Walking the Line

By Steven Cohen

Stereotypical depictions of African Americans are finding their way into the mainstream media, according to the Chicago Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). The group has something to say about it. A lot, in fact

On Sept. 19, NABJ analyzed "the good, the bad, and the inexcusable images" of blacks in the media at its monthly meeting held at a CBS 2 Chicago studio in Streeterville.

About 75 people--NABJ members, local residents, and a group of DePaul University student reporters participated in the two-hour forum. They heard a panel of black professionals discuss what black images mean to society and what must be done to change negative stereotypes.

Richard Steele, producer and talk show host for WBEZ-FM, mediated the panel that included: Sergio Mims, a film critic and the co-founder of the Black Harvest Film Festival; Barbara Allen, an Emmy award-winning editor, producer, engineer, and filmmaker; Kyra Kyles, columnist for the RedEye; Lance Williams, an assistant professor at Northeastern Illinois University; and Chicago-based screen and stage actor Cedric Young.

Steele asked them to explore the role of the consumer as the potential controller of the cultural market. Black Entertainment Television (BET), a well-known, all-black television channel, has been under heavy scrutiny for what critics call insensitive and racist portrayals of blacks. The NABJ panel noted that the scrutiny needs to be directed not only at BET for promoting the programming, but also consumers for tuning in, which perpetuates the problem.

“Some of the programming that is on BET, was, from the NABJ’s standpoint, unacceptable,” said Steele, alluding to the recent protests by the "Enough Is Enough: Campaign for Corporate Responsibility in Entertainment” at the home of Debra Lee, president and chief operating officer of BET.

In 2006 BET aired the highest rated and most-watched show in its 27-year history. “Countdown to Lockdown” chronicled the rapper Lil’ Kim’s last 14 days of freedom before she was jailed after convictions on perjury and conspiracy. This commercial success “speaks to the larger sociocultural plan…for dominant society to see blacks in a dehumanized way,” Williams told the audience.

The panel also discussed where the line should be drawn between genuinely funny humor and racial stereotyping.

“I draw the line when you degrade my culture, and my people, and my history,” Allen said. “Funny is subjective, but I don’t think you can find a group of any other people that would think degrading their history and their culture and things that happened to their people as funny. I just don’t see many Holocaust jokes being made.”

The panel asked the audience and media leaders alike to make conscious and responsible decisions by supporting networks that promote positive image of blacks and disregarding those that do not. “If something insults my intelligence, I have nothing to do with it,” explained Young.

Williams agreed: “There is a great opportunity to cultivate the critical consciousness of our young people…to talk about these images, about what’s on television, and its impact on society.”

As the five panelists gathered to discuss the responsibility of displaying images of blacks in today’s media, the announcement of the upcoming UNITY Conference – a mass gathering of 10,000-plus journalists of color planned for next July in Chicago – gave a glimpse of today’s issues and tomorrow’s hopes.

In her opening remarks, Brenda Butler, senior features editor for the Chicago Tribune and the president of the NABJ's Chicago Chapter, opened the forum by saying: “Next year is an election year, so you can imagine the excitement, in addition to the issues affecting the journalists of color in terms of diversity and jobs. It’s going to be an exciting time in Chicago.”

While the panelists expressed a need for more positive images of blacks in American pop culture, they offered realistic and practical advice on how to proactively create new images.

To enact change, Kyles said, “Do not just ignore [the problem, or] put your head in the sand. Do something about it, and go to the source to organize a movement.”