MINORITIES AND THE MEDIA
MEDIA IN THE CONTEXT OF MULTICULTURALISM
1) MASS MEDIA IN A MULTICULTURAL CONTEXT – THERE ARE DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THE RHETORIC AND THE REALITY OF CANADIAN MULTICULTURALISM AND ITS DIVERSITY COMMITMENTS AT INSTITUTIONAL LEVELS.
2) FAILURE BY MAJOR INSTITUTIONS TO INCORPORATE DIVERSITY INTO THE ORGANIZATIONAL “MAINSTREAM”.
3) MEDIA HAS BEEN SINGLED OUT AS VISIBLY NEGLIGENT IN RESPONDING POSITIVELY TO CANADA’S EVOLVING DIVERSITY.
[THEREFORE] MANY SOCIOLOGIST ARGUE THAT MEDIA CANNOT BE ANALYZED IN THE CONTEXT OF MULTICULTURALISM BECAUSE MORE OFTEN THAN NOT MULTICULTURALISM IS HOSTAGE TO THE MASS MEDIA CONTEXT.
THREE THEMES: 1) WHAT ARE THE MEDIA ABOUT? – 2) WHAT DO THE MEDIA DO COMPARED WITH WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO? AND – 3) WHAT ARE THE MEDIA DOING TO US AND SOCIETY?
FLERAS ARGUES THAT MEDIA ARE PROBLEMATIC (SOCIAL PROBLEM) IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.
THERE IS A DOUBLE-EDGED NATURE OF MEDIA RELATIONS TO SOCIETY AND SOCIETY-BUILDING – IT INFORMS AND IT IS COMPLICIT IN THE INFORMATION [IT IS COMPLICIT IN GENERATING INFORMATION (A VIEW OF THE WORLD); IT HAS AN “ASSUMPTIVE REALITY”
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR ASSUMPTIONS (THOSE THINGS THAT GO WITHOUT SAYING){?}:
1. ONE IS THAT IT IS NOT COMPLICIT IN SOCIAL LIFE; THAT IT IS MERELY A MIRROR ON THE WORLD; THAT IT IS (OR CAN BE) NEUTRAL.
2. [YET SOCIOLOGISTS AGREE] THE COMMITMENT TO “INFORM” AND “ENTERTAIN” IS RIDDLED WITH HIDDEN AGENDAS THAT BENEFIT SOME, HANDICAP OTHERS.
3. THE MEDIA ESTABLISH STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE, THEN FAIL TO LIVE UP TO THESE EXPECTATIONS, (IN EFFECT CREATING A DISJUNCTURE BETWEEN EXPECTATIONS AND REALITY, BOTH AT INSTITUTIONAL AND PUBLIC LEVELS.
4. THEY GENERATE SOCIAL PROBLEMS BY VIRTUE OF THEIR EXISTENCE AS A BIG BUSINESS, THEIR STATUS AS DISCOURSES IN DEFENSE OF PROFIT, AND THEIR ROLE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF “THOUGHT CONTROL” IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY.
5. BY EXAMINING NEWSCASTING, TV PROGRAMMING, ADVERTISING, AND “INTERNETTING,” THE MEDIA CAN BE SHOWN TO EXERT A NEGATIVE IMPACT BY ELICITING MIXED MESSAGES AT ODDS WITH THE IDEALS OF A PROGRESSIVE SOCIETY.
6. THIS IS TIED TO THE PHENOMENON OF "THOUGHT CONTROL" – IN MY USAGE THIS REFERS TO THE ABILITY TO INCULCATE INCOHERENT AND AT TIMES CONTRADICTORY ASSUMPTIONS AND BELIEFS BY THE MASS OF THE POPULATION.
EX: CULTURAL HEGEMONY, PARTICULARLY AS IT REFERS TO THE SUPREMACY OF A GROUP WHICH MANIFESTS ITSELF IN TWO WAYS: AS DOMINATION AND INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL LEADERSHIP (GRAMSCI, 1971; GIROUX, 1981).
