Essay on Media Representation of Cultural Differences & Diversity

This essay examines the representation of cultural differences in media, focusing on how racism and lack of inclusivity are portrayed. It analyzes media samples to highlight biases and the importance of promoting cultural diversity. The essay discusses the role of media outlets in fostering understanding and acceptance through unbiased reporting, diverse leadership, and commitment to policies that ensure equitable representation. It emphasizes the need for cultural diversity to combat discrimination and promote a more inclusive society, arguing that acknowledging and incorporating minority cultures into dominant ones fosters respect and productivity. The essay concludes by stressing the importance of effective policies and management commitment in achieving meaningful diversity.

Running header: Working with culture difference 1
Working with customer difference
Students Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Introduction
Statement of problem.
Racism has been an issue of concern for some years now in the United States. To many,
being an American of another descent subjects one to racist American stereotypes (BBC News,
2018). For example, being confronted with life-threatening altercations by the police without
ever being in any crime. Racism towards the blacks in America is equated to a status of domestic
criminalization, terror, and alienation since the black Americans have no original home country
to connect to. In America, racism finds its way from the federal state laws that have incorporated
inhumane practice as part of the law.
Black life has always suffered dehumanization in the United States (BBC News, 2018).
For example, during President Obama’s tenure, several blacks were shot by the police while
unarmed. However, with a black president, more blacks felt they could attain more since social
media awareness helped grow and create a black lives matter movement. Nevertheless, in
Donald’s Trump's tenure, America is said to have gone back to its roots of violence due to the
indifferent federal government. Hence, more white Americans are re-employing black codes.
Solving this “epidemic” requires cooperation from different people from different
diversities. Being bold and acting with an intention is critical in promoting anti-racism. This
study explores scenarios in which cultural diversity can be promoted as a strategy to alienate
racism that contributes to a degraded society.
Importance of the problem.
Racism is a crucial aspect that can be observed in diverse communities and races. The
problem is important since the lack of addressing it has promoted negative impacts from young
people to adults. For example, racism has led to mental health impacts among young people
suffering from it. Racism also affects the general wellbeing of individuals.
What is lacking in the current knowledge.
The world has diverse people from different regions. However, one crucial aspect that is
lacking among people and organizations is diversity management. According to Pearson (2017),
racism is a source of power and control for those in positions of power. This means it has merely
become more sophisticated rather than easier to eliminate. This calls for the in-depth rebuilding
of an acceptable diverse population so as to ensure there is no misappropriation of control or
power.

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Literature review.
The Depth of Racism in the U.S.: What It Means for Children
Racism has led to the development of an attitude that incorporates antagonism on one
superior group majorly due to race or skin color. As children are growing, they are able to notice
the difference and mentally acquire these observations. These attitudes are later reinforced in
school, home, and church (Rollins, 2017). By the time a child is three years old, he or she is able
to categorize good and bad due to the influence of what he or she hears and sees around. As a
result, as a child reaches the ages between four and five, he or she may start using racial reasons
as the basis for not interacting with others. Later, as children go into elementary school, they
have already developed stereotypes and prejudices (Rollins, 2017). These prejudices may remain
until someone corrects them.
Racism may also negatively influence the health of people who migrate to new countries
they have never been before. For example, new immigrants may have excellent health, but as
they stay and begin adapting to the new culture and environment, their health may be affected
due to issues such as increased fatty food intake. New research equates the decline in health to be
as a result of racism. According to Ausdale and Feagin (2001), the early childhood of a child is
essential since it’s the period when elements such as racial discrimination may have negative
impacts on the wellbeing, neural connections, and brain development.
Comparative analysis of two media samples.
Sample 1.
1) Describe your example (Where did you find it? What was the program called? etc.)
The example portrays how two diverse fathers were charged with cases of murder and how the
media covered their story. I found this sample on Facebook on a program known as “Now This.”
The example demonstrates how culture and race may affect the outlook and the judgment of a
person irregardless of the mistake done.
2) Explain how cultural differences is represented?
Chris Watt, a white American Dad, is charged with first-degree murder for killing his pregnant
wife and his three and four-year-old daughters. However, photos used to cover his case are well
branded showing his lovely family and how he seems to be a caring father. However, the media
coverage of Melvin Harris III who is black is drastically different. Media outlets have

