journalistic framing

This week as I read chapter 9 in Web Journalism: Practice and Promise of a New Medium, the author discussed the responsibility of web journalists to report clearly, concisely, and conversationally.

"Good broadcast writers employ clear, precise language that contains no ambiguity."

Last night in my Radio and TV Journalism class, instructor Shannon Gore played two DVDs for the class: A documentary discussing 20/20, ABC's news magazine show and how they covered the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, an journalist who has been on death row since 1981.


(indymedia.com)

Born Wesley Cook, he was a rising journalist with hopes for a continued successful future. One night in Philadelphia in 1981, he was involved in a multi-person altercation which ended with police officer Daniel Faulkner dead and Mumia wounded in the chest.


(totallydelco.com)

The details of the case were discussed and debated and tried in a court of law, which immediately found Abu-Jamal guilty, despite inconclusive evidence and a biased jury. Many contend that he did not receive a fair trial due to many reasons (lack of witness credibility, conflicting evidence, incongruent ballistic analysis, racism), and it caused an uproar. Dubbed a "political prisoner," Abu-Jamal's case was supported (and his conviction protested) by millions of people across the world, and especially by Hollywood stars and activists.


(daylife.com)

Faulkner's widow, along with the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police, have naturally lauded a huge case AGAINST Mumia and his supporters, pushing for his execution.



Connecting these two incidences, the book speaks about broadcast news coverage:

"Casual or conversational style, however, does not give the writer freedom to break the rules of grammar, to use slang or off-color phrasing, or to use language that might be offensive to listeners...focus attention on the content of the writing and not in the writing itself."

The first DVD that Ms. Gore played for us was a documentary about how ABC didn't report the case, but was rather building it up against him. Using phrases such as, "Abu-Jamal executed Faulkner," editing interview footage of the defense lawyer, portraying Faulkner's widow in white as the damsel in distress, and calling Mumia's supporters "his disciples" all lend a hand to biased reporting, created to cast an image in the viewers' mind--one of his guilt.


(enquirer.com)

They called him the "dreadlocked journalist." They severely distorted footage of his voice on the radio to sound haunting, "demonic," and echo-ey. They showed footage of "typical black" rastafarian types with dreadlocks and headscarves speaking about how Mumia "is like Jesus Christ and Martin Luther King," which also plays against him--he's obviously not, but they used the not-so-credible supporters with extreme positions to back him up. They also made Edward Asner and other celebrities who supported him look like idiots. They used his activism in the Black Panther Party against him.


So we watched the documentary about the 20/20 news special, and then we watched the actual episode without all the added commentary. Their bias and unfair reporting is blatantly obvious.


I know that 20/20 is a news magazine, always looking for the juicy stories and presenting them with dramatic flair. However, as a respectable news source that's been on the air for decades, I would expect a little more realistic reporting from Sam Donaldson and the like.

As of today, Mumia Abu-Jamal has had countless appeals denied, but is still alive and well in the State Correctional Institution Greene near Waynesburg, Pennsylvania. He has also published several books and other commentaries, notably Live from Death Row.


(phillyimc.org)

5th Annual Hispanic Heritage Reception

As a reminder, the 5th Annual Hispanic Heritage Reception is this Friday! You must RSVP, so if interested, please contact the number below.

Details from myDU:


The Latino Council invites you to join us this upcoming Friday, October 24th for the Fifth Annual Hispanic Heritage Reception in the Social Hall beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Enjoy delicious appetizers, homemade sangria, and musical entertainment while connecting with current students, faculty, staff, and Latino alumni.
The keynote speaker for the night will be Anita Alvarez, candidate for State Attorney, and the recipient of the Hispanic Heritage Award will be Hector Villagrana, ’95, for his outstanding demonstration of scholarship, service, and professional achievement since his time here at Dominican. We will also be raising money for the Latino Educational Support Grant.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Hope to see you there!

Please RSVP by either calling 708-524-6286 or emailing alumni@dom.edu.

Grassroots.

Sociology Professor Christina Perez posted a notice on the myDU website encouraging students to get involved in grassroots efforts, helping both presidential candidates by making phone calls to voters in swing states and encouraging people across the country to take advantage of early voting options.

The bulletin read: "The McCain-Palin Campaign needs you in Wisconsin Saturday October 25 and Saturday November 1.

The Obama-Biden Campaign needs you in Indiana Saturday October 25, Saturday November 1, and Sunday November 2.

For more information on volunteering and traveling to neighboring battleground states call ext. 6693 or email cperez@dom.edu"


I'm glad Perez is shedding light on what students can do to help; I receive numerous emails each day from the Obama campaign encouraging his supporters to reach out to the undecideds, visiting the numerous call centers set up across the city.

Diana Kobylarczyk reported a story in the Dominican Star earlier this semester about what our on-campus political organizations are doing. However, with a couple weeks remaining 'til Election Day, I'm surprised I haven't seen more action taken on campus by the College Democrats and College Republicans, other than a wall plastered with funky posters of Barack Obama, John McCain and Hillary Clinton.

