Recently we highlighted back-to-back stories from an ABC affiliate in Columbus, Ohio. The local police had announced updates in two homicide stories and published mugshots of both suspects. WSYX ABC 6 published new articles for both homicides back to back. One was a White female homicide victim, and the suspect was an in custody White male. The station used his mugshot for the thumbnail and also showed a picture of the victim.
The other homicide victim was a White male, and the suspect was an at-large Black female. The station published three photos of a crime scene investigation. There was no mugshot or a picture of the victim.
Pictures of the victim had been given out by the family and were readily available online.
Here is a similar example from KARE NBC 11 in Minneapolis, MN.
The station published a story about two White males who allegedly broke into a candy store after hours. They vandalized the inside of the store and stole cash. The station used their mugshots for the article’s thumbnail.
Four hours later, the same station published an article about a Black male, on supervised release with an ankle monitor, who allegedly fired into an occupied vehicle. Gabriella Dehoyos, a 21-year-old pregnant Latino, and her unborn baby were killed. The suspect is named Paul Dwayne Harris, 24. Even though a mugshot of Harris was publicly available, KARE only included a picture of a crime scene investigation. The article even references a photograph on the suspect’s Facebook page! Yet KARE did not show this photo.
KARE also did not show a picture of the victim, even though photos were publicly available.
KARE NBC 11 made it extremely obvious and blatant that they promote a racial agenda when reporting crimes.
