Here are two news headlines, about a year apart, in two different U.S. cities. Here’s the first: “Suspect charged with capital murder in death of 6 children, 2 adults.” Here’s the second: “Officer who killed family had dark side, struggled since childhood.”
Can you guess which one describes a white suspect, and which one describes a black suspect? If you guessed the second headline described the white suspect, you’re right. There’s always been lots of anecdotal examples to support the idea that the media has an inherent racial bias in how it reports the news.
Now, a new study from Ohio State University is putting some quantitative teeth behind that theory. Sociology graduate student Lauren Frizell, one of the authors of the study, joins Eight O’Clock Buzz host Brian Standing by phone.
