| Chapter 2: | Review of Relevant Literature |
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It “examined all topics, sources, themes, and viewpoints presented in 103stories (3 hours 31 minutes of airtime) on abc, cbs, and nbc; and 26 often lengthy stories (621 column inches) in Time, Newsweek, and US News & World Report” (Center for Media and Public Affairs, 1990, p. 2).
The cmpa study reported finding an advocacy-type approach by the media to the homeless, one that suggested the need for government assistance to an aggrieved group. Ongoing private sector initiatives were rarely explored. “In addition, while presenting the homeless in a sympathetic light, the media distorted their social characteristics, in ways that understate the difficulty in addressing their needs.”
Highlights found by CMPA researchers included the following: “Only 25% of homeless people presented were described as unemployed, only 7% as drug and alcohol users, and only 8% as mentally ill. In contrast, the U.S. Conference of Mayors say that 77% of the homeless are unemployed, 34% are substance abusers, and 25% are mentally ill” (p. 2).
Three out of four sources (74 percent) presented believed it was the government’s responsibility to solve the issue of homelessness. 22 percent were in favor of combined public-private initiatives, and only four percent looked at private charity as a resource. The answer most frequently given was that there needed to be more government funding. 100 percent of those who looked at the government’s role thought the government needed to be more involved. Seventy-percent of the anecdotes and illustrations presented by the media dealt with problems and failures. Only 30 percent focused on success stories, including successful or promising local programs. There were no positive stories featured by NBC, Time, and Newsweek on attempts to help the homeless; and CBS only aired one. (p. 2)
The Center researchers found that
the media portrayed the homeless as ordinary people victimized by social and economic forces and requiring governmental assistance to address their needs. Homelessness was presented as a major social problem to which the political system must be forced to respond with public funding.