My Assumptions About the News Media
I really like listening to the News especially on CNN.I listen to the CNN News at least three times a day, my problem that hinders me to listen to the CNN News every day is the fact that I’ve so many academic assignments that I have to complete in time. Otherwise, had it not have been for my academic assignments, I would love to listen to the CNN News every day and night at least twice a day, 14 times a weak.
However, I like reading about international affairs such as: The Iraqi War, Conflicts in the Middle –East, Politics in Africa through the BBC and other African newspapers such as: the Post Newspaper from Zambia and the Independent Newspaper from Zimbabwe, Africa.
When it comes to “News media” and their coverage of race or gender or sexualities or disabilities, I often assume that most of the media firms especially in the United States prefer to cover white people and their businesses, white celebrities, white politicians because of the flame of racism rooted among many media owners. The news media disappoints me in the sense that they do not cover the poor society yet they (the media firms) are supposed to speak out on behalf of the poor, oppressed, voiceless, and defenseless communities and individuals.
The media should be covering every body equally regardless of race, gender or nationality, we are all equal, no race is more superior than the other.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Disability Issue
It makes me sad to realize that although the Disability Act has been executed by the US Congress, many public business houses such as schools, colleges, universities do not have enough or none of required standards to accommodate disabled people. My concern is, does any one really conduct investigations on whether the requirements for any public building or facility has accessible and has enough accommodation to cater for the disabled people? If the answer is, “Yes.” Then why do we see many disabled people still having problems in accessing into some business houses, getting a top managerial position, living a comfortable life, owning a successful business company like Bill Gates?
For example, according to the Society of Professional Journalists: “When the school district builds a new elementary school or when the downtown hotel renovates, ask, if the buildings comply with the federal law. Are they accessible to people with disabilities? In the after math of the September 11, 2001, tragedy, most reporters missed stories about the failure of buildings evacuation plans to include wheel chair users. In the 1994 California earthquakes, journalists didn’t report that disaster relief centers used inaccessible shelters and turned away deaf people due to lack of interpreters.” www.spj.org/dtb5.asp
There some organizations in the United States such as: The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, The American Association of People with Disabilities, United Cerebral Palsy Association and the National Association of the Deaf, to mention only a few. These organizations are supposed to speak out and act on behalf of the people with disabilities. My question is, “Do they do their jobs effectively? Or they just leave the problems to the society to fix them?”
Unfortunately, the society does not fix these problems, instead, the society only stereotypes many people with disabilities despite the fact that disability is inherent. You cannot run away from it, nor can you prevent it. There is no prevention for any inherent problem. The society and the government should do better to help the disabled people to succeed in life, education, commercial business ventures and so on and so forth. Unfortunately, the society seem not to pity disabled people, instead ,they stereotype people with disabilities, apparently, we are in the contemporary world which believes in the myth “Each one for himself but God for us all.”
For example, according to the Society of Professional Journalists: “When the school district builds a new elementary school or when the downtown hotel renovates, ask, if the buildings comply with the federal law. Are they accessible to people with disabilities? In the after math of the September 11, 2001, tragedy, most reporters missed stories about the failure of buildings evacuation plans to include wheel chair users. In the 1994 California earthquakes, journalists didn’t report that disaster relief centers used inaccessible shelters and turned away deaf people due to lack of interpreters.” www.spj.org/dtb5.asp
There some organizations in the United States such as: The Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, The American Association of People with Disabilities, United Cerebral Palsy Association and the National Association of the Deaf, to mention only a few. These organizations are supposed to speak out and act on behalf of the people with disabilities. My question is, “Do they do their jobs effectively? Or they just leave the problems to the society to fix them?”
Unfortunately, the society does not fix these problems, instead, the society only stereotypes many people with disabilities despite the fact that disability is inherent. You cannot run away from it, nor can you prevent it. There is no prevention for any inherent problem. The society and the government should do better to help the disabled people to succeed in life, education, commercial business ventures and so on and so forth. Unfortunately, the society seem not to pity disabled people, instead ,they stereotype people with disabilities, apparently, we are in the contemporary world which believes in the myth “Each one for himself but God for us all.”
