The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

The student media organization of California State University Northridge

Daily Sundial

Loading Recent Classifieds...
The Girls Who Code club met together in Sierra Hall, on Friday, Sept. 15, in Northridge, Calif. Club members played around with a program to create a virtual game.
The CSUN club that’s encouraging women in STEM
Miya Hantman, Reporter • September 18, 2023

CSUN’s Girls Who Code club is just one of many across many campuses and countries, including 110 in...

Students form a crowd for DJ Mal-Ski on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023 in Northridge, Calif.
Matador Nights carnival makes a splash at the USU
Ryan Romero, Sports Editor • September 21, 2023

The University Student Union hosted “Matador Nights” on Sept. 8 from 7 p.m. to midnight. The event...

Image courtesy of Adobe Stock by FiledIMAGE.
Women’s Soccer has Closed the Competitive Gap
Luis Silva, Reporter • September 19, 2023

There is no longer a significant competitive gap in the sport of women’s soccer. There is a brighter...

The line for concert merchandise on the second night of The Eras Tour in Paradise, Nev., on Saturday, March 25, 2023.
My experience at The Eras Tour
Miley Alfaro, Sports Reporter • September 18, 2023

It’s been a long time coming. I began watching The Eras Tour, Taylor Swift’s ongoing concert trek,...

Within the Oaxacan town of Asuncion Nochixtlan, we find my mother’s birthplace, Buena Vista. Photo taken July 29, 2023.
I Love Being Mexican
September 12, 2023
A student holds up a sign during a rally outside of the CSU Board of Trustees meeting in Long Beach, Calif., on Sept. 12, 2023.
CSU board approves tuition increase amid protests
Trisha Anas, Editor in Chief • September 15, 2023

The California State Board of Trustees on Wednesday approved a 6% tuition increase for the next five...

group of mena and women touching hands
Miracles In Action Restores Patients’ Lives and Actualizes their Potential

Critic speaks of race issues in media

Eric Deggans, media critic for the Tampa Bay Times, spoke to students Wednesday about how minorities are portrayed in the media and his latest book “Race Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation.”

Students learned more about what inspired Deggans to write his book, how he looked at different media outlets to expose the race baiting that existed and used them as examples for his book.

Joyce Pezqueda, 20, sophomore communications studies major, said because the book was assigned reading it forced her to read it and she eventually enjoyed it.

“It was different. It was not something I would pick up, but it was interesting to see how the media and the news report on minorities and the negativity in how the audience responds,” Pezqueda said.

Pezqueda said the book exposed her to get a different perspective of the news and how to put the pieces together to see the underlying message.

Deggans said he was inspired to write his book after Bill O’Reilly called him a race baiter on his TV show.

Race baiting refers to making verbal attacks against members of a racial group, according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary.

Working for the Tampa Bay times, he wrote stories regarding race and important issues. People would take his stories and interpret them to make Deggans seem as if he were a race baiter.

Deggans said the concept of race baiting was the unified theme that helped place all of his ideas about the media’s effects into a book.

“I try to pull back the curtain a little bit and show you why things happen the way they do and the story that I use to pull you through it all is through constantly talk about race baiting and the prejudice and stereotype end of it, but I think at its heart is a media literacy book,” Deggans said.

He has worked for the Tampa Bay Times as a TV and media critic since 1995. He is also the Chair of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).

Ruben Ochoa, who organized the event, said it was a good experience for students.

“Students learned that there is an issue with race relations in the media,” said Ochoa, who is also president of the matador public relations group.

The event was sponsored by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) chapter at CSUN, the department of Journalism, the USU and Associated Students.

Eric Deggans Speaks at Cal State Northridge

Eric Deggans, media critic for the Tampa Bay Times, spoke to students Wednesday about how minorities are portrayed in the media and his latest book “Race Baiter: How the Media Wields Dangerous Words to Divide a Nation.”

Storified by Daily Sundial· Thu, Mar 28 2013 14:48:52

More to Discover