How Media Coverage of Black People Affects Empathy
Last month saw an intense news cycle, where questions of representation in media depictions of race were brought to the forefront.
Amber Guyger’s sentencing for the murder of Botham Jean brought up two different public sentiments, with black people on social media feeling both dejected that she only received ten years and relieved that she was found guilty fo murder at all, and the mainstream (aka white) public focusing on Jean’s brother’s forgiveness of Guyger and the hugs she received from him and Judge Tammy Kemp. And at the end of the same week, news came out about 21-year-old Deandre Sommerville, who served 10 days in jail on a contempt charge because he overslept and missed jury duty, and the outrage at the harsh sentence was swift.
It’s safe to say that the Guyger sentencing and Sommerville’s ordeal are studies of the differences in how media outlets’ court reporting depicts black people versus white people.
The Hugs Shared Round the World
The first hug Amber Guyger received was from Botham Jean’s younger brother, as a show of forgiveness. That act of forgiveness can be read in many ways. Looking at it from the perspective of Jean’s family, as many Black pundits did, the primary sentiment is probably conflict. The second hug was when any ambivalence melted away for those who’ve seen any other court case. Guyger receiving a hug from Judge Kemp is mystifying because no one’s ever seen it happen before. That act of compassion coming from a neutral party was automatically thrown against the lack of compassion that most black defendants do not receive.
Last week comedian Trevor Noah spoke on the Amber Guyger verdict during a commercial break on his show The Daily Show. His comments aired as an installment of Between the Scenes, a digital feature that showcases Noah’s insights as he talks to his studio audience during breaks. In this video, Noah beautifully explained why Judge Kemp’s treatment towards Guyger would bring up anger for the black people watching. Here’s his quote:
“I feel like the anger actually comes from people feeling like, that is the level of empathy everybody should receive in a court, you know. Everybody should have a judge look at them like a human being… and yet, this narrative doesn’t seem to be afforded to black people in America… It almost feels like if you’re a black person who commits a crime and goes to jail, well, that’s what black people do. But if you’re a white person who commits a crime and goes to jail, it’s like, ‘ah, man, what a disastrous story.’ They tell you about the human being behind the act.”
That anger and frustration grew as the news cycle continued to feature the hugs as the sensational act of the day. Showcasing the video of those hugs as acts of compassion was a decision that mass media, made up of predominately white reporters and producers, made because that’s what made them feel good. They looked at the situation from the standpoint of Guyger, and while black people put themselves into the Jean family’s shoes, white people saw it as “beautiful” that black people would forgive, even when they killed their family.
The Humanity of a Black Juror
This week also had a news cycle where sentencing of a black man was shown with a sense of compassion. Reporting on Deandre Sommerville hasn’t been what we usually see about black men who are sentenced to jail. So far there haven’t been any pictures of him in a jumpsuit or mentions of drug use. In fact, reporting on his story has been unique because mainstream publications have included the details of his life that showcase his humanity. They mention how he takes care of his grandfather, and that he hadn’t had a previous record. By reporting his full background, Sommerville was depicted as a full person instead of a stereotype.
This type of reporting leads to more empathy for the unjust sentencing of this black man. The audience is able to see how egregious the ten days in jail were because he was depicted as someone who made a mistake, instead of doing what expected. They even had analysts saying that the sentencing was overboard. Sommerville’s sentence may not have been lessened if it wasn’t for the media depiction that what happened to him wasn’t fair. That type of empathy is what’s needed in reporting on black people. All people should be viewed in the media as human beings.
