Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / Jan. 29, 1987, edition 1 / Page 4
Part of The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Has The White Media Persecuted Bob Walton? The way in which Charlotte area white media handled newt about County Commissioner Bob Walton during the time Wal .ton’s ordeal with sex .charges lasted has led many members of the black community to cite the press for persecuting Walton for reasons of race. In the three and one half months that elapsed from the day 18-year-old Charles Edward Jones alleged he was sexually as saulted by Walton to the day Walton was convicted and sen tenced on ths charge of sexual as saul^Charlotte, daily newspa over 30 articles detailing’the case. A. sum which does not in clude the cartoons and editorial comments the newspaper also printed dbout Walton during this time. During the same time frame, Charlotte's three local television stations devoted the majority of their lead stories on the evening and night nows to the Walton . case. Middle of the day news breaks centered on Walton. His bee became a daily fixture on the television screen. Regular pro gramming was interrupted to bring the latest developments on the Walton case. Bo intense and prevalent was media coverage of Walton dur ing this time, Walton's lawyer Averill Harkey pointed out in Su perior Court, "In a capital mur der caee you've got lees-publicity than in this case. The Charlotte area is saturated with this case." A similar obssrvation was mads by members of Charlotte's black community and it fueled the chargee of media persecution based in racism. Blacks accused the white media of overplaying the subject of Walton because Walton is a black man. Media representatives from Tha Charlotte Observer and from one of the city's local stations deny these chargee, claiming ra cism played no part in the way coverage of the Walton caee was handled. "The most important fimtar was that Walton was a pub lic figure," maintains Observer Editor Richard Oppel. "As apub ;bo figure, he ip subject to mqjre in ■ tense scrutiny in the case tof a •crime." t i# Bill Walker, managing editor !of Channel 9 WSOC news states, ‘."The fact that (Walton) is a pub lic official made it a 'must cover' ;story. When there is misconduct in public officials there is a strong obligation to make sure the Jetory is covered and covered >rell." | Walker and Oppel'a positions are reinforced by Dr. Schley Lyons, Dean of UNCCe College )rf Arts and Science, full professor of Political 8cienca and political analyst, who notes. "I'm not buy ing into the premiss that the me dia is trying to run Walton off. Hist is just a smoke screen. In this case, wa have an sleeted pub lic official caught up in a circum stance that was really unusual. Any newspaper in the U.S. would make it newsworthy. "In our socisty, public officials ars fair gams," continues Lyons. "Ona cam enjoy the right to priva cy as a private citizen but not as an elected official." Did Walton's position as a pub lic official actually warrant the type of coverage that was main tained aver those months? And at the same time, does the fact that he ia a public official negate the pos sibility that racism played a part , in madia's scrutiny of Walton? "Anytime predominately white press is reporting on Mack subject matter it is laying the ground work for criticism of racism assesses Walker. "As for myself I have made a dedicated attempt to bo color-blind in covering the sto ry." But the black community found this incredulous given tho type and scope of the coverage on Wal ton. The fact ie, Walton was ulti mately accused of e misdemean or and when it ie known that e misdemeanor offense receives as much or mors publicity as a capi tal offense that gives rise to accu sations that something alee in be fog played out. Blacks main tained it was racism. Blacks cite racism was the de termining factor in not only the amount of coverage given to the Story but also in the content of eoverage devoted to the case. Most blacks wars taken back and Slarmed by the explicit language printed in The Charlotte Observer - describing the sexual assault. believed accounts of the sexual encountered reprinted aontinually over a three month period was nothing less than prejudice inspired sensational Bill Walker —Managing editor, Channel 9 Richard Op pel ...Charlotte Observer, Editor ism. But Oppel defends his newspa per's position claiming," When you're dealing with a serious charge against a public official its important to be precise and ex act so there will be not guessing as to what occurred. If you at tempted to be vague; ithat might lead to the thinking that the crime is more serious than alleged." Admitting that WSOC received some negative feedback concern ing the stations decision to air sexually graphic court testimony, Walker says, "It was something we don't usually do. But it was necessary for us to leave