The media needs to be a bit more sensitive.

Here's a youtube video that I ran across a couple of days ago. Take a look at it and then we'll discuss it further.



After I saw this news report several questions came to mind. First were African Americans the only customers that were questioned by this news affiliate? Second, was this really a news story? And finally, who made the decision to air this story?

To me it's highly insensitive and plays up on stereotypes in the African American community. As a journalist I have to tell you, that I have been in situations similar to this before. Often times as a reporter we'll hop onto a story and we'll think that it's great, but we won't realize how it can be insensitive to some minority groups.

A few years back, I was working on a story about a young man who was killed on a long stretch of dirt road that was famous for murders. The headline the editor wrote above the story read trail of tears. Immediately, I was flooded with calls from the Native American Community in the area. They pointed out that this headline was insensitive and was a slap in the face to what Native Americans went through during the actual Trail of Tears. Looking back at the situation I have to agree - it was.

Here's the thing about this story. What broadcast media needs to realize, is that not everyone has the stage presence to give a coherent or a dignified interview. The normal person just doesn't have that training, so when they speak you get raw unfiltered emotion.

You see this in some of the comments in this Chicken story. People are obviously upset about the issue. But is it really that desperate of a situation. While they might not be able to get as good a deal, can't they just go to another restaurant and get some fastfood for their family?

Looking at what was presented by this story I would have to say no. If you are to take this story on its merits, the only people that frequent Popeye's are African Americans who are desperate to get a good deal just so they can feed their family. Now I don't believe this to be the case at all. I believe the clientele is a bit more mixed. But you're not seeing that being represented in this news report.

Instead you see one African American after another being interviewed, with a comment that is more outrageous than the last. It's sad, but this speaks volume of the regard that some (not all) news stations have for minorities. Everyone in the media needs to clean up its act - and realize that we can be a bit insensitive, and sources aren't caricatures that can give a stereotypical comment.