s not headline news anymore. Feel like we’re heading toward TrumpHell and nothing can be done. My advice is for everyone to STAND DOWN. Hard as it may be, restraint is called for. At least until after this election. Protests at this time are exactly what Trump needs to win. Plus how many actions are tactics of right-wingers? Like burning the flag and burning the bible in Mpls. Too many issues on the burner right now. We’re talking cops killing black citizens with no consequences. Pres. Obama said there are 18,000 – 19,000 police jurisdictions in this country and they all have citizens running them…so change is possible. We need a national FIRE and REHIRE program in place, done in stages. Get rid of more than “a few bad apples”. Review personnel files and Facebook files, run them thru the gauntlet, offer early retirement, and don’t rehire Derek Chauvin types. Replace 30 – 40% of police force with new younger well screened more diverse police. Maybe exclude ex-military. ‘Course they’d still be policing on top of a rotten mess, but one improvement at a time I guess. I’m looking forward to a time when Confederate symbols are ALL legally removed. I’d like to see laws passed so those images on Stone Mountain are legally blasted off with howitzers on Juneteenth Day. The North won the Civil War, and we should start acting like it. If we let this southern stuff get too strong we’ll need to refight the Civil War.