1) MEDIA ACTS TO REINFORCE POWER OF WHITE SOCIETY – DOMINATION AND INTELLECTUAL AND MORAL LEADERSHIP
2) SOCIAL SCIENTISTS BELIEVE WITH THE CHANGING FORMS OF DOMINATION THAT HAVE DEVELOPED IN ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SOCIETIES. WITH THE RISE OF MODERN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, SOCIAL CONTROL HAS BEEN EXERCISED LESS THROUGH THE USE OF PHYSICAL DETERRENTS AND INCREASINGLY THROUGH THE DISTRIBUTION OF AN ELABORATE SYSTEM OF NORMS AND IMPERATIVES.
{{INTERNATIONAL PICTURE}} HAS AIDED IN THE RECONFIGURATION (RE-COLONIALIZATION?)
OF THE WORLD POLITICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY INTO THE “GLOBAL NORTH” AND THE
“GLOBAL SOUTH”---- EX: IMMIGRATION FLOWS// MARXIAN RESERVED ARMY OF INDENTURED
WORKERS FROM THE SOUTH OFTEN “WITHOUT PAPERS” AND EXPLOITED — “THE BOAT
PEOPLE”}}} {NATIONAL PICTURE} EX: THE EUROPEAN GAZE –
WHEN A NEWS STORY IS TOLD FROM A MALE, PARTICULARLY A EUROPEAN-NORTH-AMERICAN
MALE POINT OF VIEW, THE STANDPOINT OF THE REPORTER OR EDITOR IS NOT NOTED. IT
IS ASSUMED TO BE A GENERAL, UNBIASED, OBJECTIVE POINT OF VIEW. WHEN THE STORY IS TOLD FROM THE POINT
OF VIEW OF A PERSON OF COLOUR, IT IS COMMON FOR THE POINT OF VIEW TO BE DEEMED
A “SPECIAL INTEREST” AND THE STANDPOINT TO BE SEEN AS “NOT OBJECTIVE.”
THE WORDS OR VIEWS ARE MODIFIED TO PRESENT THEM TO A EUROPEAN MALE GAZE. MEDIA IS COMPLICIT {INSTUMENTAL?} IN
ENTRENCHING DOMINANT, OR “HEGEMONIC,” SOCIAL PATTERNS OF WHO IS IMPORTANT,
WHOSE WORDS ARE WORTH MORE AIR TIME, WHOSE GAZE IS CONSIDERED THE GAZE,
WHO HAS POWER. IN A SOCIETY THAT CLAIMS ALL PEOPLE ARE
INDIVIDUALS, NO ONE GROUP HAS A MONOPOLY ON OBJECTIVITY, AND IN ORDER TO WORK
TOWARD A SOCIETY THAT IS TRULY FAIR AND JUST TO ALL, WE ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND
HOW OTHER PEOPLE PERCEIVE THE SOCIAL WORLD. *****THIS
COMPLICITY MAKES IT DOUBLY IMPERATIVE TO EXPLORE HOW MEDIA CONTRIBUTE TO
THE WAY IN WHICH INEQUITIES IN SOCIETY ARE CREATED, EXPRESSED,
MAINTAINED, CHALLENGED, AND TRANSFORMED. “THE MATRIX MOVIE” (AS
MEDIA METAPHOR ABOUT MEDIA)” MAJOR METAPHOR AND ALLEGORY IS ABOUT – 1) {POSTMODERNISM}
AND HUMANS RELATIONSHIP TO CYBER-TECHNOLOGY (TECHNOLOGY AS THREAT AND
ENEMY; HUMANS THREATENED AND CHALLENGED BY THEIR
OWN CREATIONS) – ITS SECOND METAPHOR AND ALLEGORY IS
ABOUT – 2) {THOUGHT CONTROL}: HIDDEN AGENDAS AND DOMINANT
IDEOLOGIES THAT PRODUCE “FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS” AND “DISTORTED
THINKING” (THE NEGATIVE REALITY OF MEDIA’S “THOUGHT CONTROL”).
