CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE U.S. MAINSTREAM PRESS AND BLACK PRESS COVERAGE OF JEAN-BERTRAND ARISTIDE FROM 1991-2011 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Arts in Mass Communication By Amar N. Spencer December 2011 The thesis of Amar N. Spencer is approved: __________________________________ _______________________ Dr. Marcella De Veaux Date __________________________________ _______________________ Dr. Taehyun Kim Date __________________________________ _______________________ Dr. Melissa Wall, Chair Date California State University, Northridge ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank Dr. Melissa Wall, my committee chair, for the incredible amount of guidance you gave me. You made this thesis a reality and I am truly grateful. I would also like to thank my committee members, Dr. Kim and Dr. De Veaux for all the input you gave me throughout the long process. Special thanks must also go out to my classmates who edited my drafts and to all the other mass communication graduate students for their encouragement along the way. I must also express gratitude to my coworkers in the dean‟s office at Tseng College for their support throughout the process. iii DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to my parents, Camita and Stedroy Spencer, my brother, Shimea, my uncles Dr. Alwyn Nicholas and Reverend Dr. Conrad Spencer, and my dear friend Percival. Thanks for your love, support and encouragement throughout the years. Without you, I would not have made this accomplishment. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS SIGNATURE PAGE ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii DEDICATION iv ABSTRACT viii CHAPTER ONE – Introduction 1 Research Question 1 Significance of this study 2 Summary of Chapters to come 3 CHAPTER TWO –Literature Review 4 Haiti‟s History 4 Early History 4 The Duvaliers‟ Reign 11 Aristide‟s Reign 12 U.S. Media Coverage of Haiti 16 Coverage of Aristide and Hurricane Jeanne 16 Coverage of the 2010 Earthquake 25 Studies on the Black Press‟ Past Coverage of Haiti 26 Ethnic Media 28 Theoretical Framework 30 Propaganda Framework 30 Black Skin, White Masks 31 v CHAPTER THREE – Methodology 33 Method Used 33 Sampling and Data Collection Procedures 33 Black Press‟ Coverage of Aristide 33 Mainstream Press‟ Coverage of Aristide 34 Data Analysis Procedures 35 Limitations 36 Credibility and Trustworthiness 36 CHAPTER FOUR – Findings 37 The Black Press‟ Coverage of Aristide 37 Aristide is the savior of poor Haitians 37 Aristide is corrupt and causing problems in Haiti 41 Aristide is the victim of U.S foreign policy 43 Sources Used 45 The Mainstream Press‟ Coverage of Aristide 46 Aristide is the savior of poor Haitians 46 Aristide is corrupt and causing problems in Haiti 48 Sources Used 51 CHAPTER FIVE – Conclusion 53 Final Thoughts 55 Future Research 55 REFERENCES 57 APPENDICES 64 A. Coding Sheet 64 vi B. List of all Publications Analyzed 65 vii ABSTRACT A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE U.S. MAINSTREAM PRESS AND BLACK PRESS COVERAGE OF JEAN-BERTRAND ARISTIDE FROM 1991-2011 By Amar N. Spencer Master of Arts in Mass Communication This study examined how the U.S. mainstream press and the Black Press portrayed former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide from 1991-2011. Using narrative analysis, this study found that the mainstream press primarily depicted him as a savior of poor Haitians, and as a corrupt politician. The Black Press portrayed him in the same manner, but also depicted him as a victim of U.S. foreign policy. The findings led to the conclusion that the coverage by the Black Press is often similar to that of the mainstream. However, the Black Press is, at times, more inclined than the mainstream to challenge the U.S. status quo. viii CHAPTER ONE Introduction A country in the Caribbean plagued by abject poverty and governed by corrupt leaders; this is often the U.S. media‟s depiction of Haiti. Seemingly, Haiti has been a focal point for U.S. journalists during times of natural disasters and political disquiet. As Gans (1979) posits, the U.S. media has the tendency to cover foreign countries mostly during times of natural disasters and political unrest. Instances in which the U.S. media paid considerable attention to Haiti include: the mega earthquake in Haiti in 2010, the cholera outbreak later that year, and the 2011 return of two of the island‟s most well- known and ousted politicians - Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier and Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Honing in on reports of Aristide, the twice-deposed Haitian president has been given relatively extensive coverage since his rise to presidency in 1991. Aristide is Haiti‟s first-democratically elected president who was ousted after a coup in 1991; re- instated by the U.S. in 1994; and ousted again in 2004 (Dupuy, 1997). He made numerous U.S. headlines over the years. By 2011, the former Catholic priest - who by then had been living in exile in South Africa after being ousted for the second time in 2004 – was once again the subject of many media reports. The surge in reports came after he announced that he planned to end his exile by returning to Haiti. Research Questions Against that backdrop, this thesis focused on the portrayal of Aristide from 1991- 2011. My research questions were: 1 1. What were the main narratives about Aristide in the Black Press and the mainstream press in the U.S. from 1991-2011? 