Sections of the media are posting racist articles – so, why is so hard to admit this?

This could well be another watershed moment for the British media. Either we look closely at what just happened or we ignore it until it happens again.

There are sections of the media who are have in the past and continue to share stories which encourage prejudice and racism towards minorities. Anyone to dispute this has their head buried in the sand.

We went through a period in the past ten years when the Muslims and migrants were fair game. These stories were posted for the sole purpose of encouraging others to vent their anger against minorities.

There is a difference between calling someone racist and the content one produces racist.

The sad fact is that that articles that insinuate faults in a person due their colour, religion and background are shared far more widely than those that do not.

The majority of the articles posted about Meghan Markle and many a black footballer in the past on some websites are done for this sole purpose. We know it is being done then why do we insist on denying this? Why do we find ways to divert attentions away from this glaring fact?

Why did the army of columnists even high-profile ones try to disparage a claim of racism?

The Society of Editors came out in with a staunch defence of the ‘great and fair’ British press this week stating, “It is not acceptable for the Duke and Duchess to make such claims without providing any supporting evidence. If it is simply the case the Sussexes feel that the press by questioning their actions and commenting on their roles when working as Royals funded by the taxpayer were being racist then they are mistaken.”

Here is the full statement.

In many ways this is typical of how the British press has conducted itself for many years when criticised.

The Press has huge issues with diversity and this has been left to fester for many years. It now finds itself simply unable to fathom that maybe ‘we got it wrong’. We have large sections of the press without any person of colour or a minority within leadership roles able to make genuine decisions on editorial policy.

No-one is stopping anyone from criticising someone for what they have done. The problem arises when it is conducted in such a way to bring an individual’s religion and race into it.

There is a difference between calling someone racist and the content one produces racist. We have genuinely talented journalists and writers who are ‘encouraged’ to post articles for the purpose of producing a hateful and in many ways a racist reaction from readers.

Much of it sadly stems from the fact there are people who want to read a constant stream of articles and posts about minorities and other religions which inflates an issue or problem. So, editors in their defence will point to the fact that this is how the wider population thinks.

Meghan Markle has a genuine reason to point out the biased reporting which has bordered on harassment as here was a case where someone of a similar standing was getting positive coverage.

Sections of the press continues to dictate a narrative that is at odds at what modern Britain is about. It therefore helps to perpetuate a myth that one must be of a certain colour and background to conduct yourself in specific positions of influence.

We have been here before. And sadly we will be here again.