If memory serves, that was a major debate between the print media and national black leaders. I seem to remember a complaint being lodged some 20 or so years ago that the only criminals making the news were black -- or at least were in far larger proportion that whites.
It was at that time that far, far fewer pictures were posted in an effort to assuage the black community who feared their moral authority was being eroded. Privately, many in the print news business had a difficult time coming up with enough whites to fill pages with crime stories, so now no one is identified as to race. We can all see how effective that's been.
As a P.S. I grew up in the news business -- father International VP of the Newspaper Guild -- traveled everywhere on "Guild" business with Dad. I do not have a racist bone in my body (or head, as the case may be), but seem to remember the confrontation and the angst among the lefties who tried to slant the facts to give "dignity" to those folks who were painted with the same broad brush. Of course, I was a mere child at the time -- ;-).
I don't question your memory of that debate, but apparently the results of it didn't filter down to the local small town newspaper. They published pictures, physical descriptions and crime committed. I left there about 6 years ago so do not have any up to date information regarding this. Just that my very informal study indicated that 90% of the crime was generated by one racial group and it wasn't white.