Stephanie Maxwell will participate in panel discussion at JSU Dec. 2nd

Throughout this semester I have been discussing the portrayals and roles of African Americans in the Media. Now that the semester is coming to an end it is only befitting to host a panel discussion that will take place December 2, 2010 at 10am in the Msecenter located at 1230 Raymond Road in Jackson. I am elated to announce that reporter/anchor at WAPT-TV in Jackson, Ms, Stephanie Maxwell will a panelist in our discussion of Blacks in Media!


Maxwell began her career in Mississippi and now co-anchors 16 WAPT News at 5 pm, 6pm and 10pm. Stephanie received an award from the North Carolina Associated Press for an Enterprise/Investigative story about illegal dumping in the Croatan National Forest. In 2007, Stephanie received a Southeast EMMY nomination for Best News Anchor.
Stephanie was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but considers herself a Georgia Peach and a Tar Heel. She grew up in Atlanta and is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Stephanie is a member of the Southeast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, UNC Educational Foundation (Rams Club), National Association of Black Journalists, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Black Exposure

I for one have always questioned the reason the primary face I see on the news are black faces! If crime is prevalent and no one person in the world is exempt from being classified as a criminal, then why are the only people I see on the evening news African American? I have to bring this up because it has been hurting my soul to see black exploitation. Antoine Dodson, better known as the man famous for “Hide ya kids, hide ya wife,” has gain much notarity for the song. The song was an actual incident that occurred in Lincoln Park, AL when a rapist climbed in the window of a Dodson’s apartment. The footage that was caught portrayed Dodson to be ignorant, inarticulate, and dense. Instead of the media taking serious notice to the situation and attempting to help the people in the area, they used the situation to get a laugh out of it. Apparently everyone else thought about it the same because the song is now a hit and has even become popular among iTunes.
Even in national news, African Americans are exploited and misrepresented. I can count on one hand how many times I have watched the news this week alone and heard about the humanitarian acts of a famous African American musician or how Jackson State University produces most black meteorologist in the country because for the longest, JSU was the only HBCU to have a meterology program. It is very rare that I watch the news and hear something good, especially about African Americans. I don’t understand why! There are so many young progressive African American students who would love to have some type of exposure!

Followers tell me what you think! Are blacks portrayed negatively in the media? Do you see a balance in good and bad reports given about African Americans?

Surreally,

Black Voice Recognized, but not saying much!

Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks out about Juan Williams getting fired. I’m not sure that Jackson fully understands the situation from the standpoint of one representing a company, but I do not disagree that Williams’s pigmentation does play a role in the situation. “NPR was wrong because they did not afford him freedom of speech,” Jackson said. Williams has the right to say anything he likes because the laws are made that way. However, as a journalist the rights that other people have to speak their minds freely without regard to anyone are not revoked because there are investors that are paying attention to the station. The moment a broadcaster says something out of line they will be criticized for it. “They’ve martyred Juan,” Jackson said, “taking him to another level both with his resources and his authority as a journalist.” As a journalist it is the responsibility of the reporter to remove themselves from a story because their only job is it report. It is imperative to refrain from placing any personal opinions in a story or report.

“If they did not want his point of view, they should have said, ‘When your contract is over, you do not fit into our scheme of things.’ And then (he’d) go gracefully and with dignity. NPR should not want the point of view of any person unless they are on the public relations staff and paid to represent NPR, but I do agree with the second half of this statement completely! If this is not the first time that Williams has done this and he does this on numerous occasions, then what makes this time so different? They could have easily just not rehired him instead of firing him on the spot. That makes me wonder is the offense in the comment or is it crime the color of skin? There are plenty of broadcasters who have over stepped the boundaries of reporter by giving opinions and making comments that did not coincide with the company, yet many of them have remained on air.

The article pointed out the fact that Jesse Jackson made a similar comment in 1993 “there is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery—then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.” So if this issue is not personal then how could Jackson remain in the good graces of NPR, but treat Williams the opposite way. There is a part of the story that the public has missed, neglected, or we just don’t know about. It sounds like someone has a personal vendetta against Williams. I do not throw the notion out completely that some of this is about race, but my eyes have been opened to see that this may be a personal attack!

Followers tell me what you think! Did we have the right person step up and speak on Williams’s behalf or is he talking just to be a black voice recognized? Do you think race has factored in the firing?
He’s the article link for you to read up or check out this link!
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/44255.html#ixzz144swdMi7

Surreally,

Monica