Missing Black Women.

[Ps104_33]

Saw a story on the NBC nightly news this evening that made the point that all the news coverage given to missing women is given to only white women (Lacy Peterson, Natalie Holloway, and many others) when there are black women missing as well but they dont seem to get any media attention. Why is that? It seems the story was looking for someone to blame (me? you? ) when it is the media outlets that choose what stories will get ratings, sell newspapers, etc. Are we still, as a country so racist at heart that we pay little or no attention when a black women goes missing? Do the ratings that missing white women recieve vs missing black women reflect how we feel as a society?

STORY

 

[KenH]

I don't know how the news media picks out one woman - period - from all of the ones that are missing or murdered to focus on, regardless of race or ethincity. I also try to avoid these stories as much as possible since I think the coverage is way, way, way, way, way overdone.

 

[rsr]

"I also try to avoid these stories as much as possible since I think the coverage is way, way, way, way, way overdone."

I agree, Ken, but there it is. Night after night, the cable channels slobber all over each other to bring us "up to date." Of course, it turns out that there's often nothing to say, but it gets said anyway. (The Holloway case seems to break new ground; once, on O'Reilly, Bill had an Aruban reporter on the video link and asked here what was going on. She, refreshingly, said she didn't know any more than he did.)

I have a couple of suggestions, and they're only that, about the popularity of such coverage: The victims are, in fact, "cute" and appeal to a large segment of the audience. Coverage is pretty cheap, compared to digging up "real" news and can fill hour after hour just on speculation and rehashing. And, apparently viewers like it. Otherwise the networks wouldn't beat it to death for so long.

And they occur disproportionately in the summer, when there's less other stuff to cover. Holloway has been a mainstay this summer for the cable channels; rememember that the Chandra Levy disappearance happened in a similar slow "news" time.

And I suspect that the cases that attract the most attention are raised by the most media savvy folks; Holloway's family has been happy to appear every day, sometimes several times a day, to comment on the least scrap of information.

(The Holloway case also has another lure for reporters: Go to Aruba, report that nothing's happening and enjoy the sun and surf. Would they be so willing to go to Fairbanks in January?)

 

[billwald]

Only good looking young white females. Not ugly old ones.

 

[LadyEagle]

Originally posted by billwald:
Only good looking young white females. Not ugly old ones.

Thanks a lot!

 

[Enoch]

This is very sad!
Please join me in prayer for Tamika Huston and her family.

Tamika Huston link

This is the first time Tamika's mother has talked publicly since she went missing last July.
"It's just by the grace of God that I'm making it," said Gabriella Simenehe, Tamika's mother. "I'm going on with my life. It's very difficult to go on with my life with out my Tamika. She's my only daughter."

I cannot even fathom what her family is going through.

 

[sea_angel]

"Coverage is pretty cheap, compared to digging up "real" news and can fill hour after hour just on speculation and rehashing. "

How can you say the someone missing is not REAL news? These are people, human beings, we are talking about. I agree that ALL stories should be told that are brought to the attention of the media. To just turn away from these stories, I think, is ignorance. You never know when you might see one of these missing people in your city and be able to reunite loved ones and bring bad people to justice. It's sad that there are so many missing people out there but that is the reality. What would have happened if people had just turned their backs on the Elizabeth Smart case? She may still be held hostage w/ those two who have now been deemed (what's the word) unfit to stand trial due to insanity. I just think we should all be more alert when these stories come out. I hope they find Tamika. I hope they find them all. If this is not REAL news...what is???

 

[hillclimber]

The newsies are racist in that they are the ones to pick and choose who gets coverage. The NBC example above is yet another (whether intentional or not) attempt at keeping race an issue in mainstream America. The very way they report this story is in fact perpetuating racial division.

I firmly believe that if the color of skin were kept out of news stories, racism would mostly disappear. Oddly enough, I don't want it out altogether, because sometimes it (race) is an issue, such as in who commits acts of terrorism.

 

[hillclimber]

Praying for Tamika, and justice for her captors, if they exist.

