However, I gotta say I was glad to see the students from Tennessee State University interrupt a reporter from Nashville’s FOX 17, during yet another story about crime at TSU. (Footage of the encounter is linked below)
First, understand, there is no question that TSU has a safety issue on its campus. Anytime there is someone shot and killed on your campus, there is a problem. Recently, Cameron Selmon, 19, of Memphis, was gunned down following an incident that took place over a reported dice game on campus. Although Selmon was not a student at TSU, it is a tragedy nonetheless.
TSU, like many HBCUs, is located in a predominately black community, in this instance North Nashville. And, throughout the history of the school the area around TSU has been a mix of middle class homes, working class neighborhoods, and even a housing project.
There were never any real problems with the community regarding crime, on or even around, the campus. Nonetheless, the media has historically shaped a perception about how dangerous it is around TSU. One of the ways the media has been able to do that is by using a phrase that describes a crime taking place ‘near the TSU campus’.
For years I have been trying to figure out the boundaries that make up the ‘near TSU’. Now, there is no question the community around TSU is not as safe as it once was. That is just a fact. So, the stories regarding the safety issues at TSU are prevalent, and important at this point.
However, as the TSU students stated, there are positive stories from the university that are important to the community, and should be told. And, often times, those stories aren’t being told.
It is wrong to infer the perception that there is pillaging and lawlessness at the university while choosing to overlook the many great things that take place at TSU each day. Also, when incidents occur at surrounding universities in town such as Belmont and Vanderbilt _ which no one is wishing on any campus _ it is important for the media to report those occurrences as well.
I can say as a native of Nashville, and someone who worked in the media in Nashville, that just has not happened.
So, how does this happen? As a journalist with more than 30 years of experience I can tell you one of the problems when unbalance coverage occurs is the lack of diversity in the newsrooms. The faces you see reporting on camera and the bylines you see in the newspaper are just the messengers. The real power falls in the hands of the producers and editors in television studios and newspaper newsrooms.
Historically, African-Americans are rarely in those news meetings that take place to shape the news that we see and read. Until that changes, and as perilous as traditional news gathering is these days I doubt it will, it is incumbent that the community challenges news organizations on their reporting. That means letters to the editor/station manager, requests to attend news meetings, challenging stories and facts….and sometimes, even interrupting news reports.
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