The Anti-Racist Media Manifesto

The rise of the far-right, the impacts of Covid-19, and the mediated evidence of racist police violence have challenged the dominant complacency in liberal democracies that racism was a thing of the past. We are now witnessing the renewed anti-racist commitment of social movements and the rising authoritarianism that seeks to suppress it. This ongoing tension provides important opportunities for reflection and intervention in how institutions deal with the problem of racism, including media institutions. Rather than making media “less racist”, how can media systems, policies and practices be transformed in ways that actively challenge the production of racism? What should a truly anti-racist media look like?

Anamik Saha, Francesca Sobande and Gavan Titley address these important and timely questions to outline the essential steps for working towards an anti-racist media future. Revealing how the media are implicated in racism, the authors consider how systems, policies and practices can be transformed to confront and prevent it. Focusing on the problems of impartiality, the limits of diversity and representation, and the contradictions of digital culture, this manifesto embraces anti-racism’s collectivist roots. Ultimately, the book illuminates key strategies and suggestions to move us closer to an anti-racist media future for everyone.

The Anti-Racist Media Manifesto is a must-read for students, scholars, media workers and activists in the fields of journalism, media, policy, and sociology, as well as general readers.