Op-Ed: The Mainstream Press Doesn’t Really Care About #OscarsSoWhite

I’ve been both anxious and reluctant to add to the conversation of the #OscarsSoWhite ‘controversy – that’s not really a controversy.’

Anxious because, despite it being such an old staple, the exclusion of Black talent from mainstream awards is one that bears constant attention because of the mainstream society’s lack of recognition of numerous works that don’t fit into the world of the “Academy.” This august body often serves as a euphemism for the “system” and liberal white supremacist thought, separated from the dogmatic Cliven Bundy’s and such of the world, yet just as binding to the everyday sphere in which people of color exist. And it’s comfortable for those – White, Black, and more – that benefit from that system.

Yet my reluctance comes via the surprise reaction from the mainstream press, coupled by the indignation of many in the Black community because of it. My wonder is if #OscarsSoWhite wasn’t widely covered by the mainstream, would so many in the Black community even care?

Instantly, the mainstream press clung onto the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag as it trended on social media following the 2016 Academy Award nominations. With so many people from all races genuinely, though usually in a semi-vacuum, complaining about the Academy not nominating people of color in the major acting awards – and barely in any other categories as well – despite stellar performances by talent such as Michael B. Jordan (Creed), Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nations), and various others in 2015, it’s my observation that the press jumped on this story just to sell papers/get views on its major portals. And despite most major press outlets’ reputation for seldom caring about a genuine and fully-realized Black (though of course not monolithic) perspective, there is no denying that if a topic is continually trending on Twitter, it is worth reporting about even if it has been virtually ignored for decades.

Sadly, most African-Americas also get, and rely on as gospel, news from these major press outlets as opposed to from the Black press, despite, once more, those major outlets’ repeated ill-informed perspectives regarding the African-American community and diaspora.

A month later, #OscarsSoWhite is still being reported on in the major press. Furthermore, the Academy (of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences) about one week after the nominations announced rather confusing changes to its selection process for major nominations, despite having severe cognitive dissonance of such issues, well, forever.

 

It is difficult to remember when the press has shown so much interest in such a topic or when last the Academy has cared about what Black and people-of-color communities have rallied around. The only time they herald Black/Black-themed cinema is if it is historical or social issue based (though seldom even the latter) or some grim combination of the two. These fall within troubling films that focus on Blacks in enslavement (and seldom on them escaping) and under Jim Crow, and receive special attention while those depicting fully, or even partially, realized men and women are often ignored. Meanwhile their White counterpart films are not.

Some detractors on my side of this topic believe that just because a Black film is popular, or has some major attention drawn toward it, it should be nominated.  I don’t hold that commercial success dictate a nom. My stance remains that even if a film was truly independent, but has the requisite one-week release, that it should be considered, and not just one that is campaigned for. If the Academy deems themselves as important as they project themselves to be, then they should review all films that have been released, at least in the United States.

Better yet, let us disregard the Academy as the arbiter of good taste and credibility. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit how much I adore a great many Academy winning films from over the last almost 90 years. However, that reverence is perceived value, not intrinsic value (which in a person or piece of art is always highly subjective). That perceived value could be a practical career meal ticket for the winning actors careers (though not always…and yes, I mean you Mira Sorvino!), lifting them into the mainstream if there are not there already. Still, with the way media is consumed today, these types of awards may become as quickly forgotten as they are awarded.

I originally finished writing this on Sunday afternoon, but had my editing interrupted with my Twitter feed blowing up reacting to the New York Times’ tweet defaming ‘hashtag activism’ from Blacks working in the media to highlight their article on Latino television writers. Scores of Blacks, Latinos, and Afro-Latinos lambasted the Times for their racist stance, further proving so much of what I said above regarding the press and ‘liberal’ media.

Total control of the media isn’t what it used to be. Yet, we cannot rely on the mainstream to willingly correct themselves, we have to support non-mainstream portals of news and credible information (so yeah, not LipstickAlley), like this platform you’re currently reading, and elevate them to the status that they deserve.