The initial press release from the Minnesota Police Department was headlined, “Man Dies After Medical Incident During Police Interaction.” That’s how police first described the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, after former police officer Derek Chauvi kneeled on the 46-year-old’s neck and back for more than nine minutes. Chauvin was convicted of murdering Floyd on April … [Read more...] about News outlets need to dig harder in reporting about policing in their communities
Covering hate: ‘This is not a geographic problem. It’s an American problem.’
In September 2018, racist flyers from a neo-Nazi group were left on cars parked at a community college in Southern Illinois. A few local news outlets reported on the incident and the college’s subsequent denouncement that followed. But then the story was mostly dropped until the next year when the same flyers from the same group appeared a second time. This time a suspect … [Read more...] about Covering hate: ‘This is not a geographic problem. It’s an American problem.’
Newsrooms owe it to their Asian-American readers to get sourced, break stereotypes
Here we are yet again. We just can’t seem to get it right when reporting on race. On March 18, a 21-year-old white man was arrested and charged with murder after allegedly going on a shooting rampage at three Atlanta-area businesss that left eight people dead, six of whom were Asian women. Although the suspect has not been officially charged with a hate crime, … [Read more...] about Newsrooms owe it to their Asian-American readers to get sourced, break stereotypes
Illinois lawmakers want to strip newspapers of lucrative job of publishing public notices
Newspapers would have a more limited role in publishing public notices in print or online under a proposal moving through the Illinois legislature. The House bill would give local governments and agencies the option of publishing notices about public hearings, abandoned properties and youth jobs on their own websites. Illinois currently requires that newspapers publish … [Read more...] about Illinois lawmakers want to strip newspapers of lucrative job of publishing public notices
Local news outlets should play larger role in helping community members find vaccines
My mother was frustrated. At 78, she was next in line for the COVID-19 vaccine under state guidance in Illinois, but like so many seniors, she was having difficulty navigating the various websites and phone lines to secure an appointment. When she finally got on a waiting list at the local hospital, she found out there were at least 1,000 people in front of her. After … [Read more...] about Local news outlets should play larger role in helping community members find vaccines