The front in flux : examining the relationship between African American population and front-page news depictions

Abstract

This study attempts to determine whether newspapers reflect African American communities in areas where the minority group makes up half or more than half of the regional population by examining 462 stories and 327 images in 130 front-pages of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The research examined how African Americans in a metropolitan area with large populations are represented and depicted in front-page news spots. While African Americans appeared in total content at rates similar to that of their regional population, representations were commonly still stereotypical, depicting the group most as violent, untrustworthy or plagued with social issues. New frames for Blacks, such as being community involved, are emerging, but historically stereotypical depictions continue to appear regularly. Additionally, front-page coverage of African Americans was typically reserved for Black sources outside of the region, suggesting that "common Black people" are overlooked for those in the group with social prominence.