Canada’s multiculturalism stops where most newsrooms begin. Despite recent efforts to increase diversity in the news, people of colour are often presented as clichés – from freeloading immigrants to keepers of exotic cultures – rather than individuals with complex stories.
Instead of treating diversity like a missing ingredient – simply add one racialized reporter and the problem is solved – journalist Christopher Cheung wants newsrooms to change how they cover stories.
In this candid investigation into the state of race in Canadian media today, Cheung challenges the way we think about the news we read, watch, and listen to. Real stories from recent years are examined for successes or how they fall short on representation. Cheung shows us why reporting on race is necessary, how the language is evolving, and why intersectionality is crucial to combatting stereotypes.
Under the White Gaze is essential reading for aspiring and seasoned journalists, media consumers, and anyone wondering why race and representation are so often missing from our headlines.