NABJ Expresses Dissatisfaction Over Setbacks in Newsroom Diversity

NABJ Expresses Dissatisfaction Over Setbacks in Newsroom Diversity

Knight Foundation report shows progress has 'passed its peak'

WASHINGTON, June 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Association of Black Journalists expressed disappointment over a newly released Knight Foundation report that shows newsroom diversity is below its peak levels at most U.S. newspapers. The report states that newspapers have backed away from their commitment to having newsrooms reflect the demographics of the communities they are obligated to serve.

The Knight Foundation findings follow a report earlier this year by the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE) that shows there are only 34 more black journalists working at U.S. daily newspapers today compared with five years ago. Both reports are signs of the industry's stagnation regarding the hiring and retention of journalists of color.

"This definitely is disappointing news," said NABJ President Herbert Lowe, a courts reporter at Newsday. "We hear from newspaper executives all the time that they are doing everything they can to increase the numbers of black journalists working in the newsroom. This study, coupled with the ASNE report, clearly shows that many of the nation's newsrooms remain out of sync with their public and that the executives in charge of hiring need to do more."

According to the foundation's report: Among the 200 largest newspapers, 73 percent currently employ fewer minorities, as a share of the newsroom jobs, than they did from 1990 to 2004. Only 27 percent of these large dailies were at their peak as 2005 began.

Looking more broadly at all newspapers, only 18 percent reached their peak this year, while 44 percent have slipped. The remaining 37 percent of daily newspapers that divulged their employment figures reported an all-white newsroom.

"NABJ is committed to making sure that diversity in our newsrooms is not yesterday's news," said NABJ Vice President-Print Bryan Monroe, also an assistant vice president-news at Knight Ridder. "Too much is at stake for democracy and American journalism for us to go backwards on this."

An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation, with more than 4,000 members, and provides educational, career development and support to black journalists worldwide.

For more information about NABJ, visit http://www.nabj.org/ or call (301) 445-7100.

Source: National Association of Black Journalists

CONTACT: Lisa Goodnight of National Association of Black Journalists, +1-301-445-7100 ext. 107, lisa@nabj.org

Web site: http://www.nabj.org/

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