ABSTRACT
The media provide an arena for the cultural struggle that shapes images and, through them, reflects the hierarchy of social power, observe Jannette Dates and William Barlow, who explore history through the prism of hegemony in their ground-breaking book Split Image: African Americans in the Mass Media. Dates and Barlow remind us that the role of media is closely linked to the control of power, through which many components of dominance, including the demeaning and marginalization of “others” are expressed. Eradication of racism revolves around social reconstruction and the control of representation by those denied access to media decision-making and product distribution. In relation to media, the freedom is exercised through access to the press, which generates forums for debate that contribute to a society’s refinement of its ideas and values. The civil rights era inspired much new exploration of race relations, including media research and commentary.
