Crooked coverage: a study of (de)racialized texts in print media

Abstract

On top of the intense history of racism in America, recent research has shown the increasing importance of color-blind racism and its impact on our society. While many studies have shown that racism exists in the media, few have been able to explain how media providers institutionalize racism. Thus, while media outlets have been proven to display racist sentiments, few studies have shown how racism is operationalized (and executed) within a given media institution. The goal of this study is to explore the possibility of such practices. By taking a purposive sample of news articles from both the Columbia Daily Tribune and the New York Times, I conduct a content analysis to explore how these two newspapers treat race issues. Do journalistic models (such as the inverted pyramid style of reporting) function as injectors of racial bias? Additionally, what role do indirect racial codes have in coverage of race issues? Answers to these questions will yield important results in explaining whether or not media outlets institutionalize racism (and if so, how). Given the vast amount of research showing the immense effect media can have on public opinion, the understanding of how the media perpetuates racism is imperative to develop a comprehensive understanding of contemporary racism.