MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Local leaders and others assembled at the Commercial Appeal headquarters on Wednesday.
Protesters said they decided to demonstrate after the paper published a headline some in the community questioned on the Dallas police shootings.
“We demand fair and just and adequate representation in the media,” said Pastor Earle Fisher.
Pastor Fisher and others gathered at the newspaper’s headquarters after a headline Sunday referring to the Dallas police shootings said, “Gunman Targeted Whites.”
Fisher believes the headline is part of a larger conversation of fair representation in the media.
Since the headline ran, the editor for the CA wrote an article saying “We got it wrong.”
Fisher said he appreciated the gesture, but still wanted a sit down meeting with CA executives.
While he and other activists met with those in charge Wednesday, concerned citizens waited outside.
Reggie Carrick was one of them.
“Racial injustice that’s going on, not only in our community but in the nation,” said Carrick.
After meeting for a little more than an hour, the two groups came back and said they had a productive and robust conversation.
“One of the things we came away from here with was the need for culture sensitivity training and we also agreed to meet monthly for the next several months to try to aid and assist with certain things. Not just with adequate representation, not just in the media as it relates to what’s on the paper, but also what’s in the office,” said Fisher.
George Cogswell, President of the Commercial Appeal, said the meeting went well.
He said he understands concerns and his company is looking to the future.
“Every movement has different points of view and they’ll be folks who take a different point of view on this very topic so all we can do is provide the information. The Commercial Appeal wants to be a facilitator for that conversation and at the end of the day bring folks together,” said Cogswell.
