Why Is The Media Scared Of Al Sharpton

In the new media world, we are all related. The test of journalism in the 21st century is whether news organizations are committed to telling the truth regardless of those relationships.

So let’s tell some truth.

In dumping Uygur for Sharpton, MSNBC has been assailed for dropping a progressive critic of Obama in favor of someone who has stated his support for the president — not his unmitigated support, not his uncritical support, but support nonetheless. What’s missing in this analysis is that Sharpton largely mirrors the Black American viewpoint on this. And until Sharpton, how many Black commentators with their own, branded show did cable news have?

Zero.

So while we lament that one progressive voice was dimmed to make way for Sharpton, we are disappointed that white American critics who call themselves “progressive” seem to forget that we still are in need of a lot of progress when it comes to Black viewpoints being expressed in mainstream channels, and Black talent being given an equal chance to shine.