The Jackson City Council denounced CBS News’ portrayal of Mississippi’s capital city in a resolution Tuesday that accused the network of depicting “the most hideous scenes” in a “60 Minutes’ episode that featured an interview with former Jackson State University football coach, Deion Sanders. Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba also voiced his disapproval of the episode.
During the meeting, members called on local, state and national media outlets to be more mindful about how they frame the City’s challenges.
The Jackson City Council adopted this unanimous resolution denouncing CBS News for its portrayal of the city in an episode of “60 Minutes.”
“Don’t try to create a false narrative that the whole City of Jackson is a waste, a dump and that all the people in Jackson are sorry people. We have great people in this city, white and black, young and old,” said Councilman Kenneth Stokes.
The “60 Minutes” interview, conducted by correspondent Jon Wertheim, featured a visual comparison of so-called cultural differences between Jackson and Boulder, Colo., where Sanders now coaches the Colorado State Buffaloes. The clip went viral online, spurring a furor of backlash from Jackson residents, including Jackson State basketball coach Tomekia Reed. Reed tweeted her frustration with the portrayals.
“60 Minutes y’all made Jackson, MS look horrible. You should be ashamed of yourselves for showing the worst house you can find in America and make it like that describes us. I’m not even sure if that abandoned house you showed is even in Jackson. #ThisisHome,” Reed wrote, referring to one image shown during the series of comparisons between Jackson and Boulder.
Others chimed in online, sharing aerial shots of the city, museums and historical monuments in Jackson that they felt would have been a better comparison to what “60 Minutes” chose to show of Boulder.
“Don’t try to create a false narrative that the whole City of Jackson is a waste, a dump and that all the people in Jackson are sorry people. We have great people in this city, white and black, young and old,” Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes said on Sept. 26,
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