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O pinion
Diversity in the Media ï \
Russert was one
of the rare
leaders
by
M aru M oriai .
live producer, but also the show's
long-time moderator, Tim Russert.
Russert got it. He under
stood that diversity in program
ming is not important purely
for diversity's sake. Russert
knew that a broader pool of
guests improves the tenor and
quality of debate, offers a richer
and more varied array of infor
mation and helps fulfill news out
lets' responsibility to educate their
audiences so they will be better
equipped to make informed politi
cal and policy choices.
Tim Russert had not only read
our report, but admitted that Meet
the Press and other shows needed
to do better. The producers and he
then placed several black commen
tators on the show's roster includ
ing Eugene Robinson, Gwen Ifill
and Michele Norris — giving Meet
the Press the deepest pool of black
commentators of any Sunday morn
ing show.
Since the release of our original
study, the overall trend is inching
toward greater inclusion. While
white males still dominate the Sun
day morning talk shows, there are
more women and African Ameri
cans in front of the camera too.
As the 2008 presidential cam
paign kicks into high hear, with its
first-ever African-American candi
date, we know that the issue of race
will be unavoidable. In order for
that discussion to be meaningful, it
must include perspectives from
African-A m erican citizens and
commentators alike.
The National Urban League will
continue to monitor and document
progress by the networks. We are
grateful that Tim Russert stood by
us and with us in this important
fight. We will misshim.
The National Urban
L eague and Blaek
America lost a dear
triend in Tim Russert. He was not
only a master newsman and com
mentator. he was one of the rare
leaders in media who never feared to
ask or answer the tough question.
For Russert, honesty and fair
ness were non-negotiable. I saw
that first hand when he asked me to
join a racially and ideologically di
verse Meet the Press panel on Sept.
4, 2005 where we discussed the
tragedy and aftermath of Hurricane
Katrina.
Russert did what few others dared
do in those early days of the recov
ery, he encouraged us to discuss the
impact that race may have played in
the government's inexcusably de
layed reaction. It was a very neces
sary and emotional debate which I
believe helped spur the public de
mand fora more urgent and effective
government response.
In 2006, the National Urban
League issued a report, entitled,
Sunday Morning Apartheid: A Di
versity Study of the Sunday Morn
ing Talk Shows, which showed that
less than 40 percent of Sunday
morning political talk shows fea
tured black guests, and that only 20
percent of the broadcasts contained
interviews with African Americans.
After releasing the report, we
requested meetings with all of the
Sunday morning executive produc
ers to talk about our findings and
the producer of Meet the Press was
Marc Marial is president and
the first to respond. When we
chief
executive officer of the Na
walked into the meeting we were
surprised to see not only the execu- tional Urban League.
Q i i h e r r i h p t 503-288-0033 I
O U U ^ L l 1U C I
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Family Doctor Shortage Looms
Our medical
care is at risk
by J udge
G reg M a i his
Most students graduat
ing from medical school are
faced with hundred of thou
sands of dollars worth of
debt.
M andatory p o st-g ra d u a te
residencies, lasting about three
years, pay around $45,000 per
year, hardly enough to pay off
the large student loans they had
to take out to pay for their educa
tion.
While in training, doctors can
defer these loans, but interest
accumulates and the debt grows.
For these very reasons, many
newly minted doctors are choos
ing not to become primary care or
pediatric physicians.
While they are the heart of the
medical profession, these two
specialties are two of the lowest
paid. Not an attractive option for
a young doctor with nearly
$300,000 in debt to repay.
Great Parks
A Great Cities
SPEAKER
S E R IE S
Reinvigorating the 21st century city through the greening of our urban environment
Shirley Franklin
Mayor o f Atlanta, Georgia
Tuesday, July 8
f irst Congregational C hurch, 1126 SW Park Ave. • 7:00 p.m.
“TZte Greening o f Atlanta: the Revitalization o f an Urban Landscape"
Nam ed one of the n atio n ’s top live big City mayors by tim e Magazine, Shirley Franklin
is the first woman m ayor o f Atlanta and the first African American woman to lead a
m ajor Southern city. She’ll discuss how her initiatives to increase Atlanta’s parks and
grcenspaccs have contributed to the city’s revitalization and econom ic developm ent.
order tickets on-line
a t w w w .P o rtla n d P a rk s .o rg
would like to enter these less “glam
orous- and lower-paying practices.
Beginning this month, the U.S.
D epartment o f Education will no
longer allow doctors to put off
repayment of their medical school
debt. Congress can act now to
end this shortage. Repealing the
law that ends deferm ent of m edi
cal school paym ents is a start.
