Photos: YouTube
DETROIT — On Tuesday, the Media 2070 film Black in the Newsroom was awarded Best Documentary (Short Film) at the Detroit Black Film Festival.
Black in the Newsroom is a 15-minute documentary that follows the journey of talented young journalist Elizabeth Montgomery, (pictured above) who finds herself unfairly targeted and underpaid while fighting to tell Black stories at The Arizona Republic. The award-winning film weaves together a picture of anti-Blackness in the media — brought to life through Montgomery’s courageous sharing of her experiences — and its pervasive harm to society.
“When Black journalists like Elizabeth are marginalized and pushed out of journalism, the results are disastrous,” said Collette Watson, vice president of cultural strategy for Free Press, co-creator of Media 2070 and director of Black in the Newsroom. “Lives and livelihoods are destroyed, and subsequent reporting fails to capture the full truth of our communities. This dramatically shapes discourse and policies that affect realities for all.
“As Elizabeth bravely shares her story in our film, we see that the conversation is bigger than issues around hiring and diversity. Anti-Black racism has been extremely profitable for the U.S. media business since colonial times.
“To address deep-rooted systemic harm, media organizations must engage in a thoughtful and community-engaged process of media reparations. This involves acknowledgement, reckoning, accountability and redress, and a commitment to caring for Black journalists and communities. This process is the only path forward to a true multiracial democracy, and the types of news and information our communities deserve.
“We’re pleased that Black in the Newsroom has sparked the types of conversations that can actually shift culture, practices and policy. Media 2070 is grateful for this important recognition from the Detroit Black Film Festival.”
Media 2070 is a project of Free Press, a nonpartisan organization fighting for everyone’s rights to connect and communicate.
For more information or to request a screening of the film, visit: www.blackinthenewsroom.com.
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