TV shows very different views of Black and white victims
The purchase of an antenna ended a decade of no television and produced this disturbing realization — news outlets in Philadelphia and nationally cover black and white communities severely differently.
Some of the coverage plays disappointingly as in a Philly television station reporting on the recent heatwave.
Reporters focused on people forced to work outdoors in the heat or others who sought refuge at the beach or local places to chillax. All interviews were with Caucasians, playing unexpectedly into myths that Blacks celebrate a higher tolerance for heat, pain and suffering.
Personally, just love when temperatures push beyond the century mark. In fact, turn on the heat during a real summer scorcher just to test personal epidermis qualities.
Regarding violence, especially murder, Caucasians as homicide victims receive significantly more coverage while statistics show police solve these cases quicker and higher success rates.
Granted, violence and homicide should receive news coverage although most reports involving Black or Spanish men have short shelf lives.
Violence and murder pitched as mental hook bait, usually lead most Philadelphia television broadcasts.
Homicide stories deliver mirrored plots and storylines — a person, usually a black male; shot dead in the street; distraught and angry family members and friends screaming exasperation about constant violence; a note that police have no suspects; statistical information about Philadelphia’s rise of violence; a politician’s plea for new gun laws — and then onto the more important news of suburban life or weather, sports and a request to tune in later tonight or tomorrow morning for more of the same.
Television can tilt psychological and mental playing fields toward crime, violence, blight, murder, shootings and other issues in minority communities. These relentless reports make contributions to emotions, depression and the deterioration of human spirit.
Murders involving minorities rarely receive high-profile news status. In Trenton, despite many horrific murder cases involving women, only one female death registers as important — Kristin Huggins. Her December 1992 murder by Ambrose Harris had all the ingredients for newspapers and television.
A young Caucasian suburban woman and Temple University graduate abducted, raped and murdered by a African American mad man and Gloria Dunn, his accomplice.
Law enforcement enacted all money, energy and manpower to solve the Huggins case. Her death listed as abhorrently violent and unacceptable.
Nowadays, short-staffed newspapers offer short-shrift accounts of Trenton murders.
Several paragraphs for Vernetta McCray gunned down on her porch on the 100 block of Hampton Avenue.
A mention of Shamira Williams, 32, found stabbed to death in the living room of her home on the first block of Laurel Avenue.
Katherine Montenegro, 23, fatally shot outside of the 7-Eleven on Lalor Street.
Two brothers, 16-year-old Gustavo Perez and 8-year-old Johnny Perez, shot and killed on Mulberry St. attracted significant response by community members, news outlets and law enforcement before a return to minimal concern when victims were young black men.
The recent Philadelphia murder of 41-year-old Dunkin’ Donuts manager Christine Lugo, shot and killed even after handing over cash to a gunman, showed the power of media as electronic and print journalists and reporters determined her murder out-pointed killings of young, black men.
The story remained out front. On Tuesday, authorities arrested a person of interest.
Here’s the extent of reports filed about a Philly teen murder victim.
A teenager died from his injuries after he was shot 13 times in Philadelphia late Sunday afternoon.
The 18-year-old teen was on the 1700 block of 68th Avenue at 4:39 p.m. when a gunman opened fire. The teen was struck 13 times throughout his body. He was taken to Einstein Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5 p.m.
Short film at 11.