Editing Mass media (section)

=== Racism and stereotyping ===
{{Further|Stereotype}}
{{Globalize|section|date=March 2015}}

Mass media sources, through theories like framing and agenda-setting, can affect the scope of a story as particular facts and information are highlighted ([[media influence]]). This can directly correlate with how individuals may perceive certain groups of people, as the only media coverage a person receives can be very limited and may not reflect the whole story or situation; stories are often covered to reflect a particular perspective to target a specific demographic.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Powers |first1=Shawn |last2=el-Nawawy |first2=Mohammed |title=Al-Jazeera English and global news networks: clash of civilizations or cross-cultural dialogue? |journal=Media, War & Conflict |date=December 2009 |volume=2 |issue=3 |pages=263–284 |doi=10.1177/1750635209345185 |s2cid=144850273 }}</ref>

According to Stephen Balkaran, an Instructor of Political Science and African American Studies at Central Connecticut State University, mass media has played a large role in the way white Americans perceive African Americans. The media focus on African American in the contexts of crime, drug use, gang violence and other forms of anti-social behavior has resulted in a distorted and harmful public perception of African Americans.<ref name="Mass Media and Racism"/> In his 1999 article "Mass Media and Racism", Balkaran states: "The media has played a key role in perpetuating the effects of this historical oppression and in contributing to African Americans' continuing status as second-class citizens." This has resulted in an uncertainty among white Americans as to what the genuine nature of African Americans really is. Despite the resulting [[racial segregation|racial divide]], the fact that these people are undeniably American has "raised doubts about the white man's value system". This means that there is a somewhat "troubling suspicion" among some Americans that their white America is tainted by the black influence.<ref name="Mass Media and Racism"/> Mass media, as well as [[propaganda]], tend to reinforce or introduce [[stereotype]]s to the general public.