The logo of the Indigenous Journalists Association.
Post-election misinformation highlights importance of Indigenous media and free press
November 13, 2024
In the wake of the election, an exit poll conducted by Edison Research showing that 65 percent of American Indians voted for Donald Trump, has been circulated by various news organizations, including NBC. This poll is highly misleading and irresponsible—American Indians only represent 1 percent of the total voters surveyed, meaning that a few hundred self-identifying respondents are being used to represent the diverse interests of millions of Indigenous people across the country. None of the exit poll locations, for example, were on tribal land.
The poll, which has already led to widespread misinformation on social media and is being used by right-wing commentators to tout Trump’s support among Indigenous voters, is another example of how ill-equipped many news outlets are to cover Indigenous communities.
For years, the Indigenous Journalists Association has called for ethical coverage of Indigenous communities, and mainstream media has often missed the mark or failed. This incident highlights the importance of media that is able to accurately and responsibly cover Indigenous stories. Nuanced, ethical coverage can only truly happen if Indigenous media is respected and freedom of press rights are protected. The election of Trump, who has repeatedly targeted and threatened journalists, will have many implications for journalism.
As an organization committed to freedom of press and accurate coverage of Indigenous people, IJA urges local, state, federal, and tribal governments to protect press freedom. We support and stand with journalists working to hold our leaders accountable. At the same time, journalism needs to hold itself to a higher standard. Inaccurate and harmful coverage of Indigenous communities is unacceptable.
Indigenous Journalists Association Social Media Graphics
About the Indigenous Journalists Association
The Indigenous Journalists Association’s mission is centered on the idea that accurate and contextual reporting about Indigenous people and communities is necessary to overcome biases and stereotypes portrayed in popular and mainstream media. Expanding access to accurate news and information is essential to an informed citizenry and healthy democracy, across tribal, local, state and national levels.
For more than 40 years, Indigenous journalists across the United States and Canada have worked to support and sustain IJA. Originally formed as the Native American Press Association in 1983, the organization has grown from just a handful of reporters to a membership of nearly 900, which includes Indigenous journalists, associates, educators and partners.