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Diversity By Christina M. Woods John Wright, assistant news director for KFDI, offered perhaps the truest statement about race and the media when he shared why he got into the business more than 26 years ago: “No one can tell your story but you and there wasn’t enough of us” in the newsroom, said Wright, an African-American. He was one of six journalists and one university professor who participated with the Kansas chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists’ forum: “True Colors: How Does Race Influence Media Coverage in Wichita.” The Nov. 1 forum drew more than 150 people, many of them media professionals and journalism students. Panelists agreed there still aren’t enough
journalists of
color, especially Full-time minority journalists make up 13 percent of the daily newspaper workforce, according to a 2005 report from the American Society of Newspaper Editors. That’s up one-half percentage point from the year prior. The national and local professional journalists’ groups are pushing for more inclusion, which could impact what appears in news pages or on newscasts in Wichita and across the country. Eagle columnist Mark McCormick, who is African-American and served on the panel, asked other panelists if minority journalists feel obligated to cover stories from communities of color. “You have to,” said Eagle photographer, G. Marc Benavidez, who served on the panel and is Hispanic. Wright said he’d rather all of the reporters in his newsroom cover stories that involved minorities so they could have a more well-rounded reporting experience. “I don’t want all the minority stories and I’m in a shop of eight,” Wright said. Bonita Gooch, editor of the weekly newspaper, The Community Voice, said others can be taught to cover minorities and their issues. At times, she said, her newspaper relied on white college students to cover issues of importance to the black community. But it also limited the assignments Gooch gives to her white reporters. “They just couldn’t get it,” Gooch said of some issue-oriented stories. “They just couldn’t relate.” Gooch also talked about how mainstream outlets sometimes fail to relate with their readers. As an example, Gooch talked about the black community’s reaction to a May 30th front-page Eagle article about melded gold and diamonds that fit over teeth called “grills.” Pictured on the front-page were two African-American girls, smiling, showing off their grills. Readers called the newspaper and wrote editorials expressing their anger about the article, which they said was stereotypical and not worthy of front-page coverage. “If it wasn’t so infrequent,” Gooch said of the Eagle’s coverage on minority issues, “then maybe the community won’t react so hostile.” Wright used crime coverage as another example of how race influences the media. The radio station has a policy not to identify criminal suspects solely by their race and that race is included in crime reports only when police are looking for the suspects. Though journalists of color are needed, panelist Joe Rodriguez, religion reporter for The Eagle, talked about how newsrooms across the country are struggling to recruit and retain those staffers. Yet, organizations such as the National Association of Black Journalists, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Asian American Journalists Association are among the leading professional groups with memberships in the thousands that work to connect and support journalists of color. “If you put individuals in a situation where they can’t thrive or succeed, how in the world would you expect them to stay?” said panelist William Hoston, a Wichita State University Department of Political Science visiting assistant professor about newsrooms not open to diversity. During the forum, one audience member asked who holds the media accountable for racist remarks. He described reading a passage where a sportswriter compared a flawed defensive position to the United States/Mexico border situation involving illegal immigrants.
The panel encouraged the audience to call or meet with editors about their complaints. Canceling subscriptions or turning to different radio or television stations also sends a message, a KSN reporter said from the audience. Ron Sylvester, regional director for the professional journalists group and a reporter for the Eagle, was pleased with the response to the forum and is looking for ways to continue the conversation. “By having forums such as this, we hope to promote that kind of representation in the newsroom,” he said. For more information about the Society of Professional Journalists’ diversity initiative, “The Whole Story,” visit, www.spj.org. |
Diversity Diversity Sourcebook Diversity Toolbox Sourcebook Teaching Plan Anti-Profiling Guidelines The Whole Story: Tips & Tools Chapter Programming Diversity Leadership Grants News Articles Message Board Diversity Committee On both chapter and national levels, SPJ provides an open forum for the discussion of diversity issues in journalism. This committee's purpose is to promote a broader voice in newsrooms across the country and expand the depth and quality of news reports through better sourcing. Its ongoing project is the compilation of experts — primarily women, gays and lesbians, people of color and people with disabilities — through the Society's Diversity Source Book. The Society's relevance to its member is based on inclusiveness. Diversity Committee Chair Sally Lehrman Science and medical writer Montara, Calif. Work: 650/728-8211 Diversity Committee Members Robert Anthony, Editor, Stadium Circle Features Marco Dominguez, station manager, WIIH-Univision Beth Haller, Associate Professor, Towson University Ray Hanania, freelance columnist Nate Isaacs, reporter, Tri-City Herald Leo Laurence, Editor, San Diego News Service Curtis Lawrence, Journalism Faculty, Columbia College Chicago Andrea Lewis, Co-Host, The Morning Show, KPFA-FM Ray Marcano, Deputy Managing Editor, Dayton Daily News Mike McQueen, AP Bureau Chief, New Orleans Tommy Valuckas, Waterbury Republican-American Pueng Vongs, Editor, Pacific News Service Venise Wagner, Associate Department Chair, San Francisco State University |
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considering that
the U.S. Census Bureau now finds that one in
every three people in the United States is a person of color.
“We’ve gotta do
better,” said panelist Jeffrey