THIS KIND OF THOUGHT CONTROL IS BEST
EXEMPLIFIED BY THE MEDIA ITSELF IN “THE MOVIE
MATRIX” – I PUT IT TO YOU THAT THE MASS MEDIA IS THE MATRIX OF THE 21ST
CENTURY – TO SAY THE MEDIA IS THE MATRIX IS TO SAY THE MEDIA IS MORE
REAL THAN WE ARE ... IT DOMINATES IN THE FORMATION OF OUR REALITY
[{CIPHER: “I BELIEVE THE MATRIX IS MORE REAL THAN THIS WORLD”}] I’M GOING TO ASK YOU TO SEE MATRIX AS
MEDIA THAT IS A METAPHOR ON MEDIA AND MINORITIES – AND ASK THE FOLLOWING
QUESTIONS:
1. WHAT IS THE MATRIX? [THE ANSWER IS OUT THEIR, NEO. IT WILL FIND YOU IF YOU LET IT ...
UNFORTUNATELY NO ONE CAN BE TOLD WHAT THE MATRIX IS, YOU HAVE TO SEE IT FOR
YOURSELF ... THE MATRIX IS A NEURAL INTERACTIVE SIMULATION] 2. DO YOU BELIEVE IN {MEDIA} FATE? [NO, I DON’T LIKE THE IDEA THAT I’M NOT IN CONTROL
OF MY LIFE]. 3. DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT IT IS, NEO? [ THE MATRIX IS EVERYWHERE IT IS ALL AROUND US ...
IT IS THE WORLD THAT HAS BEEN PULLED OVER OUR EYES TO BLIND YOU FROM THE TRUTH
... IT IS A PRISON FOR YOUR MIND ... THE MATRIX IS A COMPUTER GENERATED DREAM
WORLD TO KEEP US UNDER CONTROL]. 4. WHY DO MY EYES HURT? [YOU HAVE NEVER USED THEM]. 5. ARE YOU A RESIDUAL PROJECTION OF YOUR DIGITAL SELF? [DON’T TRY TO BEND THE SPOON THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE. ONLY
TRY TO REALIZE THE TRUTH – THERE IS NO SPOON – THEN YOU WILL REALIZE IT IS NOT
THE SPOON THAT BENDS, BUT YOURSELF ... THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN KNOWING
THE PATH AND WALKING IT]. MINORITIES AND THE MEDIA QUESTIONS (“ONLY
SUBVERSIVENESS CAN FREE US FROM THE MATRIX.”) 1) WHAT IS
THE MASS MEDIA ? –
MASS MEDIA REFERS TO ANY
MEANS OF COMMUNICATION REACHING LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE, SUCH AS BOOKS,
PERIODICALS, RADIO, TELEVISION, MOTION PICTURES, AND [[NOW THE GLOBALIZED
INFORMATION FLOW OF]] THE INTERNET. 2) HOW POWERFUL IS THE MASS MEDIA'S INFLUENCE
ON THE SOCIALIZATION PROCESS? [DIFFICULT TO MEASURE.
IMPERSONAL MEANS OF TRANSMITTING INFORMATION. ONE WAY COMMUNICATION.
"MASS CULTURE" ARE PASSIVE RECEIVERS.
