Local pastor alters the coverage of Boston’s Black community
“We educate our people in our own and unique way”
In Boston’s large media market, many prominent news organizations fail to cover anything besides the hardships of the surrounding Black community. Boston Black News, an up-and-coming broadcast news organization catered to the Black community, is making strong efforts to stray away from the “if it bleeds it leads” stigma that is connected to the coverage.
“We looked at the news here in the city of Boston, and we didn’t see a whole lot of people who look like us in the newsrooms,” said Pastor Bruce Wall, founder and CEO of Boston Black News and Boston Praise Radio and TV.
Located in the basement of Global Ministries Christian Church in Dorchester, Boston Black News is run by Pastor Wall and his colleagues. The broadcasts are recorded in the basement newsroom.
“I wanted it to start out of the church because the church has been the anchor for the Black community, all of our existence,” said Pastor Wall. “It’s critical. It’s important.”
Ron Bell, a broadcaster for the network, said their main goal is to highlight and inform people in their community by keeping a positive flavor on their news and straying away from the negative stories.
Dr. Meredith Clark, an associate professor in the Northeastern University School of Journalism, says news organizations like Boston Black News have the upper hand when speaking to their community.
“You’ve got someone who is well-versed in the history, the customs, the culture, and then they can take all of that and apply news judgment to it and present news that really speaks to their audience,” said Clark.
For more information on how to support Boston Black News or to watch previous broadcasts, visit www. BostonBlackNews.com
This is a part of a video series produced in Jody Santos’ course “Video News Reporting and Producing” at Northeastern University. Over the semester, students will be producing news packages addressing sustainability, climate change and transit justice within Greater Boston.