Expanding program s that allow
doctors who work in im pover
ished areas to have a portion of
their loan debt canceled is an
other. Tax incentives for doctors
who start and maintain a family or
pediatric practice is yet another.
Congress needs to begin explor
ric positions puls America at risk. ing ways to combat the looming
With fewer doctors to access, many physician shortage now. The ef
of us will not seek the help we need fects of any legislation may take a
to diagnose and treat many com few years to produce visible re
mon diseases such as diabetes and sults; any delay could create a gap
high bkx>d pressure. Children won't in the medical care Americans re
get the routine medical care they ceive.
Quick action is needed to ensure
need to stay healthy.
U ntreated, many illnesses cre individuals and families can access
ate greater health problems that the basic medical care they require.
Judge Greg Mathis is national
require specialty doctors. The re
sult: a greater financial burden vice president o f Rainbow PUSH
and a national board member of
for the patient.
As it stands, the government the Southern Christian Leader
isn't making it easy on doctors who ship Conference.
Instead, the docs choose to en Detroit, the rest o f the country is
ter higher paying spe in a similar predicam ent. Tuition
cialty practices, creat costs are rising, repaym ent terms
ing a shortage in criti are tightening and the cost of
cal areas of healthcare. living is increasing. All of these
Congress must act now factors play into a d o ctor's deci
to al leviate some of the sion to say “no” to those prac
debt th at d o cto rs tices that serve fam ilies and say
choosing to enter into “yes” to a bigger pay day.
A shortage in family and pediat
family or pediatric care
With fewer doctors to access,
many of us will not seek the help
we need.
face before the impending short
age threatens the nation's already
shaky healthcare system.
Adding to the pending short
age is that a large num ber- about
one-third - of the country’s doc
tors are over 55 and set to retire in
the next 10 years. A recent analy
sis of medical professionals in
Detroit projects a shortage of
more than 4,000 physicians in
Michigan by 2020.
Family medicine is expected to
be hardest hit by the shortfall.
While the research was limited to
What’s Keeping Us in Our Seats?
cluding fear, lack of
faith and pas, failures.
Nevertheless, we must
stand even in moments
of fear.
by R ose W right -S cott
God did not give us
1 believe this is the most
a
spirit
of fear, but of
exciting time in history. I
pow
er,
love and a
also believe that the time
sound
mind.
We have
has come that we must all
opportunities
and
access
to places
take a stand. You’ve heard it said,
we
would
not
have
had,
if
someone
“Rosa Parks sat down so we could
had
not
taken
a
stand,
even
in times
stand up.”
I wonder why many remain in of fear.
Past failures should not keep
their seats when many girls and
boys in our country go to sleep us in our seats any longer. We
hungry while ftwxl is being thrown must rem em ber that the race is
away. How can anyone remain in not given to the swift nor to the
their seats when HIV/AIDS contin strong, but to the one that en
ues to run rampant in our communi dures to the end. We must con
ties'.’The great Malcolm X said, “If tinue to press, toward equality
you d o n 't stand for something and justice for all people.
As people of faith and justice,
you're fall for anything.”
I am certain that people remain in we must also remember that all
their seats for many reasons in people don't get up out of their
Stand up for
something!
P o rtlan d (Observer Established 1970
USPS 9 5 9 -6 8 0 — 4747 NE Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Portland, OR97211
Charles H. Washington
E ditor : M ichael Leighton
D istribution M vuuu: M ark W ashington
CnrsTivr. D irector : Paul N eufeldt
A overtisino : Kathy Linder
Orna M sn / uu . r : Sharon Sperry
R eporter : Raym ond Rendlem an
E iu T o n -iN -C m ir. Pum.isHt.it:
tickets are also available at the door
Healthy Parks, Healthy Portland
Z
Tfie-PRPS^ AW CoHS of 04DÍH© IvuSSAL- OfWlÓHS AW TDRÏ0RÉ
Portland Parks & Recreation presents
PORTLAND
PARKS & RECREATION
/
503-823-PLAY
www PortlandParks org
Commissioner Dan Saltzman
Director Zari Santner
seats at the same time or the same
way. You may get out of your seat
and stand on a picket line. Others
may stand by serving on various
local, state, and national boards
and committees.
Someone else may stand with
pencil and pad in hand. Others stand
by reaching one person at a time,
one day at a time.
I' m grateful for those that get out
of their seats, fall down on their
knees and cover us daily, for the
work that God has called us to.
However you choose to get out of
your seat, just do it, stand up for
something!
As you stand, don’t judge an
other for how he or she chooses to
take their stance on justice. What’s
keeping you in your seat?
Rose Wright-Scott is minister
for program development in the
United Church of Christ.
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