Bad Boys, Bad Boys: Put an End to the Show Cops

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According to researchers, repeated, distorted media representations “create attitudinal effects ranging from general antagonism towards [B]lack men and boys, to higher tolerance for race-based socioeconomic disparities…and public support for punitive approaches to problems.”12  

Against the real-world backdrop of an American culture that views young men like Trayvon Martin and Jordan Russell Davis with suspicion” and “places like New York, where there were 700,000 incidents of ‘stop and frisk’ by police officers in 2011 alone, most of them targeting Black and Hispanic males” the stakes couldn’t be higher.13

Down from 45 episodes in prior years, FOX ordered just 16 episodes of COPS this season, regularly preempting the “reality” series with sports programming that is more attractive to advertisers.

Together we can put industry decision makers on notice that continuing to invest in programming that exploits our communities will hurt their reputation with consumers, and send a broader message to Hollywood and producers of reality programming that we expect better.

Join us in calling on FOX and COPS’ advertisers to put an end to this dangerous and dehumanizing television show; and when you do, please ask your friends and family to do the same.

Thanks and Peace, –Rashad, Arisha, Matt, Aimée, Kim, Fanna and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team March 20th, 2013 Help support our work. 

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