Panel discusses media portrayal of blacks
Karen Tableriou
Issue date: 4/3/09 Section: News
The African-American studies departmental club held a discussion panel focused on the portrayal of African-Americans in the media in the University Union Sanburg Lounge on Wednesday, April 1.
The panel included Jo-Ann Morgan, associate professor of African-American studies and art, Lavon Powell, freshman English major, Rob Amaefule, senior journalism major and Western Courier news editor, Melissa Molskow, freshman communications major and Greg Harris, junior broadcasting major.
The moderators of the discussion were Antwan Taylor, Vice President of AASDC and junior broadcasting major and Alexandra White, event coordinator of AASDC and freshman communications major.
The questions covered many facets of African-Americans in the media, including:
By showing black people in a negative manner on BET and knowing it's owned by Viacom, how do you feel?
Panelists had mixed views when answering the question. Amaefule saw BET as bad PR for African-Americans. Unfortunately, many other races, including Caucasians, do not interact much with African-Americans. As a TV-loving culture, people use sitcoms and reality shows as the foundation for their views of other races. Amaefule argued that BET is one such source.
"They shape their perception of us through the media," Amaefule said. "When they just look at BET as a primary source of how black people should act, clearly it's not going to be what they think." This bad PR is how stereotypes are born.
"I think it's gotten better," Harris said. He makes note that shows such as "Un-Cut" were removed from the station and they cut back on shows dealing with rap and painting negative views of African-Americans. Now there are more serious movies starring African-Americans aired, as well as classic "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "Smart Guy" episodes.
Referring back to the ownership of BET by a white corporation, "before BET got sold by Johnson, he had all the negative stuff on there: black people were exposing black people in a negative way," Harris said. "The white owner now took away all those shows."
The panel included Jo-Ann Morgan, associate professor of African-American studies and art, Lavon Powell, freshman English major, Rob Amaefule, senior journalism major and Western Courier news editor, Melissa Molskow, freshman communications major and Greg Harris, junior broadcasting major.
The moderators of the discussion were Antwan Taylor, Vice President of AASDC and junior broadcasting major and Alexandra White, event coordinator of AASDC and freshman communications major.
The questions covered many facets of African-Americans in the media, including:
By showing black people in a negative manner on BET and knowing it's owned by Viacom, how do you feel?
Panelists had mixed views when answering the question. Amaefule saw BET as bad PR for African-Americans. Unfortunately, many other races, including Caucasians, do not interact much with African-Americans. As a TV-loving culture, people use sitcoms and reality shows as the foundation for their views of other races. Amaefule argued that BET is one such source.
"They shape their perception of us through the media," Amaefule said. "When they just look at BET as a primary source of how black people should act, clearly it's not going to be what they think." This bad PR is how stereotypes are born.
"I think it's gotten better," Harris said. He makes note that shows such as "Un-Cut" were removed from the station and they cut back on shows dealing with rap and painting negative views of African-Americans. Now there are more serious movies starring African-Americans aired, as well as classic "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "Smart Guy" episodes.
Referring back to the ownership of BET by a white corporation, "before BET got sold by Johnson, he had all the negative stuff on there: black people were exposing black people in a negative way," Harris said. "The white owner now took away all those shows."
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