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
RESEARCH PAPER--STEREOTYPE ORAL HISTORY REPORT
Nathaniel Tumbwe
Subject:
Race, Gender, and Media
Jour: 4250/Jour 52110
Professor:
Dr. Jacqueline J.Lambiase
September 20, 2007.
Research Paper-Stereotype Oral History Report
Introduction
I've been conducting research for the past one week in search of the kind of fashion for both men and women who lived in the 1966 in the United States. But getting the facts has not been easy. After conducting extensive research in the library at the University of North Texas, I came across the New York Times Newspaper dated September 21, 1966. I was intrigued by different kinds of fashions of clothes and hand bags that men and women used in the 1960s.
Interview
On Saturday September, 15, 2007, I went to a nursing home to interview Mr. Harry Edward, 90 years old. Mr. Edward welcomed me and gave me a sit. When I entered into his room, he glanced at me and smiled, and said: My son, welcome, the nurse has told me that you would like to learn history from me, right? I said, “yes, please." After greetings, I sat down and opened my briefcase, then I pulled out my note book and newspaper copies which I brought from the University of North Texas library.
I gave the newspaper copies to Mr. Edward who quickly started looking at the pictures in the newspapers. I said, “Mr. Edwards, can you imagine that out of ten newspapers which I read in the library none of them showed black images of the black race nor Spanish nor any other race other than the white race. Why?”
"Nathaniel, what you should know is that media companies were very much skeptical to advertise fashions portraying black or other race’s images other than the Caucasian race because of three reasons." Mr. Edward said. The three reasons are as follows:
Stereotype
"Prior to 1960 and during 1960's, all media companies were owned and ran by white businessmen. Hence, due to hatred against the black people, Caucasians didn't want to use black images in their business advertisements/magazines and newspapers, radio and televisions. There was so much prejudice, racial and radical stereotype perceptions. Caucasians used to look down upon the black people. When they (Caucasians) look at a black man or woman, they perceive him or her as “a slave.”
Racism
Most media station managers were white, and they believed that white people were superior than any other race. They are wrong, no race is more superior than other races. All races and individuals are created equally in the image of God. They believe that their products and services will be sold in big volume when they use images of white people in advertisements.
unfair to keep on advertising one race only. Why don't these media companies advertise fairly by advertising all races in the same manner? The correct answer is that race matters.
Conclusion
I chose to research on fashion so that I could make a comparison between the contemporary fashion and stereotype views and perceptions. When you look at most magazines today, you will see that there are many images of white people including celebrities, even when it comes to advertisement of fashion, clothes, etc, you will see that the majority of pictures in a magazines or newspapers, TVs are of white people. Why don't these media companies advertise fairly by advertising all races in the same manner? The correct answer is that race matters especially in a nation that practices racism, race can either do you good or harm you. Racists will judge you by your race not by what you say, nor your actions nor merit.
Subject:
Race, Gender, and Media
Jour: 4250/Jour 52110
Professor:
Dr. Jacqueline J.Lambiase
September 20, 2007.
Research Paper-Stereotype Oral History Report
Introduction
I've been conducting research for the past one week in search of the kind of fashion for both men and women who lived in the 1966 in the United States. But getting the facts has not been easy. After conducting extensive research in the library at the University of North Texas, I came across the New York Times Newspaper dated September 21, 1966. I was intrigued by different kinds of fashions of clothes and hand bags that men and women used in the 1960s.
Interview
On Saturday September, 15, 2007, I went to a nursing home to interview Mr. Harry Edward, 90 years old. Mr. Edward welcomed me and gave me a sit. When I entered into his room, he glanced at me and smiled, and said: My son, welcome, the nurse has told me that you would like to learn history from me, right? I said, “yes, please." After greetings, I sat down and opened my briefcase, then I pulled out my note book and newspaper copies which I brought from the University of North Texas library.
I gave the newspaper copies to Mr. Edward who quickly started looking at the pictures in the newspapers. I said, “Mr. Edwards, can you imagine that out of ten newspapers which I read in the library none of them showed black images of the black race nor Spanish nor any other race other than the white race. Why?”
