Newspapers / Black Ink (Black Student … / Dec. 6, 1978, edition 1 / Page 4
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FEATURES Area panelists discuss minority newsroom role By JOYCE BASS Staff Writer A four-member panel recently di^ussed the role of minorities in the newsroom during a session hosted by UNC jour nalism students. The panel was the climax of a two-part presentation by students enrolled in Journalism 165. The panelists, Donnie Tuck, newsreporter for WTVD Durham; Susan Kidd, anchorwoman of WFMF-TV Greensboro: Vivian Edmonds, editor The CAROLINA TIMES Newspaper and presently an instructor within the jour nalism school, spoke on their personal experiences as minorities within their respective areas of the media. Tuck, a graduate of Duke University, .said today blacks are being brought into the newsroom as a result of pressure from the government and the public viewing audience. "The minorities in the viewing audience can identify with a station if they see another black or minority on the program. They have to like what they see or they will turn you off.” said Tuck. E(knonds, the only editorial member of the panel, said she came into the media by way of her family-owner newspaper. She feels the combination of her B.A. in Knghsh and M.A. in guidance and coun- .seling gives her a certain sensitivity to news. “liet's face it, news is manipulated. When minorities aren’t represented, they’re being weeded right out. We need all kinds of people in the selection process of the media to keep a balance,” said E(knonds. She also spoke about the role and changes in the black newspaper of today. “Weoperate a newspaper run by blacks. not a trfack newspaper. We knew who we were long ago. We publish a paper for the people Granted, most of the social news is about blacks, but we have white clients who take the paper so they can stay in formed about African issues. We have a direct newsline to reporters who are in Africa. Tlierefore we give a balanced picture for people to watch. We are still filling a need for the community,” said Edmonds. She said the main function of the black press was and still is to give attention to "those voiceless ones in the community, and mirror the community. And yes, serve as an organ of protest of necessary.” Susan Kidd, who has an English literature background, said her start came as a result of personal contacts. "My career story is one of those who- you-know type of stories. I knew someone in Atlanta, Ga. who knew someone who was looking for a secretary in the Greensboro area. As a result of those contacts, I got hired at WFMY-TV,” said Kidd. Jan Johnson, former RALEIGH TIMES reporter, said her first interview at the newspaper was filled with questions. "I got asked a lot of questions about my plans of engagement, marriage and children. They explained the questions by saying that women previously hired and left to get married and have children,” said Johnson. Each panel member responded openly to his or her experiences of discrimination by fellow media people and new sources. “Basically, I experienced no discrimination in getting new assign ments. With sources, I think men politicians tend to feel you’re dumb. They explain things to you. They see you as a child and that paternalistic attitude often works as your advantage,” said Johnson. Kidd had a different encounter in the news world. “I think I’m more conscious about being black, than being a woman. For me, it’s a thing of covering the news and ignoring being black. TTiere’s racism and sexism everywhere and much of it is in the media,” said Kidd. Johnson said that the hiring of minorities for editorial positions is rare. “We can cover news, even hard news, but as far as promotions, there aren’t many. As a wonan you can scream about an issue all day. But until white, male editors become more broad-minded, you’re just have to keep screaming. You have to stand up for your own principles and when this doeai’t work, you have to be Mask wants to be more By LINDA BROWN The Order of the Valkyries, the Natioial French Honor Society, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, the United Christian Fellowship and the Black Student Movement (BSM) Central Committee are only a few of the organizations Jeannie Wilson Mask, the new Miss BSM has participated in during her four years at UNC. Mask, a 21 year old Speech Com munications major from Lourinburg, N.C. is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Allen G. Mask. She is presently living in Carrboro. ready to pull to the side,” said Johnson. Kidd said anyone in the media should be expected to stand up for their principles. “■nie media is so manipulated today. Everything you hear and read has been selected from someone’s vantage point. Anyone who told the news was objective, told you a lie. You’ve go to be pushy in this business or you have no business in it. Now don’t misunderstand me. We’re like everyone else. We have husbands, wives and babies to feed, too. Everyone wants job security that’s why it’s sudi a hard decision to make sometimes. I’ve never felt so stiffled that I had to back down. A lot of people can’t afford to beat the street for another job.” said Kidd. In closing, all four panelists agreed that the key to success and mobility in news media is being the best at what you do. Miss BSM than a title Mask said she became a member of the BSM because she