Study: TV News Featuring Fewer Minorities

Keeping to a pattern, the number of minority journalists featured on television network evening news programs dropped during an election year. Minority journalists reported 10 percent of the stories on the ABC, CBS and NBC nightly newscasts last year. That's down from 13 percent in 2003, according to an annual study by the Center for Media and Public Affairs. That's the third straight presidential election year in which the percentage of stories reported by minorities has been lower than the previous year, according to the Washington-based think tank, which has compiled data on the topic since 1990. "The networks always turn to their familiar faces when it comes time to cover presidential campaigns," said Robert Lichter, the center's director. "Unfortunately for minority correspondents, familiar is a synonym for white." [more]