The top social issue in Metro Detroit typically receives the least attention in the media. That’s why the series “Bridging The Racial Divide” is so important. Produced by Emery and Jackie King’s Kingberry Productions, the ongoing series of community discussions on race and how it can stop dividing our community reaches its third installment tonight (Tuesday) at 8 p.m. Detroit Public Television (Channel 56) is thankfully giving this series the airtime it deserves. The latest installment focuses on an issue of great importance to many of us who worked in newsrooms – Race and The Media. Your images of people who don’t look like you are shaped through the media. Although not every outlet in town wanted to talk about that.
As John Smyntek reported in Monday’s Free Press, all three Detroit TV stations, both Detroit daily newspapers and two commercial information radio stations were invited to participate in the televised panel. But, no local television news operations were represented in this discussion. The Detroit News also did not participate. The Free Press, WWJ-AM, WJR-AM managers and former journalists now teaching at Wayne State University and Oakland University made up the media panel, moderated by Emery King and Paul W. Smith.
If you get a chance, check out the show and let me know what you think. I’m setting the DVR and will watch the show when I return from the Mackinac Conference over the weekend. Watch the blog next week for my thoughts.