In the old `Wild West' they spoke of a one-horse town. Bermuda is a `one-paper' country.

In Bermuda the media, he says, lead and The Royal Gazette , perhaps unknowingly, promotes the racial divide.

The electronic media is guilty as well, but they do not have the corner of the market. "People do not talk about the TV stations like they do the print media.'' For Dr. Brown the Gazette is split into two -- the editorials and the news pages. One written by the Editor and the others written by reporters from three different countries -- Bermuda, Canada and Britain.

"The media should be trying to be correct and truthful - I find the news reporting much divorced from the editorial tone.

"My feeling is that if a reporter writes something and it is the truth that is fine. I am not looking for a reporter to see it through my eyes.'' He says if there has been a change in the Gazette in the last five to ten years it is that the paper has been forced to better and more fairly reflect what is actually happening in the community.

"There was a time when you would have thought black people were invisible both in story content and in advertising. There was a time when most of the stories about black people were about the negative side of black life.'' He said this has a lot to do with the hiring of black staff. "I am ashamed that in 1995 the Gazette has discovered that black Bermudians can write and run a department.

"This in 1995 in a country that is 60 percent black -- we are celebrat ing that the first black news editor is in place.

"Eventually, just by natural erosion, there will be more blacks visible on the Gazette . There has to be a conscious effort not to employ black people.'' The editorial stance of the newspaper reflects that paper's political and moral stance, he says.

"The position that the Gazette might call objective, very substantially is racist at its roots.

"I believe that through its editorials the Gazette has made it crystal clear that it supports the good treatment of blacks, but under a racist umbrella.

"I think that it comes across extremely clearly to the community. I do not think you would even find black people who support the Government claiming that the Gazette is not racist.

However, he believes the racial divide was not created by the media. "It is the power relationship between the races that is the divide. One group is powerful and one is powerless, that is the divide. I have seldom seen the media in Bermuda tackling the power relationship.'' Dr. Brown added: "I do not know a newspaper that has the influence of the Gazette but it is perceived as part of the problem -- the Gazette can dictate whether it is part of the problem or part of the solution.

"They will not see themselves as part of the problem. I do not believe that the Editor of the Gazette understands how black people perceive life and racist society. I do not think it matters to him.

"If they can play a role in promoting racism they can play a role in promoting counter racism. Hiring more black people could be part of an counter racist initiative.

"The Gazette has been successful without being credible. The Gazette should change in the interests of harmony -- the Gazette has a very secure power position because everyone buys it.''