A Comparison of Black and White Representation in Crime Stories in Local Television News in Portland, Oregon

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Date

1995-12

Authors

Wasbotten, Thor Luther

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Abstract

This thesis analyzes the depictions of Whites and Blacks in crime stories in local television news in Portland, Oregon. Previous studies have concluded that television news reinforces "modern racism" by the way in which Blacks and Whites are shown in crime stories. This study analyzed two randomly constructed weeks in early 1994. Black suspects were shown more often in handcuffs and in jail uniforms, and each Black suspect depicted in a crime story was a suspect in a homicide. The results were divided into two categories to reflect the influence of the attach on skater Nancy Kerrigan, which dominated the local news because of the Tonya Harding connection.

Description

56 pages

Keywords

Racism, Local news, Crime

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