Forum looks at race and media

As part of Unity Week, the United Minorities Council sponsored a forum on minorities in the media Wednesday night. Action News reporter Kristin Sze, Philadelphia Inquirer Metro Copy Editor Amy Wang and Lynne Edwards, a doctoral candidate at the Annenberg School for Communication, participated in the forum. After moving the event from Steinberg-Dietrich Hall to the informal atmosphere of the Albert Greenfield Intercultural Center, the evening's agenda shifted from a panel to an exchange of experiences and ideas -- "an opportunity to bounce ideas off each other," Sze said. Both Wang and Sze said opportunities abound for minorities in the media. "Being a minority can actually be an asset," said Wang. "The Inquirer now has a hiring quota. Fifty percent [of newly hired employees] must be minorities or women." Minority reporters are an asset to any staff because they add a diversity of perspective, Sze said. "A reporter's job is not to advocate," she added. "But as a reporter, I remember that there is a minority voice to be heard." While more opportunities in the media emerge for minorities, less students are preparing to take these positions, Wang said, attributing this to a lack of role models in the media today. UMC Chairperson Liz Melendez, who organized the workshop, said Latinos are often slipped under the rug in the media. "At least African-American and Asian-Americans have a glimmer of hope from TV shows," the College senior said. "With the Latino community, if there is representation, it is negative." Sze said television sitcoms frequently use stereotypes to represent minority characters. "The new show 'All American Girl' relies on ethnic stereotypes for laughs," said Sze. "But the show is a great opportunity because it makes an Asian-American girl real." Wang responded that while she is offended by the show, "it was incredible to see people who look like [her] on TV." Sze said the media has no overarching agenda in its coverage. "We are not more likely to cover a crime committed by a black person than one committed by a white person," she said. Edwards said that while many viewers don't like the amount of violence in their nightly news, crime is easy to cover. "If you expect a newspaper to get out with efficiency, reporters must use crime stories," Edwards said. "This is intentional in a capitalistic sense." Edwards said this concern is a big issue in journalism -- whether a newspaper reflects a community or changes it through sensationalism.