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Is the media racist?

So I’m watching the constant news coverage of Eve Carson and Lauren Burk, two college students who were murdered. And it’s got me wondering a few things about the media…I know I’ll take some flak for asking this, but I’ll ask it anyway. Why are these two on the national news?

Yes I’m sorry they are dead, yes I feel for their families. But what makes these two so special that their case is a national headline? I used to listen to ethnic minorities complain that the media only reports rich, cute, white girls who were murdered and raped, and I used to balk at that view. I’ve changed my mind as of late. How many young black and Hispanic women were raped and/or murdered this week? Why do these girls deserve our attention any more than the rest? Because they were bright, successful. and involved in campus life? Because they were “all-American girls” that we’d all love to have as daughters?

With all that’s going on in the world, I think it’s ridiculous that this is making national news. What do you all think?

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Answer #1

OMG, I have waited 4 this to come up for a LONG time, I think that the media, in smoe cases, such as this, is racist. I feel for the families, it makes me sick to see that someone wud do something like that, however, 98% of the rape and murder cases in the media have caucasian women, even though there are MANY more cases w. minority victims. I’m srry, but as much as the media SAYS that rasicm is wrong, they are part of it. maybe they feel that these people are more important than the average Joe or Jane, maybe they think that the public doesn’t want 2 hear about the other stories I think that there are A LOT of cases that the goverment isn’t telling the rest of us that NEED to be heard

Answer #2

I agree with you completely, and I think the media is really playing towards its audience. Like you said, maybe they only report them because they are the “all American girls” that general audiences wanted to hear about. They want to hear about their neighbor’s best friend’s daughter, not the girl from the gang in the alley. I agree that it is wrong, and racist, yet that’s the job of the media. To draw attention towards things that will get other’s attention. There are so many things going on in this world, and only about 2% of them make the news. Also, have you ever noticed that there is NEVER anything good on the news?! Just murders, rapes, thefts, suicides, threats, etc. They never talk about anything that we actually WANT to hear! Way to be observant ;)

Answer #3

I agree with you. Crime is crime, and the media does tend to do so with the ethnicity of groups. Ironicaly, most of the time it is those girls’ fault that they are on the news as a victim anyways.

Answer #4

The media is an agenda setter. You have two successful women gunned down;Both were robbed and gunned down execution style and AT RANDOM. The random issue is important because the alledged perpetrator(s) are African-Americans men and the victims are Causasians women. Is it a coincident that the alleged perpetrators picked two Caucasian women to commit these acts or is media choice in coverage pointing to a growing problem of black on white violence.

Answer #5

Thing is most of the population is white and the media portrays it that only white people are considered new compared to other races. People feel that they can relate better to someone white compared with black or hispanic. In the society today we say we should not judge a person on the color of their skin like we once did during the slavery age but look at us, we are no better than them. I think that even though we have made amazing strides in fighting racism we have a lot to work through and this is where it should start

Answer #6

when you consider all the murders of young women of color that happen daily that are never mentioned and then you see the coverage of natalie holloway… you know where the media stands.

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