[THEREFORE] ALTHOUGH IT IS DIFFICULT TO
MEASURE, WE KNOW IT SHAPES OR CREATES AND IT MAINTAINS AND
PROTECTS MASS CULTURE BY CHOOSING TO EMPHASIZE CERTAIN TOPICS,
STRESSING PARTICULAR VIEWS OR INTERPRETATIONS, AND CONCENTRATING ON SPECIFIC
THEMES, THE MEDIA CREATE, MANAGE, AND CONTROL IMPRESSIONS OF WHAT IS
IMPORTANT AND REAL.] EX: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE IMAGES OF
MINORITIES IN THE MEDIA AND TV? -- (BLACK ORGANIZATIONS FIGHT FOR
"DIVERSITY PROGRAMMING) 3) WHAT IS THE MASS MEDIA’S RELATION TO THE
“MULTICULTURAL CANADIAN” PUBLIC? MASS MEDIA IS “POPULAR”
RATHER THAN “ETHNIC”; ITS FOCUSED REPRESENTATION IS THE “MAINSTREAM
WHITE SOCIETY”; AND IT HAS THE ABILITY TO FRAME THE ISSUES AND SET
AGENDAS IN WAYS THAT BOLSTER THE STATUS QUO – “DISCOURSE ON WHITENESS.” – FOR MANY PEOPLE IN THE MAINSTREAM OF
SOCIETY, THE MASS MEDIA REPRESENT A CRUCIAL SOURCE OF BELIEFS AND VALUES FROM
WHICH THEY DEVELOP A PICTURE OF THEIR SOCIAL WORLDS. – {WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?}
MANY PEOPLE (PARTICULARLY WHITE PEOPLE IN THE “MAINSTREAM” RELY
ALMOST ENTIRELY ON THE MEDIA FOR THEIR INFORMATION ABOUT “OTHERS”
AND THE ISSUES THAT CONCERN THEIR COMMUNITIES. – THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIFFERENT
ETHNIC AND RACIAL COMMUNITIES IS LARGELY FILTERED THROUGH
THE PERCEPTIONS, ASSUMPTIONS, VALUES, AND BELIEFS OF JOURNALISTS AND OTHER MEDIA
PROFESSIONALS. – THEREFORE, THE MAINSTREAM HAS BEEN
DEFINED AS A MASS MEDIATED CULTURE. 4) WHO
CONTROLS THE MASS MEDIA? THE NORMS, VALUES, AND ASSUMPTIONS
OF WHITE, MALE DOMINATED INSTITUTIONS -- {FINE, BUT WHAT IS THE
PROBLEM?} – THIS CONTINUES TO PREVENT THE MASS MEDIA FROM FAIRLY
AND ACCURATELY REFLECTING AND REPRESENTING THE MULTIRACIAL REALITY
OF CANADIAN SOCIETY. WHITE ELITES CONTROL THE STRUCTURE
AND CONTENTS OF THE MASS MEDIA,
IT MAY BE EXPECTED THAT THE WHITE PRESS SHARES IN THE OVERALL SYSTEM THAT “SUSTAINS
WHITE GROUP DOMINANCE” 5) HOW DOES THE MASS MEDIA – LIKE THE
CYBER-TECHNOLOGY IN THE MOVIE THE MATRIX – COME TO BE CONSIDERED AS A NEUTRAL,
OBJECTIVE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM? THE MASS MEDIA (E.X., REPORTERS,
JOURNALISTS, TV SHOWS) MAINTAIN AN IMAGE OF NEUTRAL, OBJECTIVE AND UNBIASED PURVEYORS
OF TRUTH, OR MERE REFLECTORS OF SOCIETY. [YET] THE MEDIA
CONSTITUTE A SOCIALLY CONSTRUCTED SYSTEM OF TECHNOLOGICALLY DRIVEN
COMMUNICATIONS THAT ARE ANYTHING BUT NEUTRAL OR PASSIVE
IN DELIVERY. MEDIA ARE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN SHAPING MESSAGES AND
CIRCULATING MEANINGS. [THEREFORE] MEDIA ARE NOT ONLY
CONSTRUCTED THROUGH HUMAN AGENCY, THEY ALSO CONSTRUCT REALITIES BY “NATURALIZING”