like, “the whole idea of the unity that it tries to instill among the black students. The “BSM” she says, is a “source of identity and a source of en joyment for the black student. “The strength of the BSM is determined to a great extend by the strength of the individual. It can only be as strong as the organization will let it be,” she said. Mask feels the role of Miss BSM needs to be more than just a title. “She needs to represent you in her actions,” she said. As Miss BSM, Mask will act as hostess for BSM sponsored events. She also plans to incorporate three major projects. These three projects, of which she feels aU hold equal priority begins with initiating a vocabularly club that would select wwds and publish the definitions in a booklet for its club members. She also plans to work on the beautification of the BSM office and to invite several other black campus queens from around North Carolina to BSM sponsored events. Mask realizes that she will need support from the students, to make her goals successful. She said, “I can’t carry out the projects by myself and I won’t try to.” Mask has confidence in UNC’s black population, she siad, “I’ve had swne good people to work with me in the past.” Sie said she would appreciate all suggestions and support offered to her. Unlike the other four candidates Mask had a campaign manager, Kurt Garrette the Upendo board supervisor. He arranged speaking engagements for her and “passed the word” of her candidacy. “He was a great asset to me,” Mask said. Mask said she had found UNC to be "an enjoyable educational experience.” She said she has beoi strengthened during her past years at UNC by “the motivation to be the best that I could be at all times.” Next year she plans to go to graduate school, although ^e is not certain which one she wiU attend. Mask said that she admires God more than anyone. “There is nobody that I’d rather be like than him,” she said. Persons with questions or suggestions for Mask are asked to contact her at 942- 7495. • ^ iji.*/•> I ^•/ Identical twins, not really ‘identical’ By EDNA BROWN Staff Writer Cassandra is seven minutes older and one half inch shorter than C-arla, but when the two are together, it is like seeing double. Cassandra Olinda Patterson and Carla Dorinda Patterson are identical twins who say being twins can be an advantage and a disadvantage. “When we were children, people used to give us gifts and candy when they saw us,” Cassandra said. “We liked that a lot. It was nice getting the attention.” To most people, Cassandra is known as “Sandy.” Carla once had a nickname too. “When 1 was little, my name was Kandy, “Carla said. “So we were Sandy and Randy Sandy’s name sort of stuck, but mine chdn’t.” The sisters, from Greensboro, are roommates in Hinton-James. “There are a lot of advantages to our rooming together,” Sandy said. “We like rooming together If I don’t like something Carla is doing, I can easily tell her that I don’t whereas if I were rooming with someone else, this would mean a problem” ‘’And we share a lot of things," Carla said, “like the T V., stereo and refrigerator. We’re very close. Our mother wanted us to room together, and we did too.” Sandy and Carla feel the main disadvantage of being identical twins is expressing their in dividuality. “Sometimes people feel in timidated by us,” Sandy said. “They can’t tell which is which.” “We never intentionally set out to fool people,” Carla said. “I remember one semester, I took a course, and the f>rofessor insisted I had taken it before. I kept telling him I didn’t, and Sandy was the one who had taken it.” Sandy and Carla, juniors majoring in psychology, say they understand when people call them the twins instead of their names. “People don’t think of us as in dividuals,” Sandy said. “We’ve gotten us^ to people calling us the twins.” “W'hen I look at Sandy,” Carla said, “I don’t think she looks like me. I just see my sister. But there was a time v^hen we got a picture mixed up. We still don’t know to this day which one of us is in that picture.” “I don’t know what it’s like not being twins,” Sandy said. “Out father still has trouble telling us apart, but our mother knows us.” “He says Sandy’s voice is higher than mine,” Carla said. When Sandy and Carla were children, their parents would sometimes mistakenly punish one for the other. “They also used to give the wrong one of us medicine,” Sandy smiles and says. Their friends on campus tell them apart by the small scar on Carla’s forehead. “Yes, I hit Carla when she was little with an ash tray,” Sandy said. “She had my rag doll and just wouldn’t give it to me.” “Lately we’ve been wearing our hair down,” Carla said. “So, people can’t see the scar and are still having problems telling us apart.” Although Sandy and Carla have similar taste, their taste in men differs. “I think Sandy goes more by physical appearance,” Carla said. “I like to get to know people. “Sandy and I have a different outlook on life. She’ll settle for being married right out of college. I’m idealistic. I want to do something more with my life.” “I’m more straightforward then Carla,” Sandy said. “I’ll tell you wbat I think quicker than Carla would ”
Black Ink (Black Student Movement, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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Dec. 6, 1978, edition 1
4
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