Unity '94 Report On Newsroom Diversity p.

By: Debra Gersh

Coalition of minority journalist organizations finds little progress after 25 years sp.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS after the Kerner Commission released its report on the state of racial affairs in the United States, a coalition of minority journalist organizations has found little progress in diversifying the nation's newsrooms.
Over the past 25 years, "We've seen very small changes, and even those small changes face erosion in tough economic times," said Sidmel Estes-Sumpter, president of the National Association of Black Journalists.
Kerner Plus 25: A Call to Action, a new report from Unity '94, is "our response to the rosy picture painted by the news industry," Estes-Sumpter said at a Washington, D.C., press conference.
Unity '94 is a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation made up of the NABJ, the Asian American Journalists Association, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Native American Journalists Association.
Noting that the nation is in the midst of a revolution called the colorization of America, Estes-Sumpter pointed out that "The portrayal of people of color in the news industry has a direct effect on how society feels about those people of color."
In addition to the social responsibility of diversity, Estes-Sumpter said it is also good business. If news outlets do not meet the needs of their changing audiences, those audiences will look elsewhere for news.
The report includes eight separate sections written by members of various minority journalism organizations. The areas discussed and solutions suggested include preparing youths for careers in journalism; recruitment; newsroom and corporate environments; promotion and management; retention; editorial content; bottom line; and relationships with ethnic media.
Included in the report are a series of general conclusions and recommendations which, if acted upon "in a prompt manner," could result in a "much-needed fundamental, positive and profitable change."
The recommendations include:
?Diversity must be made a companywide policy.
?Tangible and measurable hiring goals must be set and tied to compensation and performance evaluations.
?Regular annual surveys of diversity efforts should be conducted and made public, especially by broadcasters, magazines and cable.
?News content audits should be conducted regularly to make sure coverage is diverse and not racist, sexist or homophobic.
?Local minority candidates for entry-level jobs should be identified and nurtured, such as a "grow-your-own" model.
?Set up a database of minorities interviewed and track those with potential as possible future hires.
?Programs for high school and college students should be built on and expanded, and be sure significant numbers of people of color are included.
?Urge educational institutions to comply with Standard 12 of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, which calls for recruiting and retaining minority college students and faculty.
?Set up closer ties with ethnic media.
?Support minority journalism associations and use their resources for recruitment, training and developing minority journalists.
"We know what the problems are," Estes-Sumpter said. "This report says what to do, so [executives] no longer have the excuse that they don't know what to do."