Facts About News Coverage of Black Americans and Media Perception

Recent studies by the Pew Research Center shed light on Black Americans' sentiments regarding news media coverage concerning their community. The survey illuminates several concerns and disparities in perceptions between racial groups regarding biased or insensitive reporting.

One significant finding indicates that approximately 39% of Black Americans frequently encounter or hear news coverage that they deem racist or racially insensitive, with an additional 41% occasionally encountering such content. In contrast, significantly lower percentages of other racial and ethnic groups reported encountering such coverage. While 21% of White Americans often witness such content, roughly 30% of Asian and Hispanic adults do.

A notable discrepancy emerges in the survey concerning political affiliations. The data shows that Democrats and individuals leaning towards the Democratic party, in general, are more inclined to acknowledge racially problematic news coverage concerning Black individuals than their Republican counterparts. Approximately 74% of Democrats admit to encountering such coverage at least sometimes, compared to 43% of Republicans.

This partisan divide extends within racial and ethnic groups, with White and Hispanic Democrats expressing more concern over the coverage than their Republican counterparts. Similarly, while a higher percentage of Black Democrats acknowledge such coverage compared to Black Republicans, the divide is not as stark, with majorities in both parties acknowledging the issue.

Moreover, the survey explores preferences regarding the demographic traits of journalists. It reveals that while a majority of respondents across racial and ethnic groups don't prioritize journalists sharing their political opinions, religious views, or demographic traits, Black Americans show a higher inclination towards wanting journalists of the same race or ethnicity. Around 41% of Black adults find it somewhat important that journalists align in terms of race or ethnicity, a view that contrasts starkly with the 5% of White Americans and relatively lower percentages of Asian and Hispanic Americans who share the sentiment.

However, despite this inclination, a majority of Black Americans (58%) don't find it crucial to receive news specifically from Black journalists. Instead, they emphasize other factors influencing their trust in news stories, such as the sources cited and multiple outlets reporting the same story.

Interestingly, the survey notes that among Black Americans, those who frequently encounter racially problematic news coverage show a stronger inclination towards valuing journalists sharing similar characteristics. For instance, half of Black Americans frequently exposed to such content find it important that journalists share their race or ethnicity, compared to only a quarter of those less exposed to this type of news.