"Emphathetic Rejectionism" and Inter-ethnic Agenda Setting: coverage of Latinos by the Black press in the American South.

American newspapers are often criticized for failure to provide an understanding of inter-ethnic relations, an issue of renewed significance since the 2000 Census found that Latinos have replaced African-Americans as the largest US minority group. While most inter-ethnic studies of American newspapers focus on Black/White relations, the purpose of this study is to explore how the editors of the Black press in the American South are responding to the growing presence of Latinos, who are assuming a role in the economy and socio-political landscape held until recently by Blacks. The study found that while the Black press rarely provides coverage of Latino issues, the editors empathize with Latino struggles. These findings may indicate a theoretical pattern, termed "empathetic rejectionism" by the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]