Black American audiences have concerns about the news media’s ability to shape perceptions and opinions. In fact, 6 in 10 (60%) Black adults of voting age agree that unbiased journalism is fundamental to democracy; the same number (59%) agree that there are few unbiased news sources nowadays, according to Horowitz Research’s latest annual report, “FOCUS Black Volume 3: Social, Cultural, & Political Shifts.” When news organizations spread misinformation, the majority of Black consumers feel that the media should be held accountable, as illustrated in this infographic. This underscores why it is essential for media companies to deliver fair and equal news coverage if they want to gain the trust of diverse and multicultural audiences.
Diverse representation is key in developing unbiased media content for Black audiences. For news organizations to have journalists that represent the cultural and ethnic communities in the markets they serve matters to 6 in 10 (62%) Black news consumers. However, while about half are satisfied with the diversity they see in the TV news serving their communities, 1 in 5 feel that the news on TV does not give equal coverage to positive and negative stories about their community.
As the U.S. political climate continues to shift, Black American consumers express concerns about the sociopolitical issues impacting their communities. Racism against people of color in the U.S. remains a major concern for most (70%) Black adults (higher than 55% of Americans overall). Recent legislation limiting contraception access for women is concerning for 6 in 10 Black adults and 2 in 3 (65%) Black women. Similarly, 58% of Black Americans worry about the impact climate change will have in the next 30 years.
“In these polarized times, some in corporate America, including media organizations, are moving away from initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion,” noted Adriana Waterston, Executive Vice President and Insights & Strategy Lead for Horowitz Research. “This is the opposite of what diverse audiences—and especially Black audiences—want to see. And given that Black consumers are among the heaviest consumers of news, information, and entertainment content, dropping DEI initiatives at this time could backfire for major media companies that need to grow, not shrink, their audiences in order to survive the continued fragmentation of the media ecosystem.”
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