By Chris B. Bennett, The Seattle Medium

Recently, I was privy to a community conversation about bias, racism, and the demonization of Black folks by the media. This is not a new topic of conversation in our community, and one that I usually steer away from for a couple of reasons. One, most of the media outlets in question have shown you time and time again that they are not your friend. Two, it’s not worth my time or energy to provide a comparison between our media outlets (The Seattle Medium and its print, digital, and broadcast affiliates) and other media outlets in the area. And third, there is a growing number of media outlets that rely on sensationalism and political bias to engage loyalists—who evangelize their positions—and one-time news consumers who, in general, do not get their news and information from these media outlets that they wholeheartedly admit do not serve their best interests.

The conversation started out with President Obama and his recent claims about how the media would have come after him if he did the types of things that Donald Trump is doing. Then it shifted to the local media landscape. Of course, the usual suspects—and I’ll let you figure those out on your own—were at the top of the agenda at this board meeting of “neighborhood executives.” Then, to my surprise, the conversation quickly shifted to KUOW—the local NPR affiliate.

Admittedly, I, like most people, respect KUOW and the work that they do in the community. However, my familiarity with KUOW centers around their on-air programming, as I rarely engage with their website—which is where their written journalists come into play and the focal point of the dismay of the collective body of this conversation.

Let me be clear. This is not just about KUOW. But if KUOW—which until recently was led by a Black woman and now has another woman of color serving as the general manager of an organization that is a self-proclaimed champion of “racial diversity, equity, and inclusion transformation”—can contribute to the escalating rise in anti-Black sentiment that is encroaching on the fiber of this country, what can we expect from those media outlets that do not openly or privately claim to support DEI, racial inclusivity/progress, and social justice?

There are those who believe that the current political climate in America has forced many media organizations to shift the focus of their content. However, when looking at the number and types of stories produced by KUOW over the past few years for their website, it appears that there is, in my opinion, a disturbing and disproportionate number of “investigative stories” that do not show Black people/organizations in a positive light.

In looking at the different headlines on their website, one of the most puzzling to me was one that read: “Seattle Mayor Harrell’s friend dismissed from top job after being accused of hate speech, slur.” The story starts out with the following:

“Last June, Darrell Powell — longtime friend and former football teammate of Mayor Bruce Harrell — was dismissed from his role as interim CEO of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority.”

The story then talks about Powell being accused of using bigoted language and allegedly making homophobic and anti-trans comments as reasons for his departure from the role. However, I’m not sure how Mayor Harrell’s name is drawn into the conversation besides the loose connection presented in the story that says Harrell and Powell’s friendship can be traced back to their days at Garfield High School, where they donned the same purple and white football jerseys. Certainly, there is not enough of a connection in the story to merit the headline.

Speaking of Mayor Bruce Harrell, the outlet recently reported an arrest of Harrell nearly 30 years ago in Iowa. While the issue may be interesting as it pertains to a high-profile elected official, all charges against him were dismissed by a prosecutor and judge, and he maintained his innocence. By most accounts, this case was closed and probably would not garner much more media attention than the initial article. However, KUOW followed up with two additional stories on the subject, which was once again questioned by the members of this “neighborhood board meeting.”

Another story that comes to mind was one written about Emijah Smith, a well-known community advocate in the Black community who was a leading candidate for an appointment to an open seat on the Seattle School Board, that was published just before the Board was scheduled to vote on the position. The story, which centered on rumors that circulated during the appointment process, portrayed Smith as an aggressive assailant in an incident that took place on the front porch of her house but failed to provide contextual information that may have suggested otherwise. Needless to say, the damage to Smith’s reputation and her candidacy at the time were devastating.

At a time when we need our local media outlets to speak truth to power and provide a narrative that is truthful and trustworthy, we cannot afford to have them engage in exploits that mirror what we are seeing at the national level. Our streets are not being overrun with crime. We don’t need the National Guard occupying our city. And Black and Brown people should not be portrayed as the poster children for all that is “wrong” in America or the city of Seattle—because we are not!

All media outlets—including KUOW—have a First Amendment right to publish and say what they want. But that does not mean that we shouldn’t question their motives for some of the things that they publish/produce. While we may not need to keep a scorecard, we should note those who are displaying a pattern of discernment when it comes to our community, our leaders, and our institutions. If you pay close attention, people will show you their true colors. They will show you if they are truly here to make a positive difference in our community or if they only plan on being here long enough to make a name for themselves and move on to the “next big thing” or their dream job.

At the end of the day, we owe it to ourselves — and to future generations — to question narratives that perpetuate harm, even when they come from voices we once trusted. Media has the power to shape perception, policy, and public opinion, and if that power is used irresponsibly, the consequences for our communities can be devastating and long lasting. Black people should not be used as a prop in a headline, or scapegoats for systemic failure. We are leaders, families, innovators, and contributors to the heartbeat of this city. If our local media outlets truly want to be champions for equity, they must start by telling the full story — not just the parts that fit into a personal or political agenda.

Through they eyes of an ink barrel, may peace be unto you!