OUR PERCEPTION OF THE WORLD AS NECESSARY AND NORMAL RATHER THAN
CONVENTIONAL AND CONSTRUCTED. [THEREFORE] MEDIA IS CONFIGURED
BY “HIDDEN AGENDAS” AND “DOMINANT IDEOLOGIES”
IN ADVANCING VESTED RATHER THAN COMMON INTERESTS. (EX: REPORTER TREAT THEMSELVES AS NOT
IMPLICATED IN THEIR OWN ANALYSIS – HOW IS THIS DIFFERENT FROM SOCIAL SCIENCE
{?} [[NOT THE INDIVIDUAL BUT THE METHOD THAT GENERATES
A DEGREE OF OBJECTIVITY/DETACHMENT]]) [[SILENT// UNACKNOWLEDGED]]CULTURAL FRAMES OF
REFERENCE ARE IMPOSED THAT DEFINE SOME ASPECTS OF REALITY AS ACCEPTABLE AND
OTHERS AS UNACCEPTABLE 6) WHAT IS THE HIDDEN AGENDA AND
DOMINANT IDEOLOGY EXPOSED IN THE MASS MEDIA MATRIX? – “ONLY SUBVERSIVENESS CAN FREE
US FROM THE MATRIX.”] – IS IT POSSIBLE TO LIVE YOUR LIFE AND NOT
KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON{?} BELIEVE IN ILLUSIONS? HAVE A FALSE
CONSCIOUSNESS? DO WE LIVE A FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS BECAUSE OF MEDIA{?} 7) WHAT ARE THE (HIDDEN OR DISGUISE) MANIFESTATIONS
OF RACISM IN THE MASS MEDIA THAT PEOPLE OF COLOUR CHARGE? OVERALL THE MASS MEDIA DISAVOW
RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY POSSIBLE DISCRIMINATORY IMPACT ON SOCIETY. BUT IT DOES
OCCUR IN VARIOUS WAYS: 1. INVISIBILITY OF PEOPLE OF COLOUR – NUMEROUS STUDIES CONFIRM THAT CANADA’S MULTICULTURAL
DIVERSITY IS POORLY REFLECTED IN THE ADVERTISING, PROGRAMMING,
AND NEWS-CASTING SECTORS OF POPULAR MEDIA; DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN
DECISION-MAKING. IN MANY CASES, PEOPLE OF COLOUR IN MEDIA
ARE “SEGREGATED” ON SEPARATE SHOWS OR FORUMS – IN OTHERS THEY ARE INTEGRATED
INTO “MAINSTREAM” AS TOKENS WHO MUST ADOPT A MAINSTREAM-LIKE PERSONA. (BOTH ARE
FORMS OF NON-ACCEPTANCE). 2. STEREOTYPICAL PORTRAYALS – EVERYWHERE IMAGES OF RACIAL MINORITIES ARE STEEPED
IN UNFOUNDED GENERALIZATIONS THAT EMPHASIZE THE COMICAL OR GROTESQUE. EX: -- AUNT JEMIMA
HAS APPEARED ON BOXES OF PANCAKE MIX FOR OVER 100 YEARS.
(THE SMILING BLACK WOMAN, WHOSE HEAD USED TO BE WRAPPED IN A KERCHIEF
REMINISCENT OF A MAMMY/SERVANT IMAGE.) RASTUS
IS STILL THE CREAM OF WHEAT CHEF, AND UNCLE BEN
IS THE SMILING GRANDFATHERLY BLACK MAN ON THE BOXES OF RICE FOR
MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY. THESE IMAGES, CREATED DECADES AGO, ARE WOVEN
INTO POPULAR CULTURE (AND PROMOTE WHAT SOME PEOPLE CALL “SIMPLE-MINDED
SERVANT” STEREOTYPES). 3. STEREOTYPES ARE A KIND OF “CONVENIENT SHORTHAND”
– SIMPLIFY MEDIA PROCESS. MEDIA MOVERS JUST TAP INTO A POOL OF
STEREOTYPES TO CREATE A READILY IDENTIFIABLE FRAMES
(TROPES) THAT IMPOSE A THEMATIC COHERENCE THAT AUDIENCES
CAN RELATE TO BECAUSE OF SHARED CULTURAL CODES. OVER TIME THESE STEREOTYPES SOLIDIFY
