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Thursday, March 28, 2024
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BERATING WON'T BRING DIVERSITY TO NEWS MEDIA

Enough is enough. Let's get beyond the trash talk and use the Senate "media contract" money (the people's money) to make a really profound and lasting effect on local journalism and mass communications.
The speakers and organizers of the now-infamous "press conference" that unfortunately turned out to be a media-thrashing event should have known better than to engage in a tirade of that nature. The ugly words hurled at the members of the media were pointless, and they could potentially have detrimental effects on the economic development and progress of this community.
Such name-calling creates bitterness and needless divisions among people. Who would want to live and do business in a racially and ethnically divided community? Furthermore, that kind of behavior coming from community leaders could motivate sick minds to commit horrendous acts like the ones perpetrated in the early '70 that severely hampered the progress and development of these islands.
If these leaders are sincere (which I tend to believe they are) about the real issues of quality reporting, access to media, cost of radio air time, freedom of speech and low participation of minorities in the media, the matter could have been handled much differently and more constructively.
Throughout the communications and journalism profession, many projects are under way to increase the presence of minorities and the coverage of minority communities. Perhaps it's time to try some of these approaches to improve the caliber and the diversity of the local media.
What could be done to change things
Now, if by chance the "media contract" money is returned or recaptured after the Attorney General's Office investigates the details of the unusual sole-source transaction, or if the ethical sensibilities of these conscientious leaders propel them to return the funds, here are several other options for using the people's money to make a lasting impact on local journalism:
– Conduct a series of workshops to encourage local students to pursue careers in the news media, communications, advertising and marketing. During Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, invite national news professionals such as Bernard Shaw of CNN, Juan Williams of NPR, Charlayne Hunter-Gault of PBS, Lynda Baquero of NBC, John Quiñones of ABC or Tavis Smiley from BET to be the presenters. Exposure to these journalists and media personalities, who have added new substance and complexion to U.S. newsrooms, would certainly inspire many of our young people to pursue careers in these lucrative and prestigious fields.
– Pass legislation to allocate seed money to create a media institute or communications program at the University of the Virgin Islands. UVI could then pursue additional dollars to launch a significant program of journalism study. A well-planned journalism institute or program would allow students with an interest in these fields to take courses in news writing, editing, investigative reporting, telecommunications, electronic mass media, information technology, telecommunications policy, public relations, marketing, advertising and related subjects.
– Create journalism and communications programs at the high school level. Use the money to hire journalism and communications teachers.
– Sponsor or conduct an annual conference on politics, ethics, accountability and media responsibility. Invite representatives from the Federal Communications Commission and from Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR), a national media watchdog group which has been offering well-documented criticism of media bias and censorship since 1986. FAIR works to invigorate the First Amendment by advocating for greater diversity in the news media and by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints.
– In conjunction with the federal government and the university, sponsor or conduct ongoing compliance assistance workshops or seminars on FCC requirements for local broadcast stations and interested officials. Apparently there are rampant violations of technical and other requirements in the local broadcast media.
– Sponsor a major conference on minority media ownership and management. Black and Hispanic journalists may flock to such a useful event here in the V.I. The issues of ownership, management and control of the media are of major concern, not only here, but on the mainland. Just recently, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) under the U.S. Commerce Department conducted an unprecedented nationwide survey of more than 195 minority media owners as part of an effort to help reverse a decline in minority commercial radio and television ownership and preserve diversity in the nation's rapidly changing broadcast industry.
According to a news release from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the NTIA study found that the number of television stations owned by Hispanics and other people of color decreased between 1998 and 2000 while the number of radio stations with such ownership increased.
Overall, people of color own 3.8 percent of all U.S. broadcast stations. The study found that the number of full-power television stations owned by Latinos decreased from six in 1998 to one in 2000, while overall the number of full-power stations increased from 130 to 187. Overall, Hispanics own 0.1 percent of all television stations and 1.8 percent of all radio stations. People of color owned 23 fewer television stations in 2000 than in 1998, but 121 more radio stations. They owned 1.9 percent of all TV stations and 4 percent of all radio stations.
(While the picture on minority ownership is quite disappointing on the U.S. mainland, minority ownership and participation in management of radio and communications outlets is healthier here than in most places.)
– Provide journalism and communication scholarships for local students. This has always proven to be an effective way to increase the presence of people of color in every profession. And, by the way, include local Hispanic students also. Hispanics are underrepresented in virtually all of the local media.
It's not just a local problem
At the national level, the low participation of minorities in journalism and communications is scandalous. However, there are major efforts afoot to improve matters. According to a news release from the NAACP in January of 2000, NCAAP president Kweisi Mfume and ABC-TV network president Patricia D. Fili-Kruschell announced an agreement to adopt a series of initiatives to increase opportunities for people of color in all network operations.
Lately, the Citizen Education Fund's Media and Telecommunications Project has also been encouraging diversification and democratization of the instruments of communications in the United States and globally. Its purpose is to expand minority participation in employment and ownership opportunities in the media and telecommunications industries, and to expand the channels of information delivery to the public.
Last year, the Kaitz Foundation received a three-year grant from USA Networks chair Barry Diller to recruit minorities into both the cable and broadcasting industries, with an emphasis on news-media jobs. Reportedly, Diller expressed deep concern about the small number of minorities flowing out of the cable and broadcasting industries. He offered $6 million to push the issue of diversity in the telecommunications industry to the forefront.
The key point here is that the very real problem of low participation of minorities in the local print media is fixable, if we use our limited resources wisely and strategically. The vitriolic manner of talk laced with racial bias that was used at the "press conference" has no place in our small and delicately woven multiracial community.

Editor's note: Carmelo Rivera is the owner of HR Consulting Service, a human resources and management consulting firm on St. Croix. For more than
a decade, he produced and hosted "Hispanic Perspective," a talk show at ABC affiliate WTEN-TV in Albany, N.Y. This article represents his personal point of view. Readers are invited to send comments in response to source@viaccess.net.

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