Page - 202 - in Media – Migration – Integration - European and North American Perspectives

Kenneth Starck | Perpetuating Prejudice 202 number of recommendations worthy of consideration by all media professionals covering the activities of any ethnic group let alone any identifiable segment of society (pp. 21-22): - Adherence to the journalistic goals of truth and fairness requires that journalists avoid activating false stereotypes that will result in the transmission of information that is both inaccurate and unfair to particular groups of people. - Journalists need to cultivate an ongoing awareness of the false stereotypes that may be associated with particular stories. - Editors should be aware that false stereotypes can be activated not only through the content of stories but also through their placement. They should be especially alert to the potential for stereotypes contained in and or implied by supporting documents accompanying news stories. When stereotypes and other false information are included within a story, journalists need to make clear-cut statements that correct the misinformation. Rebuttals are most effective when they a) explicitly acknowledge that false information is conveyed by the stereotype and b) offer accurate information to counteract the stereotype’s false content. When rebuttals are cautious and unclear, they leave room for the stereotype to persist. - In an ongoing story that involves the persistent presence of a particular stereotype, journalists and editors might focus specific articles on the stereotype itself: the nature of the stereotype, its origins, how it is expressed socially, and what is actually true. - Because journalists stand in the midst of the culture they describe, they cannot be expected to achieve a perfect ability to rise above stereotypes. They should seek consultation from communication specialists to help avoid coverage that activates stereotypes, particularly when covering stories that are closely linked to strong cultural stereotypes that might easily be imbedded in the story over time. From the standpoint of the audience, the best safeguard against being duped is caveat emptor (“buyer beware”). This is the advice from Steet (2000) who examined a century’s worth of the magazine National Geographic. Readers must read critically and challenge assumptions. Each person, after all, is judge and jury in choosing what to read and assessing what is read. This, in turn, suggests the need to create a society that is not only media literate but also culturally literate.