CNN Black in America



I finally got the chance to view the Black in America series in its entirety this weekend. Overall I would say that my reaction to the series was just tepid. The data presented was not representative of ALL Black America. The series completely left out the majority of success stories (outside of the Rand Family) and focused entirely on the struggling inner city. The media continues to skew the representative culture of Black America and we give them a pass and highly laud a program like CNN’s Black in America.

I want to make it absolutely clear that the program was fine, but they should have renamed the program to something akin to Living in America while Black and Broke. A title, as thus would probably have engendered my tepid reaction to become upgraded to pleased. Black America was not fully represented a few token success stories were thrown in among a generous amount of stories peppered with people in poverty surrounded by economic and education disparities.

The image I walked away from after viewing Black in America was: Damn Black people are doing badly. Then I had to check myself and realize this is far from the truth. There is a segment of Black America that is struggling or hovering right around the poverty line. However, I truly believe for a majority of these individuals positive reinforcement revolving around a different life than what they find themselves mired in will broaden their expectations for themselves. Without adequate representation through visual images this segment of Black America will continue to view the world of middle class Black America as an intangible.

 

Reader Comments

My response to the CNN special is here:

Skip CNN’s Black In America; Keep Your Positive Focus Instead

I think it's best to have an opinion one way or the other on this, rather than just accepting it neutrally, don't you?

Eager to know your thoughts and glad you did a write up.

Just remember who the target audience was for this. (Hint: It wasn't you.)

I too just watched this show and it made me so angry. I think CNN put so much focus on what is wrong in Black America today and played the high points of Afican American life really light. CNN only perpetuated the sterotypes. It was embarassing.

@Claude Thanks for stopping by and I will make it over to read your post today.

@Phelps, LOL yes I know the program was not meant for actual Black people, we live the life every day and are pretty aware of struggles that come along with being black. My problem with CNN’s presentation is they did nothing different, all I had to do was turn on the local news to hear the same themes in their presentation, instead I paid for this ish.

@Shanshilly

“I think CNN put so much focus on what is wrong in Black America today and played the high points of Afican American life really light. CNN only perpetuated the sterotypes.”


I completely agree with you. Thanks for stopping by.

My problem is that Our America aint black or white – it’s green besides I don’t listen to talking heads, folk here don’t get down like that I say work hard and don’t complain

Hello there,

My post, CNN BOGUS REPORT, outlined all of the reasons why the reporting was faulty, misdirected and short-sighted....

Every stereotype was being reinforced about blacks and the message that was sent by CNN was that black people are where they are because they are low-achieving and irresponsible... there was NO MENTION at all about the white supremacist, patriarchal construct that reinforces racial and class stratification...

Hmmmmmph.

Lisa

I could have sworn I commented on this....

Go B.



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