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represented Harris with his mugshot, and he has no photos of him and his daughter who he was
defending. There appears to be less background information in the coverage, and his name is
rarely used in the headlines. This difference exposes how the White’s culture is deemed to be
nice even if the victims are in the wrong. On the other hand, the black’s culture is considered to
be violent even if it is for a right cause. Blacks are not considered to be equal to the whites since
how the two are judged differently.
3) How did this uphold dominant discourses and possibly disempower difference?
Chris Watt is a white accused of murdering his family. However, the media portrays a
good image of him while Harris who defended his daughter receives no recognition from the
media. This displays a perfect example of racism in ways that are so subtle to most white people
such that they can barely notice. This means racism has been normalized since the culture
present dictates to the whites to have an anti-black bias.
Sample 2.
4) Describe the sample (Where did you find it? What was the program called? etc.)
The sample is a picture that portrays the honoring of the 100th birthday of Ms. Katherine
Johnson who was a black woman that helped NASA during the space mission. I found the
sample on Facebook on a program known as “Now This.” The sample describes the
inclusiveness of different cultures through a particular opportunity which is the movie.
5) Why does the inclusiveness of cultural differences promote a better opportunity for
alternative voices to be heard?
Providing an environment where people can contribute and share interests unbiasedly
depends on the inclusivity of cultural differences. Therefore, being able to ensure equity across
all parties involved will be quite easy hence ensuring voices are heard.
Discussion
How media outlets can help develop practical strategies to promote working with cultural
differences?
The media is one of the greatest tools of promoting culture in the world. The media can
promote positive content or negative content depending on the underlying superior or minor
culture (Hesmondhalgh, 2005). However, media outlets can encourage and establish strategies
that assist in working with cultural differences. One, we have the creation of a clear vision,

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mission, and goals that promote cultural diversity. If a media outlet understands that serving all
cultures respectably is equally crucial, creating a vision and mission particularly to promote
cultural diversity will aid the company to promote different cultures.
Secondly, we have creation of policies that ensure all news covered are not biased or
racists. This is critical since it will allow news regarding the blacks, whites, Hispanic, Chinese
and other cultures to be covered unbiasedly. In addition, even the owners of the media
companies will also be able to incorporate other cultures within different departments in the
company. This will ensure a rich and diverse news selection that covers all aspects between
different cultures (Hesmondhalgh, 2005).
Three, media outlets can increase leadership abilities through developmental and
mentoring programs. Since the media is a strong influencer in different communities, being able
to portray content that promotes the acceptance of cultural differences is crucial. For example,
since young people love watching the television more, being able to hold educative forums that
promote cultural diversity can allow them understood the beauty of diversity thus being able to
appreciate other cultures.
Lastly, ensuring that there is a strong commitment from the management to pursue
strategies promoting cultural differences will be key. This is because, if the management is not
committed to diversity, working towards cultural diversity will be difficult (Jenkins, Ford, &
Green,.2018). The effectiveness of the team members who initiate the steps to diversity
management is only determined by the management. Media outlet management can ensure its
commitment by adhering to policies set and also taking necessary measures to anyone who tries
to engage in racist comments.
Conclusion.
Cultural diversity is a matter that should not be avoided if racism and other cultural
discriminating factors are done away with. For example, minor cultures should be accepted and
incorporated in the large cultures so as to feel appreciated and respected. Superior cultures
should not take the higher positions in government, organizations or institutions just because
they are superior but the inclusion of minor cultures in such offices will ensure there is
acceptance and respect. This will ensure diversity is upheld and productivity is doubled up due to
the freedom and honor between the cultures. The effectiveness of diversity will be measured by
how policies that govern different cultures under the same setting will be administered.

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References
Ausdale, D.V., & Feagin, J.R. (2001). The first R: How children learn race and racism. Lanham,
MD: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers.
BBC News (2018). Viewpoint: Why racism in US is worse than in Europe. Retrieved from
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44158098/
Hesmondhalgh, D. (2005). Media and cultural policy as public policy: The case of the British
Labour government. International journal of cultural policy, 11(1), 95-109.
Jenkins, H., Ford, S., & Green, J. (2018). Spreadable media: Creating value and meaning in a
networked culture. NYU press.
Pearson, L. (2017). COMMENT: Racism is not simply an education issue. Retrieved from
https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2017/02/22/comment-racism-not-simply-education-
issue
Rollins, J. A. (2017). The Depth of Racism in the U.S.: What It Means for Children. Pediatric
Nursing, 43(5), 213–214. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&db=tfh&AN=125833570&site=ehost-live/