I'm still also surprised to talk to several fellow students who shrug or say, "I don't know" when asked who they are voting for. With this being possibly one of the most interesting election seasons, I hope to see more from the College Democrats and College Republican organizations increasing students' awareness as we approach the big day.

Oh. I guess she just went home?

In regard to missing ELS student Trang Nguyen, Jessica MacKinnon, director of public relations, emailed the Dominican community last Friday afternoon with another update: The River Forest Police Department confirmed that Ms. Nguyen flew from Chicago back home to Vietnam on October 8, the day before she was reported missing. "This announcement confirms the police department’s original contention that Ms. Nguyen left her dorm room at Concordia University on October 7 of her own accord," the email read.

We may not find out the reasons why, but it's curious how one can pack up, withdraw from school and fly to the other side of the world with NOBODY being aware of this. Even Nguyen's aunt, who told the press her niece was spotted at the 7-11 on October 7, said she believed the student was still in the United States.

I would imagine that there was somebody out there that knew she was leaving, but no one has spoken up. Sure, she could have packed her belongings in silence, booked a flight, hopped the CTA Blue Line to O'Hare, and flown to Vietnam of her own accord without telling anyone, but for someone who speaks little English and is new in this country, that's pretty bold. Her instructors didn't know? She didn't say goodbye to any friends or acquaintances? Or her family? I wonder what they have to say about all this! Especially since it was reported that she last told her friends that she "needed to get something from her dorm room."

Anyhow: it's possible, but not so plausible, and still quite strange to me.

The invisible knapsack, part II

Expanding on my post about Peggy McIntosh's White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack that many Dominican students read for their sociology or communications class, I thought I'd share a humorous, but practical example: Dave Chappelle's "Law and Order" sketch.

He introduces it by saying, "I've been hearing about these major corporations, Enron, Tyco, ripping everyone off, and they don't get time! ... It's like there's two legal systems! It'd be better if for like three days they put those guys through the legal system that we go through, and put our guys through their legal system."



A squat team ambushes the home of a white character named Charles Jeffries, CEO of "Fonecom," throwing grenades, guns a-blazin'. They shoot his dog and assault his wife.

Chappelle plays Tron Carter, his cocaine dealer character. The police call, apologizing for bothering him about an arrest warrant they received. They pander to him, saying he can show up to the station and turn himself in whenever. Tron says he'll turn himself in...Thursday.

"Is 1:00 good for you?" the cop politely asks.

"Ooh, that's no good for me," Tron says. "I got some trim comin' at 12. How about between 2 and 6?"

"Thank you so very kindly for your help," says the officer. "And again, I'm sorry for the inconvenience."



In the interrogation room, Charles is harrassed and beaten by the police. Tron shows up around midnight to his meeting with the District Attorney, to a table covered with exquisite wine and cheese.



In Charles Jeffries' court case, the cops lie and frame him, his jury of "peers" is a bunch of thug-looking gangsters, and the judge calls him "an animal, a filthy big-lipped beast," giving him life in prison.

When Tron goes to court, he's asked several questions about his drug dealing and "pleads the FIF" in response to each. After everything, his lawyer tells him he got his sentence reduced to a month.

wikimedia.org




This classic episode is funny, but a sad reality of the dual nature of our justice system and the American society.

McIntosh says, "I was taught to think that racism could end if white individuals changed their attitudes. [But] a "white skin in the United States opens many doors for whites whether or not we approve of the way dominance has been conferred on us."

As a woman of color, it does bother me when people just won't accept the fact that racism and white privilege still coexist today. A white ex-boyfriend of mine once told me, "No, racism is pretty much over. I mean, the executive and senior vice presidents of Starbucks are black women!

Ummm...yeah no.

It's that ignorance denial that perpetuates the system. And still today, there are people in America who won't vote for Barack Obama for the sole fact that he's black. As if he weren't just as white as well...one-drop rule, anyone? I'll be talking about that in the future as well.

McIntosh argues that the first step is to acknowledge the "colossal unseen dimensions" or racial privilege: "The silences and denials surrounding privilege are the key political tool here. They keep the thinking about equality or equity incomplete...making these taboo subjects." Furthermore, a resistive collective consciousness, lifting up marginalized people, is necessary. But can it be done?

People need to not be afraid of talking about these issues, hashing out their confusion and exposing their inner fears and denials.

Especially since the next leader of our country will probably be a half-black man, the human race must tackle this issue head-on and stop sweeping things under the rug.

The invisible knapsack, part I

In my blog about offensive ethnic stereotypes in the media and entertainment industry, I briefly mentioned how Dave Chappelle "unpacked the knapsack of white privilege" on his show.

I've been thinking about this lately, after a discussion with Professor Calabrese. He was expressing concern that his Dominican students who read Peggy McIntosh's article White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, were in denial of the realities of this concept.

McIntosh describes white privilege as "an invisible package of unearned assets which I can count on cashing in each day, but about which I was "meant" to remain oblivious...[it's] special provisions."