INTO DEFINITIVE STATEMENTS ABOUT “REALITY” AND, WHILE NOT “REAL”
IN THE CONVENTIONAL SENSE, THEY ARE REAL IN SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES. [[[EX: “ALL JEWS ARE RICH” –
LEADS TO IMAGES OF “GREEDINESS”, “CHEAPNESS,” EVEN
“CONSPIRACY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD.” {JOG – JEWISH
OCCUPIED GOVERNMENT} [[[ EX: NATIVE PEOPLE AS “SQUAWKERS”
AND “OUT-OF-PLACE-HISTORICAL-THROUGH-BACKS” (CAN’T FIT-IN TO
MODERN LIFE) – WANT HANDOUTS AND WHEN THEY GET THEM THEY MISMANAGE THEM BECAUSE
THEY ARE “HISTORICAL RELICS” AND SQUAWK FOR MORE]]] 4. PEOPLE OF COLOUR ARE OFTEN SINGLED OUT AS “HAVING
PROBLEMS” OR “CREATING PROBLEMS” [THE PROBLEM
PEOPLE – ARABS, SIKHS, SRI LANKANS/ MILITANTS TERRORISTS –
JAMAICANS/ DRUG DEALERS – BLACKS GENERALLY/ CRIMINALS, ENTERTAINERS OR ATHLETES
(WHO ARE CRIMINALS). [[[EX: SIGN OF THE “POST-SEPTEMBER
11" TIMES – UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA PROFESSOR SAMI
AL-ARIAN BEING LED IN HANDCUFFS BY AUTHORITIES TO THE FEDERAL
COURTHOUSE IN TAMPA AFTER BEING ARREST FOR “TERRORIST SYMPATHIES”
– AL-ARIAN (OF PALESTINIAN DESCENT) HAS LIVED IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1975.
HE HAD NEVER BEEN CHARGED WITH A CRIME AND HAS CONSISTENTLY DENIED ANY
CONNECTION TO TERRORISTS. 5. LACK OF ACCESS – FOR PEOPLE OF COLOUR IN MAKING THEIR VIEWPOINTS
AND VOICES HEARD – {STUDIES} MEDIA PROFESSIONALS
(EDITORS, JOURNALISTS, BROADCASTERS, PRODUCERS) AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS
CONTROL THE ACCESS BETWEEN THE ELITES OF POWER AND THE MASS AUDIENCE. 6. GATE-KEEPERS AND AGENDA-SETTERS RESIST
“EMBRACING MULICULTURAL AND RACIAL COMMUNITIES – NEW THEMES, ACCENTS,
VALUES.” [[[EX: “THE BLACK MUSIC STATION” 93.5 –
URBAN CONTEMPORARY – IS A VERY RECENT EVENT. THE {CRTC} AWARDED A COUNTRY-MUSIC
STATION IN 1990 RATHER THAN HAVE BLACK MUSIC.]]] 7. RACISM IN THE ADVERTISING INDUSTRY – THE ADVERTISING INDUSTRY HAS ENORMOUS POWER IN ESTABLISHING
“DESIRABLE” SOCIAL STANDARDS AND STYLES OF LIVING. {STUDIES} SUGGEST THE INVISIBILITY
OF RACIAL MINORITIES DENIES THEIR EXISTENCE, DEVALUES THEIR
CONTRIBUTION TO SOCIETY, AND TRIVIALIZES THEIR ASPIRATIONS TO
PARTICIPATE AS FULL MEMBERS OF SOCIETY [[[EX: ANALYSIS OF ADVERTISING ON
BILLBOARDS IN MONTREAL SUBWAY STATION {NIEMI AND SALGADO,
1989} – A TOTAL OF 311 BILL BOARDS WERE ANALYZED – OF THE 163 DEPICTING PEOPLE,
ONLY 10 SHOWED AN INDIVIDUAL FROM A VISIBLE MINORITY COMMUNITY – OF THE
44 ADVERTISERS, ONLY ONE INCLUDED A PERSON OF COLOUR, AND THAT
WAS THE MINISTRY OF TOURISM IN ONTARIO.]]] 8. THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY ADVOCACY – THE MEDIA ARE NOT GOOD AT HEARING THE VOICES OF THE
