Few conversations with readers are as prolonged and thoughtful as one I had a week ago with a reader who called to complain about negative coverage of gays and lesbians in the news media.
Let’s face it, many callers reflect on the legitimacy of my birth, my political persuasions and my evil genius. But this man called to talk about a subject that few in this state approach.
As he described his complaint with a Salt Lake Tribune article on the public flap over the easement through that Little Bit of Paris on Main Street between South Temple and North Temple, I thumbed through the paper to see what bothered him. I read the paragraph in question to him and he agreed it was not negative.
I kept him on the phone to talk about his complaints in general on coverage of gays and lesbians.
As he talked, I did a search in the paper’s archives and found that this year, as of Dec. 20, 2002, The Tribune has published the following 15 staff-written stories about homosexual concerns in Utah:
* Sandy Family Kidnap Case Resolved, on Jan. 11, about resolution of a criminal case against a Sandy family accused of beating and kidnapping a lesbian relative to send her back to Jordan;
* Billboards Personalize Gay-Straight Relations, on Feb. 11, about billboards paid for by Parents, Family and Friends of Lesbians and Gays;
* ACLU Brief Supports Lesbian Teacher, on March 15, about a brief filed with the Utah Supreme Court in favor of allowing a lesbian teacher to continue working at Spanish Fork High school;
* Matthew Shepard’s Mom Speaks Out Against Hate, on April 4, reporting on a talk given at the University of Utah by the mother of a teen slain in Laramie, Wyo., because he was gay;
* Gay Rodeo Athletes Revisit the Lives They Left, on June 2, a feature on the gay rodeo at the Utah State Fairpark;
* Gays, Lesbians Show Pride in Colorful Annual Parade, on June 10, a report on the annual Gay Pride march in downtown Salt Lake City;
* Log Cabin Hopes to Bridge Gap Between Utah Politics, Lifestyles, on Aug. 8, about a local chapter of the national gay and lesbian club Log Cabin Republicans;
* A New Page in History of Gay Unions, on Aug. 22, about Utah reaction to the decision by The New York Times to run gay and lesbian commitment unions;
* WVC Mayor, Gays in Friendly Meetings, on Aug. 28, about Unity Utah members meeting with the West Valley City mayor after he made controversial remarks about gay couples;
* Gay Advocates Bemoan Utah’s Lack of ‘Safe Schools’ Law, on Aug. 29, about the Utah Legislature’s failure to enact legislation protecting gays and lesbians from harassment;
* Justices Hear Gay Teacher Arguments, on Oct. 4, offering coverage of both sides arguing before the Utah Supreme Court the rights of the teacher in Spanish Fork;
* Olympic Diver Louganis to Speak at Kingsbury Hall, on Oct. 8, an advancer story on Greg Louganis speaking on National Coming Out Day;
* Olympian Shares His ‘Coming Out’ Story at U., on Oct. 11, detailing what Louganis said at the University of Utah;
* Gay-Lesbian Ties Called Useful in Attracting High-Tech, on Dec. 6, reporting a discussion at the National League of Cities national meeting during which participants suggested Utah’s gay and lesbian communities could be a selling point to draw high-tech companies and their employees; * Legislator Seeks U.S. Marriage Amendment, on Dec. 10, which reports the efforts of a Utah state Legislator to draft a resolution calling for a constitutional amendment defining marriage.
In 2001, there were five staff-written stories dealing with gay issues in Utah.
That pattern is not negative coverage. It’s under-coverage.
Admittedly, homosexuality is a controversial subject in Utah. But that is no excuse for ignoring the concerns of a percentage of the Utah population (national estimates range from 3 percent to 10 percent) that contributes to the community’s life and economy.
Tribune News Editor Peg McEntee, who oversees the coverage of minorities in Utah, promises to do better:
“On Dec. 31, 1999, The Tribune published a Sunday A-1 special report — ‘Gays in Utah’ — that was heralded — and, in some quarters, vilified — locally and nationally. And with this year’s newsroom reorganization came a renewed emphasis on covering people, issues and events important to Utah’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. In November, reporter Tim Sullivan wrote about a vigil in Salt Lake City for transgendered people who have suffered hate crimes, and followed with a story about a workshop at the National League of Cities conference here that focused on the value of gay and lesbian communities. Rest assured, there’s more to come.”
And, I will be watching.
