The White Face of Cable

This is interesting -- just don't bother reading the comments. The question posed in the article -- Who would have thought cable commentary would get whiter after the election of a black president? -- is provocative. I don't think it's a coincidence. There are a couple of possible explanations. The more innocent one is that once the nation voted a racial minority into the Oval Office, well-meaning people allowed themselves a sigh of relief and thought: Finally, the war with racism is over. They let up on their efforts to diversify, with the result being a step backward. The other explanation, more insidious, is that white executives in power, even the well-intended ones, feel anxious after the election of a black president, as if the sand is shifting beneath their feet. What do people with some level of anxiety do when they are in a position to hire? They hire those who make them feel comfortable, which usually means hiring people who look or act like they do.

This would be an interesting question to discuss in my next GRC and Media course ...