2. What were the similarities and differences between the coverage by both types of newspapers? Significance of This Study Given the longstanding history between the U.S. and Haiti, an analysis of U.S news coverage of one of Haiti‟s former leaders is important to consider. Also, with Haiti being a stone‟s throw from the southern border of the U.S., obvious implications exist for Americans when major developments occur there, as Fauriol (1995) points out. This, too, establishes the importance of Haiti developments being reported by the U.S. news media and the significance of studying coverage of the happenings. Research on the Black Press‟ coverage is necessary so that a comparison/contrast can be drawn between the two types of media. As Deuze argues, ethnic media embrace “dialogical discourse” as opposed to the “monological” practices of the mainstream media (Deuze, 2006, p. 266). Such a comparison is needed to help to build on existing research of ethnic/Black Press‟ coverage of minority events in the Third World. It is only through a comparative study that differences/similarities between the Black press and the mainstream can be observed. Additionally, given the exponential growth rate of ethnic/minority media in the U.S. over the years (Deuze, 2006), research on ethnic media coverage becomes even more important. 2 Summary of Chapters to Come Chapter two explores Haiti‟s history and studies on media coverage of the country, as well as outlines applicable theories. Chapter 3 focuses on the methodology of the study; in Chapter 4, I report, analyze, and assess the findings of the research. Conclusions are drawn in the final section, Chapter 5. 3 CHAPTER TWO Literature Review As previously mentioned, Haiti‟s history is a key element in understanding the island‟s current condition and the U.S.‟ position towards Aristide. Hence, this literature review will first outline the island‟s history with the U.S; then examine previous studies on the U.S. media‟s coverage of the republic; and lastly explore applicable theoretical frameworks that relate to the U.S.‟ coverage of Haiti. Haiti’s History My aim here is to show the present-day plight of the people within the context of the state‟s history, since history paves the way for today‟s conditions. Chomsky, Farmer, and Goodman (2004) note that “a quick review of Haiti‟s history is indispensible to understanding the current muddle” (Chomsky, et al., 2004, p. 11). Also, Ulysse (2010) underscores: “Haiti‟s history would become its only defense against these portrayals, although in the mainstream media that same history would be used against the republic by historical revisionists” (Ulysse, 2010, p. 39). Early History A mere 15 years after the U.S. declared its independence from Great Britain, “its colonial regime came under threat in August 1791, when the enslaved majority (in Haiti) rebelled, inaugurating what would become the Haitian Revolution” (White, 2010, p. 1). 4 Haitians‟ ideology was based on the notion that “all men, regardless of race, are free, equal, and entitled to the rights of citizens” (White, 2010, p. 2). According to White, the 13 years that ensued were fraught with violence as the slaves fought for their freedom and the U.S. had no choice but to pay attention to the revolution as it unfolded. These revolts in Haiti gave birth to “the largest slave uprising in history” in 1804, which ultimately resulted in the island‟s independence from France that year (White, 2010, p. 1). Haitians‟ feat of becoming the first black republic in the Western Hemisphere left the U.S. with no choice but to “ponder the implications of the Haitian Revolution for the viability of their nation” (White, 2010, p. 2). Chomsky (2004) argues that the U.S. tried its utmost to “strangle” Haiti, including backing France in its mandate that Haiti pay reparations. In its reaction to Haiti‟s independence, the U.S., as an emerging world power, projected its “insecurities” onto Haiti (Dash, 1997, p. 2). One key channel through which these insecurities were relayed was through literature, such as poetry and news articles. As Dash points out, the U.S. often classified the island as “other,” in its nineteenth-century writings. These negative and peripheral depictions of the island were linked to the fact that Haiti was the first black Republic, which “challenged the whole system of slavery and notions of black inferiority” (Dash, 1997, p.