Attention keeps diversity from suffering in tough economic year
Commentary
By Kate Kennedy
freedomforum.org
04.17.02
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It only happens on purpose. That's the consensus of industry leaders reacting to the latest news about diversity in daily newspaper newsrooms.
The American Society of Newspaper Editors' annual employment survey, released at the group’s convention last week, again shows that progress in diversifying newsroom staffs happens when editors pay attention to hiring and retention.
In 2001, newspaper revenue was described by one CEO as the toughest challenge since World War II. "Buyout" — rather than "hiring" — was the key word, with almost 2,000 journalists leaving the industry in the largest job loss in 25 years.
Yet, as ASNE leaders said, "In a year of victims, diversity was a survivor."
Newspaper editors were paying attention to diversity.
Despite the loss of jobs, the number of minority journalists at daily newspapers increased about one-half of one percent, to 12.07%.
The survey of 956 of the country’s 1,435 daily newspapers also showed that:
- One of every five journalists hired last year was a minority.
- The retention rate of minority journalists increased to 93% from 90% the year before.
- The percentage of minority interns increased to 31.1%, from 29%, the first significant increase in the percentage of minority interns since 1996.
"Editors did a good job last year of maintaining minority representation during a significant down market," said Charles L. Overby, Freedom Forum chairman and CEO.
On what is needed to make significant progress in newsroom diversity, Sue Clark-Johnson, chairman and CEO of Phoenix Newspapers Inc., said, "It only happens if we take to heart our responsibility to pay back our debts." She spoke at the National Association of Minority Media Executives annual banquet two days after the survey was released.
Said Overby, "We still have a long road to travel to reach parity, but we have good program models to work from and more good ideas to implement.
"The Freedom Forum will keep this as one of our three priorities, and we look forward to working with even more newspapers than the 100-plus that are partnering with us on our diversity programs this year."
In another hopeful survey result, the number of Native American journalists increased by 58, from 249 in 2001 to 307 in 2002. Self-identification as American Indian by some newsroom employees contributed to part of the increase. But Mark Trahant, chairman and CEO of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education and former president of the Native American Journalists Association, calls the increase "good steady progress" and credits programs such as the Freedom Forum's American Indian Journalism Institute and Native American Newspaper Career Conference for attracting more Native Americans to newspaper careers.
With a tough year behind the newspaper industry, it's a chance to look — and move — forward.
Gilbert Bailon, executive editor of The Dallas Morning News, worries that as newspapers rush to fill openings in an improved economy, newspaper editors will not consider diverse talent pools. He and other journalists urge newspapers to be vigilant.
Said Victor Panichkul, president of the Asian American Journalists Association, "We urge newsroom managers to place a priority on diversity as hiring opportunities present themselves."
And there are specific challenges:
- For the 431 daily newspapers with no minorities on staff. The number of newspapers with no minorities increased for the third year and now stands at 45%.
- For small newspapers. Two-thirds of all minority journalists continue to work at large newspapers — those over 100,000 circulation.
- For large newspapers. An analysis by The Boston Globe shows that large newspapers often do no better in reflecting the diversity of their communities than do many smaller newspapers.
- For the representation of African-Americans and Asian-Americans. The number of both in newsrooms went down last year. The number of African-Americans declined from 2,951 to 2,879, and the number of Asian-Americans declined from 1,299 to 1,283.
Bringing people of color into newspapers is only the first step in diversifying newsroom staffs. Once inside the newsroom, are journalists of color being valued for their story ideas and allowed to excel by being offered challenging assignments? Editors must make their culture and approach to news content more inclusive to meet the challenges of truly diversifying their newspapers.
David Yarnold, executive editor of the San Jose Mercury News, encouraged ASNE's editors to take these next steps. He suggested that editors themselves mentor employees, demonstrate their commitment to diversity daily, "invite everyone to the table," show their respect and find common ground.
"It's what we all crave," Yarnold said.
Again, it only happens on purpose.
Related
Coverage of diversity discussions, ASNE 2002
Collection page for coverage of newsroom-diversity discussions at ASNE, 2002.
04.17.02
