Syl Jones: Major media lacks diversity of perspectives

Commentary

The truth about Juan Williams, Fox News and National Public Radio (NPR) may be difficult to sort out, but it's not impossible.

True, it looks like a three-ring circus at the moment, chiefly because undercover "journalists" have exposed NPR's mistrust of the Tea Party movement and NPR's CEO, Vivian Schiller, has resigned under fire.

Major Garrett, former national correspondent for Fox News and once with CNN, has now added an additional wrinkle.

Garret told MSNBC viewers that Fox thrives on polarization: "Fox actually wants to keep that polarization. ... That is an embedded part of the marketing that surrounds what happens in the news division at Fox. It's been incredibly successful."

As if we didn't know.

The fact that Fox both creates and exploits polarization says a lot about today's world and those who spin it. Across America, many seem to enjoy the trauma of loose cannons firing in every direction.

He is the one and only regular commentator of color for Fox News. He played virtually the same role at NPR.

Juan and only Juan. Go, Juan, go.

As Williams has rightly pointed out, this is a much deeper controversy that involves both the differences and similarities between liberal and conservative views of black America.

Williams has said that NPR's treatment of him when he was fired last year for making insensitive remarks on Fox was unfair and represented the "worst of white condescension."

But he didn't say it was unexpected.

Both sides of the political spectrum have a galling habit of trying to exploit people of color to justify their rather narrow interests.

Many African-American journalists have enough experience to rebuff both sides.

Those of us who cut our teeth on reporting and commentary have our own opinions that don't always meet the various white liberal or conservative litmus tests.

Yet, very few networks of any kind -- television, radio or even newspaper syndicates -- will make room for opinions based on black Americans' complex life experiences.

Journalists of color often begin their careers working for their own community newspapers and magazines. They have generally spent time in the trenches reporting from within and have seen with their own eyes the damage done by white racism.

Black journalists also know that in the real world -- in Minneapolis, for instance -- projects intended to help black people create a better life are generally controlled by white people, many of whom have no intention of allowing people of color to determine their own destiny.

This is just another form of colonialism. Likewise, we have been privy to vicious turf battles within the community that deny people of color access to needed assistance.

Who wants to tell this startling story? No one.

Conservative and liberal media outlets are too busy slinging mud to pause and listen to what we know so well. Privileged interests are depriving people of the right to know the truth, to earn a living wage and to make truly informed decisions about the world in which they live.

We can see that neither side is right and that both sides are wrong.

NPR and Fox News are different sides of the same major media coin, one that is fundamentally bent. As it wobbles out of control, those of us who make our living by observation and happen to be people of color are moving on.

Except for the one and only Juan. Go, Juan, go.

Run as far as you can until you're blind-sided again. Then get up, brush yourself off and laugh all the way to the bank.

Syl Jones, of Minnetonka, is a journalist, playwright and communications consultant.

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