Minorities Coverage

Why The Media Lacks Coverage of Minorities

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Q: Dear April Masini,

I've been really excited for this years Paralympics (Olympics for the disabled) but have been extremely disappointed by the lack of coverage by the media. Why does the media rarely provide any coverage on minorities, especially the disabled?

Sincerely,

Minorities on TV

A:

Minorities on TV,

*Minorities are covered by the media -- when they're beautiful, sexy, and rich! These days nobody really wants to hear about anyone -- regardless of minority or majority status - unless they're youthful, sexy, gorgeous and rich.

More than ever, ours is a celebrity culture -- and our gods are money and fame. As terrible as that sounds, it is the truth.

The reason for this is two prong:

1. First of all, technology has provided more outlets for entertainment than ever before. Hardly any teens today can remember when there wasn't cable television, and there were only a handful of channels to choose from. Now there is cable, satellite and You Tube as well as the internet, television that is broadcast to cell phones and ipods and movies downloaded to the computer as well as watch in your home movies from pay-per-view or Netflix. All this means more celebrity vehicles and more celebrities. This is the first time in history when there is a television genre aimed specifically for B, C and D listed actors and has-beens. With the swell of Surreal Life and Flavor of Love type of shows, new stars just won't do. Has-beens only need apply.

2. The second reason this is a celebrity culture is that we have fewer leaders and less moral integrity in our culture than ever before. Everyone is looking for someone to follow. Celebs are looking for an audience. An easier match could not be made.

*Disabled Olympics isn't getting low support or ratings because it's a minority event. Frankly, the regular Olympics didn't get much coverage or ratings this year, either. There was more minority coverage on the red carpet of the Oscars because those minorities were sexy, gorgeous, rich, and famous. There are plenty of non-minority people who are brilliant or heroic, but who don't get coverage because they're fat or unattractive or poor -- garden variety factors in today's society. And garden variety just doesn't make the front page.

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

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