A Different World: Native American Children's Perceptions of Race and Class in the Media. A Series of Focus Groups of Native American Children.

This pamphlet presents the results of a series of focus groups comprised of Native American children and adolescents regarding their perceptions of race and class in the media. The results indicated that although some youth were concerned most about the absence of their group in the media, others were primarily concerned about stereotyped portrayals. Many Native youth spoke first about problems apart form race, such as sex, violence, values, and the portrayal of youth in general. However, common themes relating to the minority experience appeared consistently in all the focus groups. First, on the rare occasions when Native youth saw their culture and race in the media, the portrayal was often an unflattering picture. Many youth stated that they do not necessarily look to the news for role models or reinforcement of their identity. Second, youth suggested more differences in news media treatment based on socioeconomic class rather than race as a definite divider. Third, Native youth often stated a preference for programming that would appeal to everyone, have a diverse racial cast, and reflect the realities of their lives. The report concludes that Native youth are concerned about media portrayals of race and class, note the absence of groups other than whites and African Americans, and believe that media can influence opinions and relationships. However, Native youth provided a unique perspective, and their critique covered issues such as fairness, violence, and opportunity as often as race or class. (KB)