Study: Most Black Americans Feel News Media Don’t Cover Issues Relevant To Them

A new study by the Pew Research Center has revealed that only 4 out of 10 Black Americans believe the news adequately covers issues important to them.

According to a new study, less than half of Black Americans believe news outlets are doing their job in speaking on topics specifically relevant to the community.

The Pew Research Center unveiled its findings that 4 out of 10 Black participants, from the sample of 4,752 in the study, expressed their approval in the news coverage. The majority surveyed were unhappy with the prioritization of news coverage seemingly away from their interests.

Asian and Hispanic participants felt similarly—38% and 37%, respectively—but 54% of white adults surveyed felt the news represents issues they care about most.

Of the issues Black people are most invested in, health care and medicine ranked the highest, with 66% of individuals listing the topic as “extremely or very important.” However, regarding how accessible this information is, 62% said the topic was widely addressed in news media. However, that left a nearly 40% margin of respondents who believe that information tailored to the Black community is not readily accessible.

Black respondents wanted news outlets to better dissect topics such as the wealth gap and other economic issues, including housing and employment. Additional issues included crime, as well as criminal justice, but also stories that feature Black people in a more “positive light.” In a September 2023 study, 63% of Black respondents determined the news surrounding their racial group was geared more toward the negative.

Considering this perception on their media portrayal, the inclusion of positive storytelling that dismantles stereotypes is of heightened importance to the demographic.

With presidential campaigns will under way, these insights could determine what issues will be of primary focus for the candidates, particularly for incumbents Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as they campaign for the Black electorate to turn out the vote a second time.