Maynard Institute archives

In Poll, Americans Endorse Growing Diversity

by richard0531

Pew Finds Half View the Last 10 Years Negatively

Cable News, Reality Shows Not Seen as Positive

Robert Gibbs Rescues U.S. Media in Copenhagen

A "Stimulus" to Aid "Underrepresented" Journalists

Economy Voted Top News Story of 2009

King Magazine Relaunching as Quarterly

Disney’s "Princess" Called Allegory of New Orleans

Short Takes

An interactive map in the National Journal shows how "diversity is literally changing the complexion of the House of Representatives." (View map)

Pew Finds Half View the Last 10 Years Negatively

A majority of the public, 61 percent, says that the increasing racial and ethnic diversity in the United States has been a change for the better, according to poll results released Monday by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press.

The finding comes as newsroom diversity efforts seem to be at a standstill, and news sites in the new frontier – the Internet – seem to be placing little value on racially diverse staffs.

The same Pew poll shows the public divided about the effect of cable news talk and opinion shows, with only 34 percent saying they have been a change for the better; and split about acceptance of gays and lesbians. "Overall, 38% say this has been a change for the better, 28% a change for the worse and 28% say it has made no difference," the study said.

The study’s chief finding was that, "By roughly two-to-one, more say they have a generally negative (50%) rather than a generally positive (27%) impression of the past 10 years. This stands in stark contrast to the public’s recollection of other decades in the past half-century. When asked to look back on the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, positive feelings outweigh negative in all cases."

It continued: "Happy to put the 2000s behind them, most Americans are optimistic that the 2010s will be better. Nearly six-in-ten (59%) say they think the next decade will be better than the last for the country as a whole, though roughly a third (32%) think things will be worse.

"Clear majorities see cell phones, the internet and e-mail as changes for the better, and most also view specific changes such as handheld internet devices and online shopping as beneficial trends. There is greater division of opinion, however, over whether social networking sites or internet blogs have been changes for the better or changes for the worse."

On diversity, "25% say increasing diversity has not made much difference and only 9% say it has been a change for the worse. . . .

"Older people are less likely to believe that increased diversity has been a change for the better; about half (49%) of people ages 65 and older say this has been a change for the better compared with about two-thirds (66%) of those younger than 50. More college graduates (72%) than those with a high school education or less (54%) think increased diversity is a change for the better."

Census Bureau figures released last week estimated that in 2050, whites will no longer make up the majority of Americans.

Blacks will make up 12.2 percent, virtually unchanged from today. Hispanics, currently 15 percent of the population, will rise to 28 percent, and Asians are expected to increase from 4.4 percent to 6 percent. Hope Yen reported for the Associated Press.

A story by Ronald Brownstein Saturday in the National Journal used an interactive district-by-district map to illustrate the impact of the new demographic picture that will determine congressional seats.

"A National Journal analysis of new Census Bureau data has found that 205 members in the House – almost half of the chamber – represent districts in which minorities constitute at least 30 percent of the population," Brownstein wrote. "That’s nearly double the one-fourth of members who hailed from districts that diverse during the 1990s. This pervasive diversity is literally changing the House’s complexion, opening fresh fault lines both between and within the parties, and adding twists to their legislative and political competition.

" ‘We’re entering a new era which is being defined to a great degree by the incredible explosion of the nonwhite electorate and its distribution around the country,’ says Simon Rosenberg, president of NDN, a Democratic group that studies electoral trends. ‘The growth of this nonwhite population is creating a fundamentally new politics in the United States.’ "

Cable News, Reality Shows Not Seen as Positive

More college graduates — 43 percent — say cable news talk and opinion shows have been a change for the worse (PDF) than those with some college education (28 percent) or with a high school education or less (23 percent), according to poll results released Monday by the Pew Research Center for People and the Press.

"On balance, more Republicans say cable news talk and opinion shows have been a change for the better (40%) than worse (24%)," the survey said. "Democrats and independents are more divided with about the same percentages of each group viewing these shows positively and negatively.

"A plurality (44%) of those who get most national and international news from cable television news say that cable talk and opinion shows have been a change for the better, compared with 31% who get most of their news from network news. People whose main news source is cable news are also more likely than those who get most news from newspapers to say these shows have been a change for the better.

"The public overwhelmingly thinks that reality television shows have been a change for the worse; 63% say this compared with 22% who say they have not made much difference and only 8% who say they have been a change for the better. A plurality in all age groups says these shows have been a change for the worse. Even though a majority in all education groups says reality television shows have been a change for the worse; college graduates or those with some college education are more likely than those with a high school education or less to say they have been a change for the worse."

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said at climate talks in Copenhagen, "Hold on. I got to get my American guys in because everybody else got in." (Video)

Robert Gibbs Rescues U.S. Media in Copenhagen

"How bad were tensions between the U.S. and Chinese delegations in Copenhagen?" Frank James asked Friday on "The Two-Way," his National Public Radio blog.

"So bad that Chinese officials barred the U.S. media from a joint meeting between President Barack Obama and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabiao on Friday, forcing White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs to come to the American journalists’ rescue. He even threatened a walkout by the American delegation in the Chinese didn’t relent.