"Nathaniel, what you should know is that media companies were very much skeptical to advertise fashions portraying black or other race’s images other than the Caucasian race because of three reasons." Mr. Edward said. The three reasons are as follows:
Stereotype
"Prior to 1960 and during 1960's, all media companies were owned and ran by white businessmen. Hence, due to hatred against the black people, Caucasians didn't want to use black images in their business advertisements/magazines and newspapers, radio and televisions. There was so much prejudice, racial and radical stereotype perceptions. Caucasians used to look down upon the black people. When they (Caucasians) look at a black man or woman, they perceive him or her as “a slave.”
Racism
Most media station managers were white, and they believed that white people were superior than any other race. They are wrong, no race is more superior than other races. All races and individuals are created equally in the image of God. They believe that their products and services will be sold in big volume when they use images of white people in advertisements.
unfair to keep on advertising one race only. Why don't these media companies advertise fairly by advertising all races in the same manner? The correct answer is that race matters.
Conclusion
I chose to research on fashion so that I could make a comparison between the contemporary fashion and stereotype views and perceptions. When you look at most magazines today, you will see that there are many images of white people including celebrities, even when it comes to advertisement of fashion, clothes, etc, you will see that the majority of pictures in a magazines or newspapers, TVs are of white people. Why don't these media companies advertise fairly by advertising all races in the same manner? The correct answer is that race matters especially in a nation that practices racism, race can either do you good or harm you. Racists will judge you by your race not by what you say, nor your actions nor merit.
Friday, September 7, 2007
Stereotyping
1. What's a good defination for stereotyping?
Answer:
A good defination for stereotyping is judging some one for what they look like and not
necessarily what they do or say.
For example.
A front page of a magazine may show a picture of a nude woman.The picture may convay wrong message to the reader or the public. The public may think that the nude woman on the front
page of the magazine is a prostitue; that's stereotyping.
2. If you think of the cover of the magazine showing a nude woman, how does it stereotype
women?
Answer:
It stereotypes women in the sense that many readers may judge women as "women are too lust for sex or prostitution."
3. How does it construct a male reader?
Answer:
The male reader usually get's so much attracted to women who stay nude or naked either on
pictures or physically in person. When a woman is nude or naked, the nude message constructs men's hormones to become sexually active at a terrific speed (approximately 120 miles per hour.)
Conclusion
Stereotyping is usually unfair because some people can be missunderstood to be what they aren't. Stereotyping can either do you good or harm you depending on who is judging you and what their interest is all about. No wonder many women have been raped because of stereotyping as a result of the way some women dress (nude, offensive and attracting sexual attention to men).
Recommendation
I recommend that all girls and women should dress properly and behave in a reasonable manner in order to reduce the high rate of rape cases.
Mind you, prevention is better than cure.
Author: N.T.
Answer:
A good defination for stereotyping is judging some one for what they look like and not
necessarily what they do or say.
For example.
A front page of a magazine may show a picture of a nude woman.The picture may convay wrong message to the reader or the public. The public may think that the nude woman on the front
page of the magazine is a prostitue; that's stereotyping.
2. If you think of the cover of the magazine showing a nude woman, how does it stereotype
women?
Answer:
It stereotypes women in the sense that many readers may judge women as "women are too lust for sex or prostitution."
3. How does it construct a male reader?
Answer:
The male reader usually get's so much attracted to women who stay nude or naked either on
pictures or physically in person. When a woman is nude or naked, the nude message constructs men's hormones to become sexually active at a terrific speed (approximately 120 miles per hour.)
Conclusion
Stereotyping is usually unfair because some people can be missunderstood to be what they aren't. Stereotyping can either do you good or harm you depending on who is judging you and what their interest is all about. No wonder many women have been raped because of stereotyping as a result of the way some women dress (nude, offensive and attracting sexual attention to men).
Recommendation
I recommend that all girls and women should dress properly and behave in a reasonable manner in order to reduce the high rate of rape cases.
Mind you, prevention is better than cure.
Author: N.T.
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