The aftermath of George Floyd’s murder sparked a year of racial reckoning that showed no signs of slowing down. Protests in response to police brutality captured the media’s attention and sparked a debate on how news organizations cover protests in the wake of racially motivated killings. During the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, ABC, NBC and CBS presented distinctly different coverage of the Black Lives Matter protests following the deaths of George Floyd and Daunte Wright.
On April 12, a day after Daunte Wright was fatally shot by police, the programs covered the overnight protests. They highlighted that tensions were high in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, with the Derek Chauvin trial just 10 miles away. Only CBS presented footage of local businesses that were damaged and looted. CBS News correspondent Omar Villafranca reported “Wright’s killing sparked a night of chaos,” while showing viewers the aftermath of the protests, which included destroyed properties. Rather than focus on the damage, ABC and NBC summarized the events.
Withholding information is not a journalist’s responsibility but providing context is. CBS showed the aftermath of the Brooklyn Center protests without additional context. This directly contributes to the narrative that demonstrations in response to police brutality are often violent and deadly, overshadowing the protests’ goals. Since CBS included these details, it could have interviewed protesters to show their perspective.
On April 19, the programs covered possible reactions to the Chauvin verdict differently. CBS, once again, focused on how the city was bracing for potential protests. CBS News Correspondent Jeff Pegues showed boarded-up properties while reporting, “These kinds of precautions are intended to head off the kind of riots that destroyed $350 million in property last summer when George Floyd was killed.” Pegues repeatedly mentioned violence and called the protests “riots.” However, The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, an independent no-profit research group, found that more than 93% of Black Lives Matter protests have been peaceful. This doesn’t erase nor justify the property damage, but it does provide more context. Most importantly, it minimizes prejudice toward people of color who demonstrate.
In contrast, NBC News correspondent Ron Allen covered the verdict anticipation more sensitively. His piece opened with a protester telling a crowd “Your voice matters.” He then interviewed other protesters about their expectations. Allen also made the point of not calling the demonstrations “riots” – instead using the word “violence” to lessen the negative connotation. He concluded his package by reminding viewers that protesters were “coming together to demand justice.”
The trial of Derek Chauvin is over, but the verdict does not end the decades-long fight against police brutality. Many hope it is the beginning of real change. As the fight continues, journalists will have to cover protests and demonstrations in an accurate, fair and thoughtful manner going forward.
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