The Score for March 18-24, 2012

The conventional wisdom holds that mainstream news reporting about American Indians and tribal governments is disproportionately negative. The Score is an attempt to test whether that assumption holds true in Wyoming. To make things simple, we lump stories into three broad categories based on overall story tone and content: “positive,” “negative” and “neutral.” We provide an ongoing tally of the numbers, as well as headlines and publication sources for each story included in The Score. News from sports sections and police blotters is not included in The Score.

Today’s tally: 52 positive, 57 neutral, and 74 negative stories about American Indians and tribal governments in the Wyoming news media since Oct. 9, 2011. Here are the headlines for the week of March 18-24, 2012:

• “Five commission districts to stay, but adjustments to lines” The Ranger (updating a story about Indian voting rights in Fremont County). NEU.
• “Teen pleads not guilty in store crash” The Ranger (updating a story about a crash that damaged the Riverton Wal-Mart). NEG.
• “Youngest Hudson defendant may have ‘finished’ the older victim” The Ranger (updating a story about a double murder). NEG.
• “Police: Plot in Hudson murders” Wind River News (updating a story about a double murder). NEG.
• “Fifth Hudson suspect in court Friday” The Ranger (updating a story about arrests in a double murder). NEG
• “Feds say tribe’s bald eagle permit a first” The Ranger (updating a story about ongoing efforts to obtain eagle take permit for religious purposes). POS.
• “Commission district plans down to pair” Wind River News (updating a story about Indian voting rights in Fremont County). NEU.
• “Hate crimes focus of training seminar on March 19” Wind River News (reporting on tribe’s efforts to raise awareness about gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transsexuals) POS.
• “Driver guilty in fatal crash” Wind River News (updating a story about a fatal rollover crash in January). NEG.
• “Court records imply Maverik stabbing retaliation” rivertonradio.com (updating a story about a stabbing in Riverton). NEG.
• “Victim uses guitar to fight off stabber” rivertonradio.com (detailing a stabbing in Riverton). NEG.