Age: 50 and up
Main source of information: Television
Television outlet mostly consumed: ABC
This woman asked to stay anonymous but wanted to share how she felt Black women are viewed in broadcast news.
A mental health therapist and Boynton Beach, Florida, native, this woman said she is cautious about what news she allows herself to obtain. She believes too many news organizations have biased reporting.
“News should be objective, it should allow the audience to make their own decisions and not input their personal bias when reporting things,” she said.
Despite many outlets failing to be objective, she said the news is still vital for the community.
“I think news is important to the community, however, I don’t like when news is reported for an agenda,” she said.
When gearing up to talk about the way Black women are seen in the news, she said that she may have a different opinion than most Black women. She feels we live in a culture where having a different opinion can cause tension and cancellation.
“I don’t agree with the idea that Black women are portrayed in a negative way. Also I think that is one of the ways they use race, to make Black people feel a certain way. I don’t like that. I think that Black women and men are proportionate,” she said.
She believes many news organizations do have biases, but that is why she is careful in her selection of news.
“It depends where you are getting your information from. You can talk to me and another Black woman, and we will have totally different views. All depends on the source,” she said.
This woman says she feels the majority of mainstream outlets reinforce stereotypes.
“I definitely feel the outlets that report negatively on Black women reinforce stereotypes. In the mainstream outlets, they generalize, and you cannot generalize,” she said.
One example she gave was MSNBC’s commentator and civil rights activist, Al Sharpton.
“I feel that he says the right words to be in good grace with the Black community, but I have looked at his records. Maybe at one point he was supportive, but when I see all talk and no action, that doesn’t mean anything to me. He incited violence in the protests, and that is what they are doing,” she said.
By Sharpton telling his followers to act violently, she said it reinforced a negative stereotype. Black males being violent is a stereotype that this racial group has been trying to move away from.
As for Black women’s representation in television news, she said there is enough representation. It may not be the most positive, but it is present.
“I think there is enough representation of Black women, and anyone saying otherwise, that is just to stir up an argument and get people to start thinking negatively,” she said. “I see praises from the citizen side, but people would say otherwise. This is again where the influence causes that tension, and this is what I hope that would stop because there is enough representation. Acting as if there isn’t, and putting your own personal take on it, is disturbing,” she said.
Even though the portrayal of Black women isn’t always just, she said we cannot harp on the issue because then, as a racial group, they cannot grow.
“We have to learn from our past, yes, but as a community we have to move forward, and we cannot do that if all we hear is negative, negative, negative,” she said. “I think we have a voice, and we need to use it. We cannot be afraid to be canceled, isolated or secluded from society because silence also hurts,” she said.
Her statement:
“As a Black woman I feel represented in television news. However, I feel the network and what they are associated with, I feel Black women are portrayed negatively.”
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