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2020年9月13日讀畢需時 2 分鐘

Blog3:Bias and Objectivity-What is Bias of Poverty in Media?

已更新：2020年9月20日

In the first and second week, I talked about the bias related to gender and racial issues in media coverage. We need to be aware of the racial bias in media coverage, and also be conscious of gender inequality in the field of media, which are two important aspects related to bias in media coverage. In my opinion, we should have a profound understanding of different marginalized groups in this society when it comes to bias and objectivity of news stories. Poor journalism usually reinforces the stereotype of marginalized groups and makes the situations of underprivileged people worse.


In the third week, I am going to focus on the bias of poor people in media coverage.

In the first place, we still need to discuss the scant reporting related to poverty. Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting, a progressive media watchdog group, conduct research on eight news outlet, including CBS Evening News, ABC World News, NBC Nightly News, PBS NewsHour, NPR’s All Things Considered, the print editions of the New York Times, Washington Post and Newsweek.

According to the research during the 2012 election, there are not many campaign stories related to poverty. ABC World News, NBC Nightly News, NPR’s All Things Considered and Newsweek even had no campaign stories substantively discussing poverty issues.

Besides the lack of stories covering poverty, poor people are usually described as lazy people and welfare fraud in news coverage, which makes lives worse for poor people. Without thorough research on the sources in poverty, it is likely that news organizations come up with irresponsible coverage, with exaggeration description on poor people’s defects of character. The misconception will justify the public’s dislike of the poor.

What’s more, journalists tend to make a connection between certain races with poverty. According to a study conducted by Travis Dixon, a professor of communication at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, black families represent 59% of the poor in media but make up only 27% of the poor. In terms of poverty, black Americans are usually overrepresented by news stories, while white people are underrepresented.




At last, I want to talk about this issue from my own experience. I once covered a story related to a new project by the Columbia Housing Authority. I had a chance to go to interview people assisted by the housing program of the housing authority. They make low incomes. But that does not mean that they are lazy. After talking with them, I have a greater understanding of their situation. Many of them are very friendly and talkative, quite different from what poor people have been described in the media. They also work very hard to survive in society, but they encounter a variety of challenges. Some of them have too many children to take care of, others do not have a good command of English. All of the difficulties make it hard for them to make a good living. Therefore, we should not make a judgment about a certain group of people based on stereotypes. Only when we talk with them can we develop deeper insights into their troubles and conduct stories with less bias.


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2020年9月6日讀畢需時 3 分鐘

Blog2: Bias and Objectivity-Take a Look at the Problems of Gender Equality in Journalism

已更新：2020年9月20日

Gender equality has become a popular issue in various fields. As the United Nations points out in its website, “Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential.” It is important for women to gain equal right and opportunity. However, there are still problems and challenges in promoting gender equality in different areas. Today, we are going to look at gender issues in the news media. Gender inequality in news media may result in biased news stories and thus cause damage to the news objectivity. Biased news stories may also have the power to reinforce the stereotypes of women in society.


In the first place, I want to talk about the gender gap in news production. According to the 2019 report in Women’s Media Center, male reporters create 69% of news wire bylines (AP and Reuters). In addition, 63 % of TV prime-time news broadcasts feature male anchors and correspondents, while 37 % feature women. Male journalists are responsible for 60 % of online news, while 40 % are written by women. Male journalists are responsible for 59 % of print news, while 41 % are written by women.




When it comes to women of color, the situation may be worse. One of the NPR stories presents that women of color represent just 7.95 % of U.S. print newsroom staff, 6.2 % of local radio staff and 12.6 % of the local TV news staff.


In terms of salary, studies also show that male reporters earn more than female reporters. Considering The New York Times, the salaries of women in the news organization are around 7% less than men’s salaries, according to its demographic study in 2016.



As a journalism student, the statistics above challenge my assumption to some extent. I have studied journalism for around three years, and what I have found is that there are more female journalism students more than male journalism students. Studies also show that women comprise more than two-thirds of graduates with degrees in journalism or mass communications each year.


So, what factors lead to a lower percentage of women in the news industry?


After thorough research, I summarize two main barriers.