no ques tion in the mind of viewers and voters about what happened. If we spoke in generalities or euphe misms about what occurred, peo ple would be left wondering if (Walton) had done anything ter rible at all." Lyons points out, " Walton himself coaid have controlled the site and scope of the news cover age by removing himself from public life. The media made it a long term story and Walton shared in the process by staying in public life after participating in sexual conduct that is counter to normal." Walker agrees with Lyons in principle. "I don't criticize how Walton handled the case," says Walker. "However, the quickest way for him to have got ten rid of the media coverage on the criminal charge would have been to admit guilt up front and resign quickly. The story would have been much less demand ing." Walton is scheduled to be re leased from Mecklenburg County jail tomorrow having served 15 days of the 30-day sentence he re ceived on the sekual assault charge. He has yet to resign from public office. North Carolina's state law does not require an elected official convicted of a misdemeanor to resign. And re ports from Walton's friends are that the County Commissioner has no intentions to resign. With Walton's imminent re lease, the black community's at tention is focusing again on the white media with anticipation of how it will handle further cov erage on Walton. Now that Wal ton has served his time for the of fense, in a sense he has paid his debt to society, if the white media continues to dominate its news stories with reports on Walton it could again give rise to accusa tions of media persecution. "We don't want to beat the mat ter to death," relates Oppel. Though the Observer editor con cedes the Observer will continue coverage on Walton "if there is a continued public debate" on the subject. Walker predicts, "When Wal ton gets out, the story about the criminal offense is over. He has been tried, charged and has served his time. The story then becomes how effective is Walton as a public servant. There will be definite fallout. But if he does re . ..JS meet, as will the Democratic par ty-—organizationally different parts of the community will have Dr. Schley Lyons continual dialogue about Walton and the news media will keep up with the story. "News about Walton will keep coming up as long as he is in pub lie office," says Lyons. "That's what the public should expect and that s how it should happen." THE CHARLOTTE POST ; THE FIRST PLACE FOR CLASSIFIED SAVINGS!! 50-75% off 20-50% off. MATERNITY WORLD 1308 Central Ave. • 8218 South Mvd. |g*r8218 B83*81>3 ■ ’rf/exct/ndei &tvneA<i/3€c4ne SERVING THE PEOPLE OF CHARLOTTE FOR OVER 70 YEARS Contimriag To ProvMe Falthfal Service To Oar Community Of ferial PRE-ARRANGED FUNERALS CREMATION ARRANGEMENTS LIFE INSURANCE OUT-OF-TOWN ARRANGEMENTS 333-1167 111 North Irwin Avenue Alfred Louie Alexander. ~ “Thank yen Charlotte for standing withe*...we are eternally grateful for year eapport V JANUARY SPECIALS ■ • ■ V • ■' GROUPS OP BRIDALS, FORMAL! A PROMS ValtiM To *1,000.00 50% OFF SPCCIAL GROUP VEIL8, 8HOE8, SUPS A QLOVIS REDUCED 50% AND MORE! No toysways C09I1 Only ALL ORDERABLS BRIDAL, BRIDESMAIDS A FORMALS ^ ao%of^^ h CHEZ MARJORIE, LTD. g? 1631 EMt Blvd. 332-7589 ) *2_Moo.-Thur». 10-8 Frl.-8a1.10-8 IF YOU'RE PAYING MORf THAN S2.SO PER MONTH FOR A CHECKING ACCOUNT YOUTtt PAYING TOO . ;, .. ' 1 ’• .••••■> Before you sign up for a no-minimum checking account offered at any bank, read the fine print The cost of each additional check that you write may more than offset the advantage of not having to keep a minimum in your account. FOR EXAMPLE: Mr. Smith keeps an average monthly balance of $475 and writes 20 or more checks every month. Where will his checking account cost him the least amount of money? LOOK AT THE FACTS: REGULAR CHECKING* NC Federal First Union Wachovia NCNB Your Bank Minimum lb Open $100 $100 $100 $100 Minimum Tb Avoid n $500 or $1,250 $600 or Charges *u‘ Average $1,000 Average Monthly Charges 2.50 3.00 ~~~ 3.00 3.00 " . Other Charges -0- .50 per check .25 per check .25 0er check ® after first 10__ $8.00 .$8.00 | $8-00 1$ ' , ■ ■■ ~ ^!J[ ' ~~ a - '• ';t;r ^ HOW DOES YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT COMPARE? r The facts above speak for themselves. If you’re paying more than $2.50 per month for a checking account, you’re paying too much. What’s more, when you open a new checking account at North Carolina Federal, well make your first $5.00 deposit for you. _^ •SmLhHlependem, Mvd.. 537 7825 •5416N.TVyonSt. 5987960 * 3921 TbdcMMSM Rd. 394 1129 6428 Ffcrview Rd., 364-4920 , 230S.TVyonSt.. 3766255 1437 East Morehead St, 3389262 * 4444 RrtRd,. 525-7555 * 7824 Pineville-Matthews Rd. 542-1555 * IjmHom—ATM 24 fkhtr Banking
The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Jan. 29, 1987, edition 1
4
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75