Questionable Coverage: Immigration Reform in the Media

Media coverage for the immigration marches has come into question, whether coverage was bias.
During the Latino Conference on Media (LCOM) panelist spoke of "The Day the Nation took Notice: The March for immigration reform". Panelist spoke of whether coverage was fair, what actually happened as well as the aftermath of the coverage. The panel included Esteben Creste, News Director for Telemundo Chicago, Camille Edwards, News Director for NBC 5 Chicago, Jesus Garcia, Executive Director of Little Village Community Development Corp., Josh Hoyt, Executive Director for the Illinois Coalition for Immigration & Refugee Rights, Dan Proft, Principal of Urquhart Media LLC and serving as a moderator Antonio Mora, News Anchor for CBS 2 Chicago.

Mora opened the conversation with a comment directed towards Esteben questioning the title given; "La Gran Marcha" Mora asked if the title was not bias continuing to say, "La Gran Marcha is entitling it as the Grand March not simple naming it 'The Big March'".

Esteben responded by saying it all depended on interpretation as it could mean either, but insisted that [Telemundo] their goal was to inform people and by no ways told people to go march. As Mora asked Garcia if coverage was fair he said,
"It was treated as a parade very festive which was a good thing. There was also less coverage of illegal immigrants, but the diversity."

As the question is raised about fair coverage an audience member responds by stating that English speaking media only focused on Latinos instead of the diversity of immigration. She continues, "I have been stopped by police officers five times after the May march."

With this response Mora quickly responded by disagreeing and promptly telling her of video where they did not just show Latinos, but all cultural that was present at the May march. "It was a distorted view and sanitized or a polarized view it did not represent the majority of where people stand on the issue," said Proft, but continued "But I do understand that it is only a short time to report with 20 seconds for stories it is hard to get both sides and not just the radical part."

This can be said to be understandable as both radical points where on broadcast news that of the minuteman and immigrants crossing the boarder, but no one is shown trying to meet half way.
"We try to present the black and white as well as the gray." Edwards said.

However a main difference of coverage is evident in which media one is watching that of Spanish media or English media.
"American media was slow to jump on these [Carpentersville, Immigration, etc.] stories." Creste said.
As the coverage is questioned being bias or non-bias one has to ask the question who is it that is truly covering the news. It is not just the reporters that choose their assignment, nor the news anchors, but instead it is those behind the scenes.
"We are lacking behind the scenes, there is just as much power." Edwards said