Latest E&P "Exclusive" on Diversity

Black women leaders in journalism: Breaking barriers, forging the future

Over the past year, Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, president of the Society of Professional Journalists; LaSharah Bunting, CEO and executive director of the Online News Association; and Karen Rundlet, CEO and executive director of the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), have stepped into the lead role at three of the most influential news associations, each as the first Black woman to hold the post. In interviews with E&P, they spoke about their new roles, how they got there and how they hope to advance their individual organizations and journalism writ large.
Recent E&P "Diversity Spotlight Exclusives"

The Intersection Magazine: Redefining local reporting

If you visit the web page of The Intersection Magazine, you’ll notice something unique. The subject titles contain pairings: “PG Politics + Religion” and “Health + Politics.” This is intentional, said its founder, Delonte Harrod: “As a Black reporter trained in the  Black press, that is how Black people live their lives. I will say I think it’s universally how people live their lives.”

Investigative teams lack diversity per NAHJ study

Over the last few years, news leaders have discussed diversity at conferences and launched initiatives to address historical disparities in their reporting and their ranks. However, a recent study shows little traction in making actual change in the most elite sector of newsrooms.

MLK50 takes on ‘poverty, power and policy’ in Memphis

“Justice through journalism” is MLK50’s mission. Celebrating seven years in Memphis, Tennessee, the nonprofit newsroom honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, courageously producing journalism for the city’s marginalized communities.

NPR host Ayesha Rascoe shares the world’s stories

Perfect strangers feel like they know Ayesha Rascoe. Currently, Rascoe hosts NPR's “Weekend Edition Sunday,” and she co-hosts NPR’s “Up First” podcast with Scott Simon. The roles allow her to tell stories across genres. She interviews artists, authors, musicians, public officials, politicians and experts in a spectrum of subject matters.

Nonprofit newsrooms are increasingly more diverse, like the communities they cover

At least one segment of the news media community is making measurable strides to create more diverse, equitable and inclusive newsrooms. According to a 2023 study, nonprofit news outlets are leading the charge. Published on Oct. 24 by the Institute for Nonprofit News, “The INN Index 2023: Report on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Nonprofit News Sector” summarizes a survey of INN’s members — more than 425 members from across North America.

Los Angeles Times invests in De Los

In July 2023, the Los Angeles Times unveiled “De Los,” described as a new “community-driven brand and platform” expressly for Latino audiences across metropolitan Los Angeles and the country. Three months in, E&P asked De Los’ Editorial Director Fidel Martinez and Design Director Martina Ibañez-Baldor about the mission and hopes for De Los. 

Diversity spotlight — Healing the archives and elevating Indigenous stories

As the zeitgeist for Indigenous stories grows in all media platforms, news outlets across the country are faced with the question, “How can we ensure those crucial stories are captured and represented authentically in the archives?” The answer boils down to addressing the ethics of the journalism profession and overlaying that understanding with the Indigenous perspective.

Nurturing diversity in newsrooms and the c-suite. AAJA is on a quest to support and elevate Asian American leaders in news media.

You may have noticed the #AAJAFamily hashtag trending on social media this summer. That's how members of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) describe the organization and its annual conference to E&P, “like a family.” E&P reached out to AAJA officers and members to hear about their experiences at AAJA23 and what this organization has meant to them professionally and personally.

His mission: To grow NPR's Latino audience. Pablo Valdivia reflects on a career spent in digital news and journalism.

A year into his role as NPR's audience editor, Latino audiences, Pablo Valdivia reflects about his job and what he’s discovered about NPR’s Latino listeners. He notes that he consults with the newsroom, introducing them to stories of interest to Latino listeners and steering them away from stories that speak about Latinos without hearing from Latinos.

More "Diversity Spotlight"
MORE E&P "Exclusives" on Diversity
Experience, skills and a track record for excellence are essential characteristics of successful people in any profession, including journalism. Newspapers of all sizes have contracted, and thousands of journalism jobs have disappeared. While many veteran journalists are accepting buyouts or retiring, an even newer trend is more of them still want to contribute to the profession in some capacity.
A newsroom is not going to workshop its way to inclusivity. Spending $20,000 on 24 hours’ worth of training spread out over three days will just leave your organization $20,000 lighter. Instead, developing, implementing and communicating a clear DEI strategy will broaden the perspectives in the newsroom and likely improve retention.
The HBCU Student Reporting Network, which launched in January, is designed to give Black student journalists more training and opportunities to take into the workforce. Each student works with a mentor to help sharpen their reporting skills, and the organization works with distribution partners to increase the reach of their stories and enable fellows to graduate with clips and a network.
Collaboration among news media outlets is not new, but The Exchange is a new collaborative effort that aims to create business and financial content for underserved communities. It’s a collaboration of local, diverse news media with decades of service to their communities, the Local Media Association (LMA), the Local Media Consortium (LMC) and Deloitte.
The “gender beat” concept developed less than a decade ago, but it has already evolved significantly since then. While many of the journalists interviewed by Meg Heckman, a journalist, author and educator with Northeastern University, thought the concept of a gender beat should not be necessary, she believes it is a necessary stepping stone in the short term.
Industry News on Diversity
Mundo Hispano Digital, the parent company of MundoNow.com, one of the oldest Certified Minority Latino media platforms in the United States, has announced the launch of its cutting-edge advertising product, MundoNow Connect, poised to revolutionize audience targeting in the wake of cookie deprecation. MundoNow Connect marks a significant milestone in its mission to deliver more immersive advertising experiences to brands, with accurate targeting.
The Online News Association (ONA) is excited to announce an expansion of our commitment to cultivate transformational leadership with the acquisition of Digital Women Leaders (DWL), a mentorship resource for women and non-binary people aimed at addressing disparities in journalism leadership.
The Center for Community Media (CCM) at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY is pleased to announce the inaugural cohort of Fundraising for Community Media, the first such program exclusively dedicated to building fundraising strategies in AAPI, Black, and Latine-led newsrooms in the U.S.
Latino Alternative TV (LATV) has announced the formation of its new parent brand, LatiNation Media. With the launch of LatiNation Media, the company is positioning itself to extend and expand the array of content and services that represent bilingual and bicultural Latinos in the U.S.
Now in its second year, the HBCU Media Collective has added an international component to boost students' awareness of global opportunities while enhancing newsroom diversity and promoting financial literacy for participating students.