Poynter: Media Should End Local Crime Beat to Avoid Connecting 'Black and Brown Communities' to Crime

Chris Menahan
InformationLiberation
Jun. 21, 2021

Poynter, the head of the International Fact-Checking Network which operates Politifact, is calling on local news outlets to stop covering local crime stories to avoid connecting "Black and brown communities" to crime.

“Local news reporters have amplified narratives that connect Black and brown communities to crime. As a result, we have fostered systemic racism through our crime coverage.”https://t.co/WWaZAAl8qM
— Poynter (@Poynter) June 21, 2021

From Poynter, "It's time for journalism to break the cycle of crime reporting":

Arrests for misdemeanors disproportionately affect people of color. Systemic racism compounds the injustice as reviews have shown that prosecutors are more likely to exclude Black jurors from trials.

The crime and courts beat exists because it's constantly churning out stories. Much of that content is directly related to public safety. Journalists can be smarter about who we cover and the follow-up stories we provide. Kelly McBride, who chairs the Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership at Poynter, said, "Local news reporters have amplified narratives that connect Black and brown communities to crime. As a result, we have fostered systemic racism through our crime coverage."

It’s within our power as journalists to break that cycle. We don't need to publicize the crime blotter simply because it fills airtime or generates clicks.

Poynter president Neil Brown hates the fact people can still see what's really happening in our streets despite their massive censorship regime and their blacklists.

Last year, the Nieman Journalism Lab also called for ending the local crime beat because, in their words, "it's racist."

The Nieman Journalism Lab exists solely to shut down honest journalism and the Poynter International Fact-Checking Network exists solely to shut down factual reporting.

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