A detailed new study from Horowitz Research finds Black U.S. audiences have widespread concerns about the news media, with six in 10 (60%) Black adults of voting age saying unbiased journalism is fundamental to democracy and an equally large majority (59%) worrying that there are very few unbiased news sources nowadays.
The findings are part of Horowitz’s latest annual report, “FOCUS Black Volume 3: Social, Cultural, & Political Shifts.”
The survey highlighted several top concerns for African Americans, with 70% identifying racism as a top concern, 60% expressing concern about new laws limiting access to contraception and 58% worried about the impact of climate change.
More than half of Black adults surveyed (54%) were concerned about media shaping perceptions and 73% say news organizations should be accountable for misinformation.
The survey also found that 70% of Black adults believed in hearing diverse voices for opinions and 62% want to see journalists who represent their communities. While 54% believe that TV news does a good job of representing diversity, 20% complain that the news does not give equal positive and negative coverage of their community.
“In these polarized times, some in corporate America, including media organizations, are moving away from initiatives focused on diversity, equity and inclusion,” noted Adriana Waterston, executive vice president, insights and strategy lead for Horowitz Research. “This is the opposite of what diverse audiences—and especially Black audiences—want to see. And given that Black consumers are among the heaviest consumers of news, information, and entertainment content, dropping DEI initiatives at this time could backfire for major media companies that need to grow, not shrink, their audiences in order to survive the continued fragmentation of the media ecosystem.”
More information about the FOCUS Black Volume 3: Social, Cultural, and Political Shifts 2024 report, is available here.
