Your personal bias can creep into any story. Even unintentionally, you can frame information by focusing on one aspect of any situation. Reporters frame information by the questions they choose to ask or not ask, the sources they choose to contact or not contact, the information they choose to use or not use, all of this before they even write or tape the story. You must consider your own background, upbringing, religion, sexual preference, gender, education, race, ethnicity and so on when covering any story. Being aware of a problem is the first step to solving the problem, i.e. awareness of your potential biases will help you make stories that are fair, balanced and accurate. If writing a story about a different religion, make sure you understand what their observances mean before you write, e.g. just because a Muslim woman wears a head scarf does not necessarily mean she is repressed. When focusing on someone with a disability, make sure not to add drama to the story and thus send a message of pity to the readers. WRITING ABOUT SEXUAL ORIENTATION Be careful when writing about or interviewing people with a different sexual orientation than yours, i.e. make sure your personal preferences don't creep into the story. An even bigger problem comes from omitting coverage of gay and lesbian issues. Typically media sensationalize stories about gay issues, such as the murder of Utah student Mathew Shepard, the "coming out" of Ellen Degeneres or Rosie O'Donnell's same-sex marriage to Kelli Carpenter. But media don't focus on stories from local gay and lesbian communities. The New York Times tried to counter this problem by printing same-sex marriages in the same spot as traditional marriage announcements. THE POWER OF WORDS Words define groups, so be careful with the terminology you use. Instead of being concerned about your own beliefs or using terms sources provide that may be out of style, check what the AP Stylebook says to use as it's clear on what's acceptable, e.g. the stylebook clearly states not to use terms such as handicapped, wheelchair-bound or confined to a wheelchair. For terms not covered by the AP Stylebook, go to the National Center on Disability and Journalism's online style guide at www.ncdj.org. In regard to ethnic terms, NEVER use redskin in regard to Native Americans; it's the equivalent of the N-word hated by blacks (also an AP term). Look up the following groups to check AP style: African-Americans, Asians, etc. Terms also apply to socioeconomic classes and poverty. Media are often criticized for not writing about poverty in the United States since most journalists are primarily middle and upper middle class. Poverty stories demand in-depth reporting on issues such as public housing, public health and the welfare system. In 2002, nearly 33 million Americans were classified below the poverty line, while more fell into the category of "working poor," meaning they were in the labor force at least 27 weeks in a year. While hunger and homelessness provide visual aspects of poverty, media typically only focus on them during the holidays. Some stories might reveal an underlying prejudice against lower-income residents, e.g. the community that changed a neighborhood covenant to prohibit toys left in the yard and requiring homeowners to keep hedges trimmed and yards mowed. What does this tell you about their prejudice? We should consider media ethicist Louis Day's six sets of individual or group interests that often conflict:
In short, do a personal attitude check before beginning a story on an unknown or controversial topic. The more you try to understand a topic and the people involved, the more likely you'll write a fair and balanced story.
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©Ronald W. Sitton 2009 |
