Downbeat Spin from the Times: World Ends, Minorities Hardest Hit
Which newspaper headline, over articles about the same report from the Pew Hispanic Center, is not like the others? The one from the Times, naturally.
Published: 5/14/2009 8:21 AM ET
Which Wednesday newspaper headline, over articles about the same report from the Pew Hispanic Center, is not like the others?
Immigrant Homeownership Proves Resilient in the Face of Slowdown
Boosted by Boom, Rate Virtually Unchanged During Bust
Lead: "The rate of homeownership in the United States is holding up better among immigrants than it is for native-born Americans, according to a study released yesterday."
Housing Boom Aided Minorities
Homeownership Reached Record Levels, Narrowing the Gap With Whites
Lead: "Minorities in the U.S. increased their levels of homeownership at a faster clip than whites during the recent housing boom, according to a new report, and narrowed the ownership gap with the majority despite taking a bigger hit during the subsequent bust."
Homeownership Losses Are Greatest Among Minorities, Report Finds
Lead: "After a decade of growth, the gains made in homeownership by African-Americans and native-born Latinos have been eroding faster in the economic downturn than those of whites, according to a report issued Tuesday by the Pew Hispanic Center."
As the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto observed in his May 13 "Best of the Web Today" compilation:
Policies designed to increase homeownership rates among minorities succeeded - and...some of that success has proved durable. But the cost of this success was to help undermine the entire financial system. The Times portrays this as another story of "world ends; minorities hardest hit," but it's really more "minorities benefit, world hardest hit."
-Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