"According to a report from a U.S. print journalist serving as the rest of the American print media’s eyes and ears in the press pool, Chinese journalists pushed their way into the room past American journalists leaving little room for any other reporters and photographers (a metaphor for geopolitics and shifting economic fortunes, perhaps?)

"Gibbs is seen in a news video telling members of the Chinese premier’s retinue (it’s unclear if he’s talking to Chinese security or press aides) ‘Hold on. I got to get my American guys in because everybody else got in… My guys get in just like your guys get in.’

"There’s some cross talk and some pushing as the Chinese try to back the U.S. journalists out of the room. Then Gibbs can be heard saying: ‘This is a joint meeting. My guys get in or we’re leaving the meeting.’

"The U.S. journalists are allowed in and moments later, you can distinctly hear Gibbs tell the Chinese, ‘Don’t push my guys. Don’t push my guys. Don’t push them.’"

The summit ended Saturday with media reports varying on what was actually accomplished, with all sides spinning their positions.

A "Stimulus" to Aid "Underrepresented" Journalists

"The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Poynter Institute [have] announced a partnership designed to provide professional development to journalists and media leaders from underrepresented demographic groups in an effort to increase their effectiveness and presence in newsrooms," the Poynter Institute said on Monday. "The partnership calls for Knight to provide a grant of $50,000 to Poynter and individual grants of $20,000 to each of six journalism organizations to help fund scholarships to Poynter programs for more than 100 journalists.

"I see this grant as a stimulus to keep good journalists in the news business," said Karen Dunlap, Poynter president, in the release. "To survive and thrive, these journalists and media leaders need continued grounding in journalistic craft and values and new multimedia and entrepreneurial skills. This funding compliments Poynter’s ongoing scholarship campaign and its intent to provide access to training for as wide a range of journalists and media leaders as possible.’

"Dunlap noted that the current downsizing of America’s newsrooms has been particularly hard on journalists from underrepresented demographic groups ‚Äî the same people that news organizations had been slow to hire and promote when economic times were much better.

". . . The six journalism organizations scheduled to receive $20,000 grants as part of the program are: National Association of Black Journalists; National Association of Hispanic Journalists; Native American Journalists Association; Asian American Journalists Association; Journalism and Women Symposium; and National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association."

Economy Voted Top News Story of 2009

"The convoluted American economy ‚Äî restoring windfalls to a lucky few while leaving millions jobless and distraught ‚Äî was the top news story of 2009, followed closely by the inauguration of President Barack Obama, according to U.S. editors and news directors voting in The Associated Press’ annual poll, the AP reported on Monday.

"The economy, which has superseded other issues as Americans’ No. 1 concern, received 61 first-place votes out of 117 ballots cast for the top 10 stories. A related saga, the tribulations of the U.S. auto industry, was voted the No. 4 story."

Rounding out the top 10 were:

3. Health care; 5. Swine flu; 6. Afghanistan; 7. Michael Jackson dies; 8. Fort Hood rampage; 9. Edward Kennedy dies; and 10. "Miracle on Hudson."

The AP editors also voted on the
top entertainment stories of the year.

They were: 1. Jackson dies; 2. Susan Boyle becomes overnight sensation; 3. Swap of late-night television hosts: 4.Walter Cronkite dies; 5. David Letterman affair; 6. Chris Brown assaults Rihanna; 7. Kanye West "robs" Taylor Swift; 8. Live video explodes on the Web; 9. Kate and Jon Gosselin broadcast split; 10. Heath Ledger wins posthumous Oscar.

In an evaluation of this year’s news events, media writer David Carr of the New York Times wrote Sunday, "Mainstream media have been accused of pathologizing the African-American male, but ‚Äî let‚Äôs face it‚Äî three men who happened to be black moved a lot of units this year. Just try to imagine this past year in media without President Obama, Michael Jackson and Tiger Woods."

Shakur, who shows more of her body here, is one of the "Women of King."

King Magazine Relaunching as Quarterly

"KING magazine is back! The ‘Illest Men‚Äôs Magazine Ever’ is officially relaunching right on time for the holiday season," King’s sister magazine XXL announced Friday on its Web site.

Publisher Dennis S. Page said in March that after six years and 50 issues, "the worst economic conditions in 30 years" had forced the company to fold the publication.

XXL said "This incarnation, newly christened The Women of KING, has undergone a few changes. To whet the appetite of the brand’s devoted fans, the magazine will be released four times a year. More importantly, like the new title suggests, The Women of KING will focus on the beautiful women that populate hip-hop’s biggest videos as well as the entertainment and modeling industry, as it did before.

". . . In addition to the visuals, the collector¬?s issue also gives praise to some of KING‚Äôs biggest stories over its eight-year history, including must-reads on Jay-Z, Diddy, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, T.I., Dave Chappelle and President Barack Obama."

It said the winter issue would hit shelves on Dec. 24.

Page and other officials at Harris Publications were not available on Monday to answer questions.

The return was welcome news to Eric Easter, writing on ebonyjet.com.

