And now this. About half the stations in the sample broadcast a short update on the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky investigation. The story is presented as a serious criminal matter and today's rumor is that the President may testify before the grand jury. Many stations replay the videotape showing Clinton and Lewinsky hugging for the umpteenth time. Obsessive coverage of this story seriously detracts from time and resources that could be used to cover other important issues and events.
RMMW surveys measure the gender and ethnicity of each person who appears and speaks in the news.
So are 70 percent of the experts, authorities and sources whose opinions receive air-time on newscasts. Females comprise 49 percent of all the reporters. Women outnumber men in newscasts as victims. Blacks and Latinos do appear frequently around crime events both as perpetrators and victims. Predominently, viewers see people of color in the news mostly when they've done something wrong, sending a negative message.