Bob Griese, an ESPN/ABC college football analyst, faced a one week suspension this past October after making a racially and culturally insensitive remark about Colombian NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya. During the network’s on-air NASCAR promotion featuring the top five drivers, Griese responded to a mention that Montoya was missing from the standings by saying “he was out having a taco.” Griese apologized for the comment later during the broadcast.
It’s impossible to know the true intention of Griese’s comment, and slip-ups like his often make headlines. Although covering minority communities might appear to be a daunting and delicate task at first, doing so can give journalists an opportunity to do enterprise reporting, tell unique stories, and sharpen reporting skills. To get started, it’s important to unveil common misconceptions about cultural and minority community reporting best practices. Here are a few of them:
Myth: One size fits all.
Knowing that tacos are not a traditional dish in Colombia, Montoya’s native country, may have proven helpful for Griese. Not all Spanish-speakers share the same ethnic foods. The same rule applies to all overarching comments made about racial and cultural communities. Even if a reporter is interviewing someone from a particular group, it doesn’t mean that he or she thinks, acts, or feels the same way as someone else in that same group (see next myth). In general, doing some research and avoiding assumptions or attributing an individual’s opinions to an entire community can help journalists steer clear from embarrassing moments.
Myth: One person's opinion reflects the entire community's opinion.
Although media outlets often interview the same few sources over and over again to display the sentiments of a community, the reality is that there are always many more people to interview, and some of them have different points of view from the traditional go-to sources. For example, interviewing the head of a farmworker organization for a story about farmworker housing might not give the full story because that person may have a specific agenda. So, cultivating sources outside of that group, by interviewing local clergy or going to the local shops that serve the farmworker population, might be a good alternative. Some of those places include ethnic restaurants, ethnic grocery stores, hair salons and daycare centers.
Myth: When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
This mantra is a safe bet when visiting a country as a tourist, but it doesn’t apply to journalists. Oftentimes, reporters and photographers are told that minority sources can be offended if offerings of local food or opportunities to partake in some traditions are refused. In reality, Journalism Ethics 101 still applies during these situations. Accepting anything may end up making the reporter or photographer look biased or worse—he or she could become part of the story. The best thing to do is politely decline.
Myth: Research has taught me all I need to know to get started.
While researching the community is key to kick-starting your reporting, it is only the first step. Don’t assume you know exactly what a source is going to say or feel because your research was thorough. Keep an open mind and listen carefully when sources talk. Allow them to finish their train of thought instead of interrupting. Transforming your source’s ideas with your own interjections is unethical and does little justice to your reporting skills.
Myth: No need to ask the source for clarification; I’ll ask in the office.
If an unusual word or term is mentioned during an interview, some reporters decide to rely on someone in the office to decipher what it means. While co-workers and editors can provide insight, they may not have all the answers all the time. It can also be difficult to understand the context in which a particular word or sentence was used. Jumping at the opportunity to ask a source to clarify a statement saves valuable time and ensures accuracy.
Covering minority communities requires knowing the difference between myth and reality, doing research and remembering to stay away from stereotypes.
i was able to use this article with my middle school writing class in alexandria, va. the article helped my students realize that they need to start conducting surveys and interviews outside of the school community in order to get a greater understanding of people's opinions and values in alexandria.
a few of my students even chuckled at the first paragraph article which allowed me to drive home the author's intent even more.
one student commented about the irony of the word "Colombia" being spelled two different ways in an article that was intended to raise people awareness of minority communities.
Indeed, the incorrect spelling of "Colombia" was an editor's doing. (I guess we should have fully absorbed the issue before making any changes!)
But yes, I agree -- Claudia truly drove the point home. Major media players, let alone middle school students new to the field, too often tell the same stories from the same points of view.