Back from Orlando--Is Orlando's channel 6 racist?

[greekspeak]

I was just in Orlando for a few days with the folks, while they were on vacation. One night this week, I watched the news on channel 6. The first few stories involved crimes. Three of them involved African Americans, one white people. The three stories on the African Americans' crimes came first. The news showed their pictures, told in graphic detail what each had done, and in some cases showed footage of the erratic behavior of the accused. Then, here comes the story of the fourth group of criminals. White, no pictures, they only showed the back of the head of one of the accused, who kept saying she would not talk without her lawyer. The crimes were all pretty bad, but only the African Americans were shown in a bad light. So why in hell does that station frame their news this way?

[steve2470]

1. Orlando is an epicenter of the fundy right

That explains everything.

[Peregrine]

5. Orlando is far from the epicenter of fundy land

The 2004 election was a 50/50 split in Orlando due primarily to Mel Martinez who used to be the Orange County (where Orlando is) executive.

If you want fundy land you need to go into the panhandle.

[steve2470]

6. One of the main fundy people has their headquarters here

Campus Crusade for Christ, something like that. You are right, Orlando tends to be more blue but like the Atlanta area (which is saturated with fundamentalist Baptists) there's a lot of fundies here. Yes, Orlando is not Tulsa but way too fundy for most DU'ers. Another piece of evidence is the fact that despite Orlando's status as being in the top 32 of radio markets, AAR is nowhere in sight here. All RW all the time.

[greekspeak]

8. There are three basic sections of Florida...Alabama, Georgia, and New York

That area due south of Alabama seems to be just like Alabama. That part due south of Georgia, down to Gainesville or Ocala, seems to be just like Georgia. And that part south of there seems to be more like New York than the rest of the South. There are exceptions in each district, I admit.

[misanthrope]

25. Not exactly...

...the panhandle section south of Alabama has better infrastructure and schools than Alabama.

[greekspeak]

26. I was thinking ideologically, not infrastructurally

I know what a mess Alabama is, having driven all over the state. You are certainly correct that the infrastructure is noticably better immediately upon crossing the state line. Every time I drive through rural Northern Alabama, between Tupelo and Birmingham, I feel like I am in some sort of movie.

[misanthrope]

28. Ideologically,...

...they believe that education and infrastructure are important enough not to ignore and don't believe in putting the overwhelming burden of their tax structure on those who can least afford to pay it.

In my opinion, that's a big difference.

b-t-w, what kind of movie?

[peace frog]

15. Not the epicenter however...

Central Florida in general is quite red, with a few exceptions. I work at a university which in many states would be a bastion of liberalism... not so here in Central FL. The folks in my office cheered when Kerry conceded the presidency, it was a frickin' party on campus the rest of that fateful day. Uh YEAH, this are of Florida is fundie right alright.

[steve2470]

17. Not to be picky but I did say " an " epicenter

Tulsa or some other uptight place is probably the capital of FundyLand.

[peace frog]

23. Be picky if you like, we're actually in agreement

[steve2470]

24. Yes we are, sorry nt

[Frances]

2. Michael Moore made the point in Columbine

that the news media in the U.S. sensationalizes crime, particularly crime by African Americans much more than Canadian TV does. He thought that might be one reason there is so much more gun violence in the U.S. People live in a state of fear here.

[greekspeak]

3. I guess I do not watch enough local news

But I got tired of the daily "Everybody Loves Wingnut Patricia Heaton's TV Husband Raymond" marathon. I have watched the news here in Tallahassee, and I have not seen this kind of blatant race bias. Hell I did not even see it back in Springfield, MO, where in 1906 they ran people of color out of town via a lynching.

[nytemare]

4. Orlando news is pretty much to inform you how you can die

Or what crime you can be a victim of.

What food will kill you, news at 1100.

What car will blow up when you drive it? News at 1100.

How you can avoid being killed in a carjacking! News at 1100.

[greekspeak]

7. The fact that the news was about crime crime crime was depressing enough

But I know that white people commit crimes too. I am not stupid, despite what that cracker TV station has to say. And I can identify blantant racism, despite what that cracker TV station has to say. They should really be ashamed of themselves. Jeez. Even FAUX has a shred of dignity. :eyes:

[steve2470]

10. Write a good letter to them and to the NAACP

Maybe the NAACP can do a protest.

[greekspeak]

12. That is a good idea

They probably already know about it. But telling them about it won't hurt a bit!

[KG]

9. orlando is a yuppie hell-hole.

[greekspeak]

11. It is a very bland place, indeed.

It is like one big tourist trap. God how many F*ing disney T-shirts can one soul look at?

[Lost-in-FL]

13. Orlando is a shit hole...

I hate it here, I'm only here because of my hubby

[Lost-in-FL]

14. Orlando has no real news...

Crime rate here is very high (I work in a hospital so I can tell) but it is not good for people to know of that specially if you are a tourist. So in other words, there's a lot of misinformation since they city is mostly a tourist trap. Disney does not like bad news.

[greekspeak]

16. If Disney hates Misery, then why does the news exploit it?

And why, o why, do they have to be so blatently RACIST?!?

[steve2470]

19. The minority community here probably is not really empowered

That's my guess. I'm sure in San Francisco they would never get away with that BS.

[Lost-in-FL]

21. To tell you the truth...

I don't bother watching local news and only watch them during hurricanes . To give you an example of how f@3 up is this place I remember back for Charley (the hurricane a year ago) they keep sending notices to all Disney employees to report to work asap and were only to be relieved 45 minutes prior to the police closing the streets for traffic (the park closed 1.5 hrs prior to that). Now, I was in a rush trying to get my house together and they were not given any time for that to poor Disney employees. After the storm they were told to report "immediately" for clean up.

[greekspeak]

22. Mickey certainly has a heart of gold

I am sure they thought, "WE MUST GET THE SOUVENIR SHOPS OPEN NOW OR WE WILL GO BANKRUPT!"

[The Animator]

18. Orlando isn't that bad.

I mean, I live here, and any city with The Animator in it can't be that bad. Let's not forget that despite all the stupidity that eminates from Florida (some blame the heat, but lets be realistc) there are many tolerant and cool people hear, and that goes a long way to balance out the Fundy-nut population. I mean at least a third of the employees Universal Studios are gay, probably close to two thirds down at Disney. Local nightlife leans left from what I've seen as well. There are Fundy-nuts that try to preach to all the club-goers every Saturday night, most of the clubbers ignore them, the rest heckle... No I'm not one of the hecklers I swear... (yes I am). I'm actually considering going down to the clubs on Church St. (ironic yes I know) specifically to harass these morons. Orlando may be a wretched hive of scum and villany, but there are lefties hear too, so the balance is preserved.

[steve2470]

20. I agree with you. The fundies just get on my nerves I guess nt

[steve2470]

27. Ok, I feel the need to speak up for O-town

You have to actually go into the city limits of Orlando and get away from the tourist district which is southwest of town. It's not Manhattan or San Francisco here but there is wholesome and not so wholesome stuff to do. You have to do a bit of research and asking around to find it. Downtown Orlando is getting more interesting. Orlando's main drawback is its youth. It's only really 34 years old. Before Disney, Orlando was very sleepy. In the suburbs there are some nice places as well. However, if you're looking for the glories of Manhattan or Boston, yes, Orlando sucks.