British media ‘in denial’ of racism, say black journalists

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Ian Murray, executive director of the Society of Editors, said in a statement earlier this week that it was “wrong” that sections of the British press were bigoted or racist.
Murray was responding to remarks Prince Harry made during an interview with Oprah Winfrey in which he said racism played a role in how the British press covered his wife, Meghan, and tabloid coverage was a major factor in the couple’s decision to leave. the country.
In a letter posted online, journalists of color – including from The Guardian and Condé Nast – urged the Society of Editors to tackle bigotry and racism in UK media coverage, rather than claiming it doesn’t does not exist.

Murray’s insistence that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had provided no ‘supporting evidence’ to back up the racist coverage claims showed ‘willful ignorance’ of the discriminatory treatment of Meghan by the UK press , as well as others who do not identify as White, according to the letter.

“We, the undersigned journalists of color, working in British media organizations, deplore and reject the statement issued by the Society of Editors, denying the existence of racism and bigotry in the British press,” wrote the reporters.

“The total refusal to accept that there is fanaticism in the British press is laughable, does a disservice to journalists of color and shows an institution and an industry in denial,” they added.

The letter cite a range of evidence to support their claims, including a 2016 report by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance which concluded that hate speech in mainstream British media, particularly tabloids, ” continue to be a serious problem ”and fuel prejudice.
Compelling evidence can also be found in the headlines of major tabloids. One Mail Online said in 2016 that Meghan was “(almost) straight out of Compton”. Around the same time, The Daily Star made headlines with a headline asking if Harry “Would Marry Gangster Royalty?”

On Wednesday, the Society of Editors released what it described as “clarification.”

“Our statement on Meghan and Harry … did not reflect what we all know: that there is a lot of work to be done in the media to improve diversity and inclusion. We will reflect on the reaction our statement has. aroused and will work to be part of the solution, “the organization, which hosts the prestigious annual press awards, said in a statement. He declined to answer questions or say whether he maintained his earlier comments.

One of the reasons Meghan suffered racist coverage in the UK: the media is not diverse
But the damage is already done. ITV News Presenter Charlene white Wednesday resignation as Press Awards host In a letter first reported by HuffPost UK, White told the Society of Editors that she should “look elsewhere” for a host.

“Maybe someone whose point of view agrees with yours: that the British press is the only institution in the whole country that has a perfect racing record,” she added.

The editors of The Guardian and Financial Times newspapers also took issue with the original statement by the Society of Editors.

“There is work to be done in all sectors in the UK to denounce and combat racism,” FT editor-in-chief Roula Khalaf said in a statement. “The media have a vital role to play and editors must ensure that our writing and coverage reflects the societies in which we live,” she added.

“Each UK institution is currently examining its own position on vital issues of race and the treatment of people of color. As I said before, the media must do the same. They need to be much more representative and more self-aware. Added Katharine Viner, Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian.

Reach Plc, which publishes the Mirror, the Express and the Daily Star, declined to comment on the Society of Editors’ statement. CNN Business has reached out to the Daily Mail and the Sun’s publisher, News UK, for comment. Harry and Meghan said last April that they would no longer engage with the major tabloids and have sued some newspapers.

Fight against the lack of diversity

The British press remains predominantly white compared to the overall racial and ethnic makeup of the UK.

A report by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism in 2016 found that only 6% of UK editorial journalists do not identify as white, compared to around 13% of the general population. The same study found that while black Britons make up 3% of the population, they only make up 0.2% of journalists.

And according to a report released last July by the Reuters Institute, none of Britain’s top 10 print, digital or broadcast media has a black editor.

“The Society of Editors should have used the Sussexes’ comments to initiate an open and constructive discussion on how best to prevent racist coverage in the future, including addressing the lack of representation in the UK media, particularly at a level higher, “letter from Color Journalists said.

“At a time when many industries and businesses are engaged in an account with the race following the Black Lives Matter protests, we believe it would be best to use the Society of Editors’ time to reflect on the lack of diversity. ” he added.

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