UK media ‘in denial’ about racism, black journalists say

UK media ‘in denial’ about racism, black journalists say

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Ian Murray, executive director of the Society of Editors, said in a statement earlier this week that it was “false” that sections of the British press were fanatical or racist.
Murray was responding to comments made by Prince Harry during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in which he said that racism played a role in how the British press covered his wife, Meghan, and that tabloid coverage was an important factor in the decision of the couple from leaving the country.
In a letter posted online, black journalists – including The Guardian and Condé Nast – urged the Society of Editors to address prejudice and racism in British media coverage, rather than pretending it does not exist.

Murray’s insistence that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not provide any “supporting evidence” to support the allegations of racist coverage showed “intentional ignorance” of Meghan’s discriminatory treatment by the British press, as well as others who did not. identify themselves as White, according to the letter.

“We, the undersigned colored journalists, working for UK media organizations, deplore and reject the statement issued by the Society of Editors, denying the existence of racism and intolerance in the UK press,” journalists wrote.

“The widespread refusal to accept that there is any intolerance in the British press is laughable, does black journalists a disservice and shows an institution and an industry in denial,” they added.

The letter cited a series of evidence to support their allegations, including a 2016 European Commission report against Racism and Intolerance, which concluded that hate speech among the UK’s mainstream media, particularly the tabloids, “remains a problem serious “and feeds prejudice.
Convincing evidence can also be found in the headlines of major tabloids. A headline from Mail Online stated in 2016 that Meghan was “(almost) straight from Compton.” At the same time, the Daily Star ran a headline asking if Harry “would marry gangster royalty?”

On Wednesday, the Publishers’ Society released what it described as a “clarification”.

“Our statement about Meghan and Harry … did not reflect what we all know: that there is a lot of work to be done in the media to improve diversity and inclusion. We will reflect on the reaction that our statement provoked and work to be part of the solution “said the body, which manages the prestigious annual Press Awards, in a statement. He refused to answer questions or clarify whether he still maintains his previous comments.

One reason Meghan has suffered racist coverage in the UK: the media is no different
But the damage has already been done. ITV news anchor Charlene White on Wednesday ceased to be the host of the Press Awards. In a letter first reported by HuffPost UK, White told the Publishers Society that he should “look elsewhere” for a host.

“Perhaps someone whose views coincide with yours: that the UK press is the only institution in the entire country that has a perfect track record on race,” she added.

The editors of The Guardian and Financial Times also objected to the Society of Editors’ original statement.

“There is work to be done in all sectors in the UK to denounce and challenge racism,” said FT editor Roula Khalaf in a statement. “The media has a critical role to play and publishers must ensure that our newsrooms and coverage reflect the societies in which we live,” he added.

“Each institution in the UK is examining its own position on vital issues of race and the treatment of people of color. As I said before, the media must do the same. “added Guardian’s chief editor Katharine Viner.

Reach Plc, which publishes Mirror, Express and The Daily Star, declined to comment on the Society of Publishers’ statement. CNN Business contacted the Daily Mail and The Sun’s editor, News UK, for comment. Harry and Meghan said in April that they would no longer be involved with the main tabloids and sued some newspapers.

Tackling the lack of diversity

The British press remains predominantly white in comparison to the general racial and ethnic composition of the United Kingdom.

A report by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism in 2016 found that only 6% of journalists in UK newsrooms do not identify themselves as white, compared with about 13% of the general population. The same study found that while black Britons make up 3% of the population, they account for only 0.2% of journalists.

And according to a report by the Reuters Institute last July, none of Britain’s top ten print, digital or broadcast vehicles has a black editor-in-chief.

“The Publishers’ Society should have used the Sussex comments to initiate an open and constructive discussion on how best to prevent racist coverage in the future, including addressing the lack of representation in the UK media, particularly at a senior level,” said the letter from colored journalists said.

“At a time when many industries and companies are committed to settling accounts with the race in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests, we believe it would be a better use of the Society of Editors’ time to reflect on the lack of diversity,” he added.

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