She lists a number of conditions which whites take for granted and people of color cannot generally count on, including:

-I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
-I can turn on the TV or open the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
-I can swear, or dress in secondhand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.
-I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.
-I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.
-If a traffic cop pulls me over or the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven't been singled out because of my race.
-I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having co-workers on the job suspect I got it because of my race.
-I can chose blemish cover or bandages in "flesh" color and have them more or less match my skin.
-I can be sure that if I need legal or medical help, my race will not work against me.
-I can be pretty sure that an argument with a colleague of another race is more likely to jeopardize her/his chances for advancement than to jeopardize mine.
-I can worry about racism without being seen as self-interested or self-seeking.

Reflecting Calabrese's thoughts on how his students received (or didn't receive so well) the White Privilege article, it goes without saying that I agree and it's quite hard for many people to realize or accept.

I haven't experienced much blatant racism over the course of my life, but I do notice the undertones.
"You speak like a white girl!" [I speak the way I speak.]
"You're smart; you're not like those typical blacks." [Blacks aren't generally smart?]
"You're very articulate." [So are a lot of white college students; why is it a special commodity that I 'possess'?]
I do have to go to makeup specialty stores like Sephora or purchase Iman's line of cosmetics to find items that complement my skin tone.
I do have to "be on my best behavior" or "put forth my best efforts," lest someone pigeonholes and marginalizes me. And I'm sure many would agree.

In my interactions with people in Chicago where I currently live, many black people (mostly men) tell me, "I like your accent. You're not from here, are you?" Um, as far as I'm concerned, I am from here; I speak in my normal voice without putting up pretenses. I grew up in the suburbs, yes, but there are plenty of black people from Palatine who speak in the urban vernacular. There are plenty of white people from Palatine (and everywhere) who do as well.

So what gives? Why do people of a certain skin tone have to be lumped together? Why are "positive" characteristics attributed to "whiteness"? These are just a few of the many implications that people may not realize are serious issues.


"Many, perhaps most, of our white students in the U.S. think that racism doesn't affect them because they are not people of color," McIntosh writes. "They do not see "whiteness" as a racial identity." She argues that in order to combat disproportionate privilege, it has to be acknowledged. "Most talk by whites about equal opportunity seems to me now to be about equal opportunity to try to get into a position of dominance while denying that systems of dominance exist."


Thoughts?



buzzle.com

Ethnically offensive or pure entertainment?

Each week, Professor Ric Calabrese invites a guest to speak and discuss their culture and heritage with our Global Communications class. This evening, an international studies teacher spoke with us about her Italian roots. Throughout the discussion, the class asked questions, and one of possibly the most interesting inquiries came from Brian Hahn. "My international partner students are from Saudi Arabia," he explained, "and when I tell them I live in Cicero, they instantly think, 'Oh! That's where the Mob is, right? Gangsters and stuff?' So, what do you think of that TV show, The Sopranos, and its implications of Italians?"

Our guest responded that she adamantly disliked that show, "because it's like a cartoon. Every person on that show is a total character. You got the funny mob guy, the crazy mob guy, the mob guy's wife; the people are so extreme and it's all a joke. My brother works in Hollywood and he loves that show, but I don't."


newsday.com


Some students agreed that it was overly stereotypical; others insisted, "well it's entertainment and a brilliant show."

What do you think? I never watched that program, nor am I Italian, so I cannot speak on that matter.

Are there any television shows, movies, or other media forms that irritate or offend you and your personal culture that other people find hilarious?

I'm Zambian, and there are not many (if any) programs that particularly showcase African culture, but I can say that Eddie Murphy's Coming to America was ridiculous.


dvdtown.com

"Oh, but that's a hilarious movie!" You exclaim.

Well, my parents both have Zambian accents, and Eddie Murphy's rendition of a Zanzibar (or wherever the hell he was from) accent was weak and not believable. I speak in what most would consider a traditional Midwest American English accent (I wouldn't go so far as to call it Chicagoan, though), and I can do a WAY better African accent than Eddie Murphy was paid millions to do.



And sure, the concepts in the movie were a joke, but still perpetuated the silly stereotypes that non-Africans have about the continent and its diverse, rich countries and cultures. And no, Africans will not rejoice that they're rich if you give them a nickel.


I know many of the "prestigious" black American icons (Oprah, Bill Cosby) despised Dave Chappelle's show on Comedy Central. He played characters such as "Tyrone Biggums: Crackhead" ...


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...made fun of black people drinking generic Kool-Aid consisting of sugar, water and food coloring, "A lot of black people don't know about grape juice. Cause they had 'grape drink.' It's not the same formula. There ain't no vitamins in that stuff! What's juice? I want drink! Sugar, water, and of course, purple."


stuffhomieslike.blogspot.com

...and played off every stereotype one could think of. "You people? What you mean,'YOU PEOPLE?'"

I (still) love that show.

I don't think it has much to do with the fact that I am African, but I do like how I can relate to and understand the hilarity of black American life. He also unpacked the knapsack of white privilege in many of his sketches, portraying race relations as they are, for the most part, in America today. Also, it was a black man making the jokes, not Amos 'n' Andy.



Is there anything on TV or in the movies that annoys or offends you or your heritage?