A group of more than 30 advocacy and media justice organizations demanded yesterday (May 10) that cable news channels make their political talk shows look more like America.
"At a time when our communities continue to be the victims of hate crimes, the media must do better in representing the broad spectrum of America," reads a letter from the Coalition Against Hate to the leaders of CNN, Fox News and MSNBC.
The letter co-signers include several organizations that represent various communities of color, the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC, which founded the Coalition Against Hate), American Indians in Film and Television and Council on American-Islamic Relations among them. The letter cites a study released by Media Matters for America last month that breaks down just how few people of color appear on the cable networks’ morning programs. From the study:
Morning cable news is overwhelmingly dominated by white men: https://t.co/GxXgwStSQL pic.twitter.com/nLrgY0gz5u
— Media Matters (@mmfa) April 23, 2017
The letter also cites data on growing hate group participation and hate crime rates. "In this environment, it is critical that your networks represent our communities with more frequency," it argues. "Increasing diversity on your cable morning shows could lead to more tolerance, acceptance and less stereotyping."
"[These networks] keep bringing in White people to speak for us, and we find that very objectionable," NHMC president and lead signatory Alex Nogales told Colorlines. "They’re not part of our community, how do they know how we feel?"
Nogales adds that the Coalition Against Hate is waiting for a response from the network leaders, and that it will take further steps if they do not respond. He did not specificy what those steps will entail.
Read the full letter here.