Bigotry for Thee But Not for Me

Bigotry for Thee But Not for Me

A media watch group and the Boston Herald continue to marginalize 20 percent of the population, persons with disabilities. (Jesse Noyes, "Few women, nonwhites own TV stations," Boston Herald Business, September 21, 2006) Why do journalists and public officials ignore the pervasive prejudice toward persons with disabilities? It is an unlawful as bias toward persons of color and toward women.
Under the Code of Mass Regulations the definition of minority excludes persons with disabilities. Elected officials simply ignore them. It shows that bigotry is institutionalized. For some it is OK to discriminate is the message of media and government contrary to laws and public policy.

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Roy Bercaw, Editor
ENOUGH ROOM
Cambridge MA USA

Few women, nonwhites own TV stations
By Jesse Noyes
Boston Herald Business Reporter
Thursday, September 21, 2006 - Updated: 07:38 AM EST

A Massachusetts media watchdog group released a study yesterday showing a widescale lack of diversity in television station ownership throughout the country.
Even though women make up 51 percent of the national population, only 67 TV stations, or less than 5 percent, are owned by women, according to a report by Free Press.
Minorities only own 44 stations, less than 4 percent of the total, the study said.
Those figures are in stark contrast to the 1,033 stations run by non-Hispanic white owners, who dominate the market.
The report’s authors said the small number of women- and minority-owned TV stations is due to heavy consolidation of media and to Federal Communications Commission’s policies. The FCC is currently examining whether to implement less stringent media ownership rules.
The level of minority-owned TV stations hasn’t improved since 1998, the study found.