 

[NateT]

1. Wasn't Lacy Peterson hispanic? Her maiden name is Rocha, which I believe is hispanic.

2. Part of the reason that Laci, Natalee and the runaway bride got a lot of coverage is the circumstances surrounding their disappearances. Laci was pregnant, Natalee was young and on vacation (celebrating HS graduation) the runaway bride disappeared right before "the biggest day of her life" there were a lot of emotional lines to go on there.

Think about Lori Hacking, she got some coverage, simply because her story broke at about the same time as Laci's. But it didn't get anywhere near the coverage.

I feel for Tamkia's family. I watched part of the story last night, but unfortunately, a disappearance isn't news anymore. They happen all the time. There wasn't anything for the news channels to use to get ratings with. I firmly believe if she had disappeared 3 hours before college gradauation, or something like that, they would have run with it.

 

[mioque]

hillclimber
"I firmly believe that if the color of skin were kept out of news stories, racism would mostly disappear."
"
Ironically I've seen a reverse case overhere in which the press keeping silent about the race of a woman causing a death caused racial tensions.
A purse snatcher whose parents were immigrants from Marocco. was run over with a car by a wouldbe victim of his and died.The whole Arab community was outraged assuming the driver was a native white Dutchwoman.
Turned out the woman was a negro and suddenly everybody lost interest.

 

[rlvaughn]

Ps104_33, I think the choices of stories say more about the media than they do about society.

 

[hillclimber]

Originally posted by mioque:
hillclimber
"I firmly believe that if the color of skin were kept out of news stories, racism would mostly disappear."
"
Ironically I've seen a reverse case overhere in which the press keeping silent about the race of a woman causing a death caused racial tensions.
A purse snatcher whose parents were immigrants from Marocco. was run over with a car by a wouldbe victim of his and died.The whole Arab community was outraged assuming the driver was a native white Dutchwoman.
Turned out the woman was a negro and suddenly everybody lost interest.

It looks as if racism is alive and well in the Netherlands, and as you point out that racism is aimed at whites.

 

[dianetavegia]

Instead of commercials, each newscast should run two minutes of missing photos with a soft music in the background. Who knows what might happen if everynight missing people were spotlighted and viewed by millions.

Very sad. Praying for this family and a good report.

 

[hillclimber]

Originally posted by dianetavegia:
Instead of commercials, each newscast should run two minutes of missing photos with a soft music in the background. Who knows what might happen if everynight missing people were spotlighted and viewed by millions.

Very sad. Praying for this family and a good report.

What a wonderful use of air time. I'm totally for it.

 

[Rachel]

The media seems to do the same thing concerning coverage with rich vs. poor, white children vs. black, bad news vs. any good.

What about having one (free) channel that all the different media channels share for only missing people? That way it's mostly in one place. It's an idea anyway.

 

[hillclimber]

no one would watch.

 

[billwald]

First, all adults except people on probation have the right to disappear. For example, if the police find a missing adult and they are OK the police can only report that they are OK.

Second, There are probably a million missing people at any given time.

Third, most of them are involved in some sort of family dispute.

 

[TexasSky]

I have noticed that most of the ones that get attention are upper middle class or flat out wealthy. They also seem to be the cases where there seems to be good reason to suspect foul play.

I worry that cases like the run-away-bride will make the services less likely to cover the cases of others when there might still be hope.

I am praying for them all.

 

[emeraldctyangel]

IMHO and experience as a police officer, it is likely the disappearances discussed in depth on television news programs are so well covered because the families are more willing to talk than others. The loudest one talking will usually be the one put in a soundbyte. And when that loud voice happens to be well connected, well it is a lot like any other event you which you would like to bring attention.

In it's entirity, the subject of missing people is a very disheartening part of law enforcement as very few people who have done nothing wrong and have possibly fallen victim to illegal activity or accident are recovered. We usually get the one's we have BOLO's (be on the lookout)out for because those people have commited a violent crime or is wanted for number of things.

Men and women of all ages and races alike are victim to this. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has a sister organization called the Center for Missing Adults.

May they all come home safe.