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MINNEAPOLIS, MN - The Native American Journalists Association has released a content analysis study on coverage of Native Americans by the nations top newspapers.

"The Reading Red Report" is a content study of Native news coverage by nine of the largest newspapers in the nation (The Chicago Sun-Times, Houston Chronicle, Los Angeles Times, New York Daily News, Newsday, The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post).

"The Native American Journalists Association has long been concerned about mainstream news coverage of Native Americans and our communities," said Mary Annette Pember, former NAJA President. "Our concern is based on a number of observations including a lack of coverage, uniformed coverage that perpetuates stereotypes and false perceptions, and gross inaccuracies."

The report cites over 1000 articles published during the past three years. As expected, a number of stories were focused on Indian gaming and Native American mascots. The New York Times published 519 stories on Native Americans during this time period, while the Wall Street Journal published a mere 43 articles.

The report confirms that while news coverage has increased and is more reflective of life in Native communities than in decades past, there is a serious need for more indepth, balanced, and broader stories about Indian country.

"The Reading Red Report" was produced in collaboration with News Watch, a project of the Center for Integration and Improvement of Journalism of the San Francisco State University Journalism Department.

The report can be read on NAJA's website: http://www.naja.com.

SOURCE: Native American Journalists Association