UNORGANIZED – COMMUNITY ADVOCACY IS AN IMPERATIVE – BUT, ADVOCACY ACROSS CANADA
IS ERRATIC AND GENERALLY LIMITED TO REACTIONS TO SPECIFIC INCIDENTS (NOT A
SUSTAINED AND COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT TO EFFECT PROGRESSIVE SOCIAL CHANGE.) – ========================================================================================= 8) FROM A SOCIAL EQUALITY PERSPECTIVE OF
PEOPLE OF COLOUR, WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO CHANGE IN MEDIA? ·
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS I S
CONSIDERED SO SACRED A TRUST THAT THE MEDIA BELIEVE THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO
COMMUNICATE RACIST CONTENT IN BOTH PRINT AND BROADCASTING. ·
SELF-REGULATING MEDIA
AGENCIES ARE EITHER NON-EXISTENT OR EXTREMELY WEAK. UNIONS, PRESS COUNCILS, AND
ADVERTISING BOARDS EXERCISE LIMITED POWER AND AUTHORITY OVER MEDIA
CORPORATIONS. ·
ADVOCACY ACROSS CANADA
IS ERRATIC AND GENERALLY LIMITED TO REACTIONS TO SPECIFIC INCIDENTS. ·
THE LAW AND THE JUSTICE
SYSTEM PROVIDE ONLY LIMITED REDRESS FOR LIBEL AND DEFAMATION. ·
**** [BIG ONE FOR PEOPLE
OF COLOUR] THE ACTIONS OF RACIAL MINORITIES TO CHALLENGE RACISM IN THE MEDIA
ARE DISMISSED AS ATTEMPTS TO DENY FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION 9) WHAT CAN WE AS CITIZENS DO TO MAKE MEDIA
MORE RESPONSIVE TO SOCIETY-AS-A-WHOLE (I.E., AS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL EQUALITY,
RATHER THAN, SOCIAL INEQUALITY) ? ADVANCE DIVERSITY AND POWER-SHARING,
RATHER THAN, PRESERVE VESTED POWER INTERESTS – NOT ONLY PROJECT IMAGES OF
DIVERSITY [BUT ALSO] EMBODY AND REFLECT DIVERSITY IN VALUES AND
INSTITUTIONAL REPRESENTATION. MINORITIES AND THE MEDIA QUESTIONS (“ONLY
SUBVERSIVENESS CAN FREE US FROM THE MATRIX.”) 1. WHAT IS THE MASS MEDIA ? 2. WHAT IS THE MASS MEDIA’S RELATION TO THE
“MULTICULTURAL CANADIAN” PUBLIC? 3. HOW POWERFUL IS THE MASS MEDIA'S INFLUENCE ON THE
SOCIALIZATION PROCESS? 4. WHO CONTROLS THE MASS MEDIA? 5. HOW DOES THE MASS MEDIA – LIKE THE CYBER-TECHNOLOGY IN
THE MOVIE “THE MATRIX” – COME TO BE CONSIDERED AS A NEUTRAL, OBJECTIVE
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM? 6. WHAT IS THE HIDDEN AGENDA AND DOMINANT
IDEOLOGY EXPOSED IN THE MASS MEDIA MATRIX? 7. WHAT ARE THE (HIDDEN OR DISGUISE) MANIFESTATIONS OF
RACISM IN THE MASS MEDIA THAT PEOPLE OF COLOUR CHARGE? 8. FROM A SOCIAL EQUALITY PERSPECTIVE OF PEOPLE OF
COLOUR, WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO CHANGE IN MEDIA? 9. WHAT CAN WE AS CITIZENS DO TO MAKE MEDIA MORE
RESPONSIVE TO SOCIETY-AS-A-WHOLE (I.E., AS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL EQUALITY, RATHER
THAN, SOCIAL INEQUALITY)?