Blacks Don’t Feel News Covers Issues Relevant To Them

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

January 28, 2024

A new study by the Pew Research Center has revealed that 4 out of 10 Black Americans believe the news adequately covers issues important to them.

The majority of Black Americans believe that the news is not covering enough issues that are important to them. A new study has revealed that less than half of Black Americans think that news outlets are doing their job in speaking on topics specifically relevant to the community. 

The Pew Research Center unveiled their findings as only 4 out of 10 Black participants, from the sample of 4,752 in the study, expressed their approval in the news coverage. The majority of those surveyed were unhappy with the prioritization of news coverage seemingly away from their interests. 

This sentiment is felt across minority groups, with Asian and Hispanic participants having similar levels, 38% and 37%, respectively. However, their white counterparts are outliers in this group, with 54% of adults surveyed believing that the news represents the issues they care about most. This statistic is higher than that of the U.S. general population; the survey determined only 48% believe so.

Of the issues Black people are most invested in, health care and medicine ranks the highest, as 66% of individuals listed the topic as “extremely or very important.” However, regarding how accessible this information is, 62% determined that this topic is widely addressed in news media. However, this still leaves a nearly 40% margin of respondents who believe that information tailored to the Black community is not readily accessible.

Black surveyors wanted news outlets to dissect better topics such as the wealth gap and other economic issues, including housing and employment. Additional issues include crime, as well as criminal justice, but also stories that feature Black people in a more “positive light.” In a September 2023 study, 63% of Black respondents determined that the news surrounding their racial group is geared more toward the negative. Considering this perception on their  media portrayal, the inclusion of positive storytelling that dismantles stereotypes  is of heightened importance to the demographic.

With the general election well underway, these insights could determine what issues will be of primary focus for the candidates, particularly the Biden-Harris ticket, as they campaign for the Black electorate to turn out the vote a second time. 

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