"I know some people will decry this return, but I have to say KING gets points for never crossing the line between glorification of women and objectification," he wrote. "You may disagree with that but given some of the other choices out there that fall over that line (i.e Black Men magazine), at least one magazine that celebrates the beauty of Black women in a way that men appreciate has a place in the market."

"The Princess and the Frog" took in $12.2 million at the box office over the weekend.

Disney’s "Princess" Called Allegory of New Orleans

While the calling card of Disney’s "The Princess and the Frog" is that it is the first Disney film with an African American princess, writer Melissa Harris-Lacewell sees the film as an allegory about New Orleans.

Writing in the Nation, Harris-Lacewell said Sunday, "The lesson of the allegory is clear. The corrupt political establishment that makes false promises, and pursues personal wealth, must be defeated by the hardworking, big-dreaming people of New Orleans. Tiana forms a multiracial coalition . . . she builds strong ties with her rural neighbors, and she inspires a casual visitor to invest his life and labor in the city. Tiana’s story shows that the talent, drive, and love necessary to rebuild the city are already present in the people of New Orleans.

". . . The Princess and the Frog is a love story. It is the story of a city I love. A city that can yet be saved with investment in local talent and coalitions across lines of differences."

Harris-Lacewell adds an author’s note: "I’ve kissed my own frog prince and I am currently supporting my partner, James Perry, in his mayoral campaign in New Orleans."

The film was the weekend’s top grosser in its debut, but fell to second place this past weekend with the release of James Cameron’s science-fiction epic "Avatar," TV Guide reported.

Short Takes

  • "The Tom Joyner Morning Show" will talk with President Obama on Tuesday 8:35 a.m. Eastern time, the syndicated radio show announced on Monday. The audio and a transcript of the interview will be available at BlackAmericaWeb.com¬†immediately following the discussion, it said. On Monday, Obama was interviewed by April D. Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks. [In the 20-minute interview with Joyner, Obama said one in five African Americans does not have health care; that like many African Americans, "It’s not that Michelle and I don’t have relatives" hurting and unemployed because of the economy, and he urged that young people, particularly, be vaccinated for the H1N1 virus. When Joyner noted that some of his cable-news critics were eating and drinking at the White House holiday party, Obama said he and Michelle Obama "try to kill ’em with kindness. These guys are fundamentally are entertainers." Urging civility, he said, "Everybody’s an American; I’ve got the birth certificate to prove it." The interview followed a commentary by Jeff Johnson blasting the health care reform legislation in Congress as having been gutted, saying Obama shares blame.]
  • "The agents behind NFL prospect and Rhodes scholar Myron Rolle hope their strategy of shaping him as an ‘enlightened warrior’ will earn him corporate deals. But is the scholar-athlete image a marketable one?" Lee Hawkins of the Wall Street Journal addresses the question with a video story¬†on the Journal’s Web site, posted Monday.
  • "Fox4 anchor Baron James, his contract not renewed, has left the station a month earlier than previously planned," Ed Bark wrote Monday on his blog about Dallas-Fort Worth television. "James, who had been with the Dallas-based station for a decade, said his final goodbyes on Friday’s 10 p.m. newscast. His last day initially was set for Jan. 17th, according to a station spokesperson who confirmed James’ departure late last month."
  • An editorial Sunday in the Toledo (Ohio) Blade urged a presidential pardon¬†for the world’s first black heavyweight champion, Jack Johnson, who died in 1946. "Racism, not the law, was the obvious motivation" behind Johnson’s conviction on charges that he violated the Mann Act by taking a white woman across state lines for "immoral purposes," the editorial said.
  • Rihanna fronts January issue."GQ magazine hopes to make a splash with its January edition which features Rihanna, the young Barbadian reggae singer turned hot U.S. dance-pop contemporary-R&B singer, topless on the cover," the Afro newspapers reported over the weekend. Rihanna, 21, grabs her crotch in a photo spread¬†and says in an interview with Lisa DePaulo that she discusses the issue of domestic violence and violence against women because "she did not want high school girls to accept abuse from the men in their lives."
  • The Newhouse School at Syracuse University is accepting nominations for the fourth annual Mirror Awards honoring excellence in media industry reporting. The nomination deadline is Feb. 10.
  • "The FCC’s Media Bureau today announced it will hold its next media ownership workshop¬†on Jan. 12, 2010, at 9 a.m. as part of the FCC 2010 quadrennial review proceeding," TV NewsCheck reported on Friday. "The workshop will focus on the current financial and economic conditions and marketplace factors affecting the media industry and how the FCC should take these into account as it conducts its review process."
  • "The Cambodian media are ‘still a very male-dominated industry,’ says Cambodia’s English-language daily ‘The Phnom Penh Post’ editor-in-chief Seth Meixner," reports a piece by Lynette Lee Corporal for Inter Press Service. "Cambodia’s media organisations are a ‘battleground’ for old ways and new approaches when it comes to gender," she wrote.
  • "Foreign journalists covering Africa often get criticized for their focus on negative news about the continent. Although this is generally true, in some countries they are the only hope for exposing human rights violations," Alemayehu G. Mariam wrote Sunday for New America Media, speaking of Ethiopia.

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