One barrier is the institutional discrimination of women in the workplace. Institutional discrimination means discriminatory policies and practices favorable to a dominant group and unfavorable to another group that is systematically embedded in the existing structure of society in the form of norms, according to the Open Education Sociology Dictionary.


Institutional discrimination makes people hold the stereotype that women may not be competent as men, which leads to fewer opportunities for women to achieve career goals.

For instance, Diamaris Martino, a reporter at CBS Chicago, said in the article by 14 East that people lack trust in woman reporters.


“I watch a lot of Latino news and men are always reporting in foreign countries because executives think it is safer if a man goes,” she said.


What’s more, women may require more time for taking care of their families than men even if in modern society. For women with children, it is common that they have to strike a balance between families and jobs. Journalistic work requires lots of commitment, which creates challenges and difficulties for female journalists who have families. To view this issue from a different angle, this phenomenon also reflects another implicit bias in this society towards women---women should spare more time than men on families. Females are still stuck in a fixed role in the family despite long-term struggles.


There are benefits of promoting gender equality in the news media. More female reporters can result in more female voices in this society. Female reporters are likely to be more sensitive than male reporters about certain topics. For example, two female investigative reporters, Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohev played a significant role in igniting the #MeToo movement. What is more, women reporters can also contribute to addressing sexism and misogyny in various fields, especially in political news and sports news.


Thus, we should all take gender issues in the news media seriously and start to make a change. The public need to reflect on and break down the bias and stereotype towards the female in this society. For senior managers in the newsroom, they should increase their awareness of including more voices from female and give female reporters equal chances. For female journalists themselves, they should improve their ability and grasp every opportunity to display their talent and strength.


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2020年8月30日讀畢需時 3 分鐘

Blog1: Bias and Objectivity-How to Reduce Racial Bias on Campus Through Media Coverage

已更新：2020年9月6日

After reviewing all of the learning materials for the first week, I am inspired by the podcast created by MU alumni, “Black at Mizzou.” This is an in-depth audio story that provides us a lot of insights into the black students’ experience on campus. The United States is a melting pot, and a university is a place where many students of color further their studies. For news stories related to higher education, we need to include voices of students of color and apply the appropriate method to cover them, which can contribute to the diversity, equity, and inclusion in journalism.

Include students of color in your story

According to the survey from the American Council on Education, white students still are the largest group in 2015-2016. The percentages of Asian, Hispanic, and Black students have increased.

Screenshot by Clivia Liang


According to the Missourian’s article in 2015, there are more than 13,000 international students in Missouri colleges and universities. And students from China, India, and South Korea account for around half of the enrollment.

Even though the percentage of students of color has increased over the years, they are still a minority group on campus. Journalists need to be aware of including voices from students of color throughout the news production process. This means that we should not only seek for chances to pitch stories related to this community but also interview them as important sources in every story.

There are some tips to help journalists find sources of different races on campus. First, we can make use of social media. Clearly state your purpose of finding students of color for your story in written words. Then post the media request on Facebook or Twitter. Second, go to the university’s website to find organizations or associations of certain groups of students. Take MU for instance, we can find the contact information of the African Student Association at MU Engage.

Increase the understanding of students of color

Students of color are likely to have a different experience from white students on campus. They may experience discrimination and prejudice on campus. According to a survey conducted by World Education Survey in 2016, sub-Saharan African, Middle Eastern, and North African students and Chinese students were most likely to regard discrimination as the biggest challenge.


Even though students who have the same race may have different experiences and have different attitudes towards the same issue. Journalists should not assume anything before interviewing their sources. To understand the racial issue better, we need to do enough research ahead of time.


Firstly, we need to be aware of the related resources on campus, consulting staff at different centers to get access to effective information.


The Black Culture Center

Division of Inclusion & Diversity and Equity

Cambio Center



Photo by Clivia Liang


Photo by Clivia Liang


Secondly, we can find information from previous news stories conducted by local news organizations. By reading related news, we can have a better grasp of racial issues in this community.


Thirdly, apart from understanding students of color on campus, we also need to view racism from a broader perspective, which requires us to look at excellent examples around the country. Thus, I recommend journalists keep updated on works honored by the Paul Tobenkin Memorial Award. The award honors outstanding reporting on racial, ethnic, or religious discrimination.

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