Friday, April 30, 2010

Dateline Detroit

Dateline Detroit

Last week, NBC broadcast an episode of its Dateline news program on Detroit. The primary focus is familiar--the vulnerable, poor yet resilient African American residents of a crumbling city with a sprinkling of artists and celebrities.

Dateline host Chris Hansen speaks with and profiles, among others, Mitch Cope and Gina Reichert, Kid Rock and Raccoon Man, Glemmie Beasley, a blues musician who shoots and eats raccoon around the city for sale and nutritional value. The local and national response is that Detroit, like Baltimore and other African American inner cities is thick in media sensations like Raccoon Man and that in an hour long special, a broader view is not only possible, but a responsibility.

Some local news responses to the special:
Detroit News on Dateline