Media coverage of the LA 1992 race riots

The media coverage of the 1992 Los Angeles race riots involved media coverage from multiple groups. Coverage came from the American media, which gave an extensive portrayal of the riots, Korean-American media, and Korea itself. One of the most prominent sources for news about the coverage came from the Korea Times, a Korean-American newspaper run entirely independently from American newspapers, such as the New York Times. The Korea Times helped to stabilize and balance the stories that erupted from the 1992 race riots, as well as give insight to the responses from the Korean-American victims.

Korean-American newspapers

Articles presented from the Korean-American’s side claimed that “Korean American merchants were apparently targeted by looters during the LA. Riots, according to the FBI official who directed federal law enforcement efforts during the disturbance.”^[1] The Korean American newspaper focused on the 1992 riots with Korean Americans being the center of the violence. Initial articles from late April and early May were about the stories depicting victims’ lives and the damage done to the LA Korean Community. Interviews with Korea Town merchants, such as Chung Lee, drew sympathy from its readers. Chung Lee, the model example of good merchant watched, helplessly, as his store was burned down. I worked hard for that store. Now I have nothing," wailed Lee, who had can I go?^[1]

American newspapers

While several articles included the minorities involved when citing damages or naming victims, few actually incorporated them as a significant part of the struggle. American news coverage was mainly directed at the oppression of African American citizens especially at white hands, despite the first victim of the riots being a black girl killed by a Korean shopkeeper. One story framed the race riots as “time when the wrath of blacks was focused on whites”.^[2] They acknowledged that racism and stereotyped views contributed to the riots, the articles from American newspapers made the LA riots about black and whites struggling to coexist, rather than include all minorities involved.^[3]

Racism: black and white struggles

While both blacks and whites were active participants in the 1992 riots, they were not the only races involved. Other articles compare to the LA riots to the Watts riots of the 1960s. Once again the article’s focus shifts to the tension between black and white residents of America, drawing the history as far back as slavery and deep set racial divides. A commercial on racial tolerance produced in the aftermath of the riots featured black and white youth playing basketball together. This Nike commercial sparked a wave of movements intended to spread the message that race was not meant to be a barrier. New York began posting a series of posters featuring black children with their face whitened only one week after the riots. Like the racial tolerance commercial, it did not address the Asian or Hispanic communities that were also involved in the riots, even though it appeared to be a direct response to them.^[4] The difference in coverage suggests a divide in the thought process of these two groups: Americans wanted to showcase the racial tensions in an attempt to address them. National distribution of the riots brought forward the injustice present.

Multiethnic struggle

The Korean-Americans and their stores throughout LA’s Korea town were hit the hardest by the riots, with an estimated $400 million done in damages. Despite claims that Koreatown hadn’t been intentionally targeted during the riots, by Sunday, over 1,600 Korean-American-owned-stores had been completely destroyed. Hispanic-owned stores and African-American-owned stores were also destroyed during the riots . The diversity among victims, has gained the LA riots the title of America's First Multiethnic 'Riots.'^[5] However, this title did not come into existence until years after the riots occurred. Media focused exclusively on select groups rather than observing the overall picture. Newspapers acknowledged the presence of other groups within the riots but listed them as “minorities” instead of giving the details.

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