In the case study for the week, we are tasked with watching the documentary “13th” and address how the film addresses the media’s portrayal of racism.
The documentary “13th” addresses many events, laws, bills in America dating back to 1865 with the introduction of the 13th amendment. From the documentary, we learn that although the amendment fixed one problem, another instantly appeared concerning criminals’ punishment.
What impressed me the most about the documentary was that it took a look at both sides of the aisle, from showing the media’s perspective and why they felt it worthy of demonizing a whole race. While also giving us pivotal insights from not only liberal experts but conservative experts like Newt Gingrich.
The media is a reflection of the current society. The documentary shows that the media has played a part in misrepresenting and encouraging anti-black racism since the very beginning. It Starts from the film “The Birth of a Nation,” which depicts the Black man as someone strong and likely to commit sexual crimes. Films like these and many other “trusted” news networks participating in spreading this sort of propaganda make it easy to understand why people like Hilary Clinton (who some look up to today) could easily call Black people like the central park five. “Super-Predators”.
The film made it somewhat clear the circumstances behind the central park five case, which I am sure anyone who lived during that time period could have easily believed that those five kids committed the crime.
Why did prominent figures like Donald Trump have to take out a full-page AD pushing for the death penalty of these young men? Why was there so much hate towards these boys? The Media.
For all of us today, we are privileged with having a broader perspective on this case and the effect of media in our everyday lives. I confidently believe that most people, though not all, if put in Trump’s shoe, would make the same decision; why? Media is not only a reflection of the current society but also influences society; it goes both ways. So if media does not operate with the correct ethics of care, then misinformation combined with propaganda wills spread. Calling an entire race “Super Predator” not only demeans them but breaks one of the essential rules for journalism, which is “the goal of the institution of mainstream journalism, [is that it is] purely epistemic, [and] in the service of a democratic society” (Pech&Liebel , 2006).
With all of this said and done, how can the media address anti-black racism in America going forward that puts one out of four African Americans in prison? The media must first acknowledge their role in all of this and, subsequently, try and address any instances of subtle racism that it shows. Whether it be changing hiring practices or changing the number of crimes reported caused by African Americans, something can be done in order to curb the incarceration rate.
Works Cited:
Averick, S., Barish, H., & DuVernay, A. (2016). 13th [Motion Picture]. United States of America: Kandoo Films.
Pech, G., & Leibel, R. (2006). Writing in Solidarity: Steps Toward an Ethic of Care for Journalism. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 21(2), 141–155. doi:10.1207/s15327728jmme2102&3_4
