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Local news stations are one of the main drivers of police violence and incarceration.
Networks regularly spin stories to create false narratives about violence and crime in our communities even if they contradict facts they are aware of because it's good for ratings.
Networks regularly spin stories to create false narratives about violence and crime in our communities even if they contradict facts they are aware of because it's good for ratings.
Local news networks will exploit tradgey in our communities and ignore positive changes.
Crime & shootings in Chicago are at historic lows that should be celebrated, instead local networks focus on a handful of incidents and help bring the boot down on marginalized communities.
Crime & shootings in Chicago are at historic lows that should be celebrated, instead local networks focus on a handful of incidents and help bring the boot down on marginalized communities.
Today, Chicago news stations are repeating police talking points about pretrial release verbatim while ignoring the fact that while thousands of people were released thanks to reform efforts, there has been no documented spike in people being released and rearrested.
More often than not, reporters aren't apart of the communities they report on. In effect,.they are totally disconnected from the impact their reporting has.
When press run dishonest police written narratives, they dont have to worry about their neighbors getting locked up or brutalized in response to fear their reporting has drummed up because they often dont live in the communities they're reporting on.
Many reporters are pressured by their editors to repeat police talking points or center their narratives because they fear being cut out of a "big scoop".
Most local newsrooms are severely underfunded so reporters are often not given the resources they need to do real investigative reporting.
This incentivizes editors to repeat police stories verbatim because it makes for an easy story.
This incentivizes editors to repeat police stories verbatim because it makes for an easy story.
Many new stations are afraid to question or not air the stories police spoon feed them because they are afraid that they will lose acess to police officials for comment on future stories.
Law enforcement PR teams will bully editors. I know of at least two journalists who had stories pulled because police complained about not being asked for comment.
Imagine if people doing criminal justice reform work were guaranteed space to comment on every crime story.
Imagine if people doing criminal justice reform work were guaranteed space to comment on every crime story.
The idea that local news media is "fair and balanced" is laughable. Law enforcement and elected officials have way to much power over what gets published.
Gotta end this thread by shouting out a few of the good local reporters. Shouts to @mdoukmas, @evanFmoore, @shannon_h, @mickeyd1971, @natalieymoore, @_CharlesPreston, @jonahshai, @joravben, @aaroncynic, plus the folks at @TheTRiiBE & @city_bureau, to name a few.
