The Black Image in the White Mind: Media and Race in America (Studies in Communication, Media, and Public Opinion)

Living in a segregated society, white Americans learn about African Americans not through personal relationships but through the images the media show them. The Black Image in the White Mind offers the most comprehensive look at the intricate racial patterns in the mass media and how they shape the ambivalent attitudes of Whites toward Blacks. Using the media, and especially television, as barometers of race relations, Robert Entman and Andrew Rojecki explore but then go beyond the treatment of African Americans on network and local news to incisively uncover the messages sent about race by the entertainment industry-from prime-time dramas and sitcoms to commercials and Hollywood movies. While the authors find very little in the media that intentionally promotes racism, they find even less that advances racial harmony. They reveal instead a subtle pattern of images that, while making room for Blacks, implies a racial hierarchy with Whites on top and promotes a sense of difference and conflict. Commercials, for example, feature plenty of Black characters. But unlike Whites, they rarely speak to or touch one another. In prime time, the few Blacks who escape sitcom buffoonery rarely enjoy informal, friendly contact with White colleaguesperhaps reinforcing social distance in real life. Entman and Rojecki interweave such astute observations with candid interviews of White Americans that make clear how these images of racial difference insinuate themselves into Whites' thinking. Despite its disturbing readings of television and film, the book's cogent analyses and proposed policy guidelines offer hope that America's powerful mediated racial separation can be successfully bridged. "Entman and Rojecki look at how television news focuses on black poverty and crime out of proportion to the material reality of black lives, how black 'experts' are only interviewed for 'black-themed' issues and how 'black politics' are distorted in the news, and conclude that, while there are more images of African-Americans on television now than there were years ago, these images often don't reflect a commitment to 'racial comity' or community-building between the races. Thoroughly researched and convincingly argued." Publishers Weekly "Drawing on their own research and that of a wide array of other scholars, Entman and Rojecki present a great deal of provocative data showing a general tendency to devalue blacks or force them into stock categories."Ben Yagoda, New Leader Winner of the Frank Luther Mott Award for best book in Mass Communication and the Robert E. Lane Award for best book in political psychology. Winner of the Frank Luther Mott Award for best book in Mass Communication and the Robert E. Lane Award for best book in political psychology.Living in a segregated society, white Americans learn about African Americans not through personal relationships but through the images the media show them. The Black Image in the White Mind offers the most comprehensive look at the intricate racial patterns in the mass media and how they shape the ambivalent attitudes of Whites toward Blacks.Using the media, and especially television, as barometers of race relations, Robert Entman and Andrew Rojecki explore but then go beyond the treatment of African Americans on network and local news to incisively uncover the messages sent about race by the entertainment industry-from prime-time dramas and sitcoms to commercials and Hollywood movies. While the authors find very little in the media that intentionally promotes racism, they find even less that advances racial harmony. They reveal instead a subtle pattern of images that, while making room for Blacks, implies a racial hierarchy with Whites on top and promotes a sense of difference and conflict. Commercials, for example, feature plenty of Black characters. But unlike Whites, they rarely speak to or touch one another. In prime time, the few Blacks who escape sitcom buffoonery rarely enjoy informal, friendly contact with White colleagues—perhaps reinforcing social distance in real life.Entman and Rojecki interweave such astute observations with candid interviews of White Americans that make clear how these images of racial difference insinuate themselves into Whites' thinking.Despite its disturbing readings of television and film, the book's cogent analyses and proposed policy guidelines offer hope that America's powerful mediated racial separation can be successfully bridged. "The Black Image in the White Mind offers a look at the intricate racial patterns in the mass media and how they shape the ambivalent attitudes of Whites toward Blacks." "Using the media, and especially television, as barometers of race relations, Robert Entman and Andrew Rojecki explore but then go beyond the treatment of African Americans on network and local news to uncover the messages sent about race by the entertainment industry - from prime-time dramas and sitcoms to commercials and Hollywood movies. While the authors find very little in the media that intentionally promotes racism, they find even less that advances racial harmony. They reveal instead a subtle pattern of images that, while making room for Blacks, implies a racial hierarchy with Whites on top and promotes a sense of difference and conflict. Entman and Rojecki interweave such astute observations with candid interviews of White Americans that make clear how these images of racial difference insinuate themselves into Whites' thinking."--Jacket Contents......Page 8 List of Tables and Figures......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 18 1 The Racial Chameleon......Page 22 2 White Racial Attitudes in the Heartland......Page 37 3 Culture, Media, and the White Mind: The Character of Their Content......Page 67 4 The Meaning of Blackness in Network News......Page 81 5 Violence, Stereotypes, and African Americans in the News......Page 99 6 Benign Neglect in the Poverty of the News......Page 115 7 Affirming Discord......Page 128 8 Black Power......Page 146 9 Prime-TimeTelevision: White and Whiter......Page 165 I0 Advertising Whiteness......Page 183 II Race at the Movies......Page 203 I2 Reflecting on the End of Racial Representation......Page 226 Appendix: Data Tables......Page 248 Notes......Page 262 References......Page 292 Index......Page 314 Contents 8 List of Tables and Figures 10 Preface 12 Acknowledgments 18 1 The Racial Chameleon 22 2 White Racial Attitudes in the Heartland 37 3 Culture, Media, and the White Mind: The Character of Their Content 67 4 The Meaning of Blackness in Network News 81 5 Violence, Stereotypes, and African Americans in the News 99 6 Benign Neglect in the Poverty of the News 115 7 Affirming Discord 128 8 Black Power 146 9 Prime-TimeTelevision: White and Whiter 165 I0 Advertising Whiteness 183 II Race at the Movies 203 I2 Reflecting on the End of Racial Representation 226 Appendix: Data Tables 248 Notes 262 References 292 Index 314 9780226210759 White Americans often learn about African Americans not through personal relationships but through images in the media. This book takes a comprehensive look at the intricate racial patterns in the mass media and how they shape the ambivalent attitudes of whites toward blacks. 7 line drawings. 27 tables. Living in a segregated society, white Americans learn about African Americans through the images the media show. This text offers a look at the racial patterns in the mass media and how they shape the ambivalent attitudes of whites toward blacks. ASSESSING THE STATE OF RACE RELATIONS in the United States at the beginning of the twenty-first century, scholars, intellectuals, and ordinary citizens disagree on the extent of the breach between Blacks and Whites. Robert M. Entman And Andrew Rojecki. Originally Published: Chicago : University Of Chicago Press, 2000. With A New Preface. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 271-292) And Index.