They are either getting locked up, stolen something. The race of the reporter, however does not affect the trust children place in the news. Race and social class in the media are tightly connected in children's minds. White characters are seen as having more money and minority characters are seen as struggling financially. Similarly, White children are much more likely than children of other races to think families on television have the same amount of money as their families.
Children believe in media's potential to send positive messages about race.
Finally, three-quarters of kids say they have 'best friends' of different races, which is reflected in their descriptions of 'ideal' TV shows. Young people value diversity, they value their friends of different races, and they believe the media can do better. Now's Fifth Annual Children and the Media Conference held in Los Angeles from May 6-8, 1998. The sample included 300 interviews of children from each of the four largest racial groups. The focus groups were organized by race and led by a moderator of that race.