SJSU panel addresses media’s treatment of minorities

How can American media coverage of ethnic groups and minorities be more honest and responsible during times of crisis?

San Jose State University's School of Journalism and Mass Communications recently posed the question to a panel of three journalists and two community leaders.

"There has been carelessness on both sides and an intense rush to get the story out, which often distorts reality," said Jonathan Bernstein, referring to coverage of the conflict between the Palestinians and Jews in the Middle East.

As an example, the Central Pacific regional director of the Anti-Defamation League cited a recent Associated Press photo that ran in the New York Times. According to the caption, it showed "an Israeli soldier standing over a Palestinian," he said. But it turns out that the soldier was actually standing over an American Jewish student studying in Israel, not an Israeli.

"There has been sloppiness with the electronic media, quick news stories and a lot of mistakes made," said Bernstein, talking to an audience of about 100 in SJSU's Engineering Building.

The discussion took place in conjunction with an experimental fall semester course titled "The Press, The Camps and World War II" taught by Professor Harvey Gotliffe.

Even when reporters are careful about obtaining information and editors are meticulous about printing the facts, readers are quick to point out what they perceive to be a newspaper's lack of balance.

According to Rob Elder, San Jose Mercury News vice president and editor, "Any time we print anything about the Palestinians, we receive high amounts of e-mail from the Jews and vice versa. We are descended on in force by well-organized groups."

Newsweek correspondent and San Francisco bureau chief Brad Stone said, "We need to hear from both sides and report the facts. During times of conflict we become tools of the government."

Time magazine correspondent and San Francisco bureau chief Chris Taylor, agreed.

"When events are controlled by the government, one can only go along with facts you are given. It means limited access information," he said. "It is easy to slip into stereotypes and forget principles, especially when you have a tight deadline."

Coverage of minorities even in normal times is weak, according to community leader and former Japanese American internee, Jimi Yamaichi. "The mayor of Okinawa, San Jose's sister city, visited here, but there was no real media coverage."

To improve such coverage, panelists suggested that both news and community leaders should establish a communication base with various minorities by reaching out to them in non-crisis times.

"Getting to know a community ahead of time is the best way to sensitize media in reporting to a diverse audience," said Bernstein. At the ADL office in San Francisco, he said, "we do editorial briefings about meetings and make a point of getting to know people in the media."

Added Taylor: "Get to know people on your beat, and meet them in human situations. There is no substitute for getting your own information."

And Elder said: "The United States is a big place, and it is important not to generalize... We are a mix of people and have to get along."

Another suggestion was for news organizations to hire staff members from minority communities.

"It is important to have diversity in the newsroom," said Stone. "Employment is the key."

Taylor agreed. "Each ethnic group thinks differently because of its experiences and background," he said. "It helps to have staff that identifies with a group."