University of Montana School of Journalism

News and Events
Lee Enterprises reporter laments scarce coverage of Native American issues Jodi Rave is glad to be reporting on Native American issues. She just wishes her job weren’t so unusual. The 37-year-old reporter, a member of the Mandan and Hidatsa Tribes of North Dakota, works the Native American news beat for Nebraska’s Lincoln Journal Star and the entire Lee Enterprises newspaper chain, which includes 21 publications across the northwest. Rave brought her career experience to the classroom at the UM School of Journalism last month. She spent three days talking with students about diversity in newspapers, specifically the lack thereof. Until Rave pitched her idea of publishing an Native American news beat to the Lincoln Journal Star’s editors a few years ago, the position didn’t exist. While her articles are frequently included in Lee newspapers in nine states, most newspapers in the nation still don’t cover Native American news. “My job has opened the eyes of many newspapers, who have increased their Native news coverage,” Rave said. “But there’s still a big gap in newsrooms reflecting the Native community. It’s not happening yet.” Many times when newspapers do report on Native American issues, they don’t understand the issue well enough, Rave said. Too often, reporters bring preconceived ideas to stories about Native American issues, and they aren’t aware of tribal views. As a result, tribes are offended by the articles and reluctant to cooperate with the media later. In this aspect, Rave has an advantage. She spent her childhood on the Fort Berthold reservation in northwestern North Dakota. Her background and understanding of Native American culture help her relate to tribal members and help her dig deeper for more accurate reporting. “My family lives on a reservation, and I think people sense that connection,” Rave said. “Sometimes I’ll get a cold shoulder from them at first, because they’re afraid we’re just going to write a negative article or trash them. But when I tell them my culture, often times it turns things around.” Not that a reporter has to be an Native American to write about Native American issues. “It just takes a commitment from the reporter to research and get the background of an issue,” Rave said. “Anyone can do it.” Rave believes that the press has focused too much on negative articles about Native issues in the past, and she has made it a point to write about the positive happenings in the community. In a recent series of articles on Native youth suicide, she included a story about tribal grassroots efforts to prevent the tragedies. The nine-article package was published on the front page of the Lincoln Journal Star in late November. The Missoulian, as well as numerous Lee newspapers, also printed the articles. “I hope they will help people take mental health issues more seriously and create more avenues for young people to get counseling,” Rave said. “I emphasized in my stories that we need to incorporate traditional ceremonies in the healing process for youth.” Her articles have generated much feedback from the public, demonstrating the power the press has in creating awareness, she said. If a story isn’t printed, the public often doesn’t know about it. That’s why it’s important that newspapers include Native news, Rave said. “People fail to realize that newspapers do affect community and political opinions,” she said. “When Native issues are printed in the newspaper they become a lot more real.” Rave's visit was arranged by Sheri Venema, a visiting assistant professor. Rave spoke to Venema’s class in Multicultural and Diversity Challenges, a beginning reporting class, and a Journalism and Society seminar. She also took time to have dinner with Native American students in the school, including junior Tara Dowd. “She was interested in how each of us became interested in journalism,” Dowd said. “She talked to each of us individually and wanted to know what we were working on.” Rave hoped her visit encouraged students to think about the difference they can make in society as journalists, she said. “It’s important for them to see that a lot of work needs to be done,” she said. Return to School of Journalism Home Page and December-January news