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For
Immediate Release
Contact: Jerry Thomas
773 373 3366
Tina Jones
404 525 5663
www.rainbowpush.org
Dignity, Decency, Equality
Task Force Forms to Fight
Degradation of Women
ATLANTA, GA
(May 2, 2007) – With degradation of women
rampant throughout popular culture, the Rainbow PUSH
Coalition has formed a Dignity, Decency and Equality
Task Force dedicated to fighting exploitative and
degrading images of women in film, television, radio,
Internet and satellite content.
“Our first mission will be
to attend the Viacom shareholder meeting on May 30th
in New York City,” said Janice L. Mathis, Rainbow
PUSH Coalition’s Vice President for Legal Affairs, who
is leading the task force.
“We’ll be present to let
the heads of CBS, BET and MTV know how concerned women
are about the corrosive effect of negative media images
on young people,” Mathis said, noting that the Rainbow
PUSH Coalition’s longstanding concern about the issue.
“We have attended prior shareholder meetings,” she said,
“and were advised that the negative images were
supported by ratings and ad revenues, and that we should
not expect change.”
Now the Don Imus debacle, coupled with allegations of
exploitation surrounding the hit BET series “College
Hill 4,” is changing consciousness among consumers.
“The winds have shifted,” Mathis said. “Coalitions like
the Dignity, Decency and Equality Task Force are forming
all across the nation, and women are coming together to
express their concern. Many women who don’t even
consider themselves activists are speaking out, to make
sure that degradation and disrespect are not accepted
without comment or criticism. And therefore, we expect a
different response than we received several years ago.”
MORE
Dignity Task Force
Add One
“The corporate interests may be free to promulgate
negative images, but we are free not to consume them,”
Mathis added. “We are free to hold the purveyors
accountable.”
After all, she noted, the airwaves – and the licenses
required to use them – belong to everyone. “Decency is
judged according to prevailing community standards,”
Mathis said. “When we speak out, we set those
standards.”
The task force also plans to study and seek remediation
of the near-total lack of women of color in positions of
influence throughout the media. Though many local and
national broadcasts feature women of color, Mathis said,
their on-camera presence is not matched by power behind
the scenes.
The
Rainbow PUSH Coalition is a progressive organization
devoted to protecting, defending and expanding civil
rights to improve economic and educational opportunity.
The organization is headquartered at
930 E.
50th St. in Chicago. To learn more, please visit
www.rainbowpush.org or telephone (773)
373-3366. To arrange an interview with Rev. Jackson or
Francis Cook, please call the numbers above.
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