Diversity in Journalism
- Meredith Beck
- Oct 18, 2018
- 2 min read
A reflection on why we need more diversity in journalism.
It is safe to say the early abolitionists from the 1830s would be utterly appalled to hear that nearly 200 years later we find ourselves living in a nation that is still tragically ridden with racism. Unfortunately, whether realizing it or not, the media too often contributes to racist stereotypes and other forms of discrimination instead of using the platform to be a voice for minorities in America.
As a young aspiring journalist, I hope to someday use my platform to shed light on the continued issues of discrimination in our country. Whether it is racial discrimination, religious discrimination, discrimination towards women, age discrimination, or disability discrimination, I want to speak out for those who are continually being overlooked.
Why haven’t we as a nation put racism behind us after nearly 200 years? Perhaps it is because we haven’t allowed ourselves to fully progress. In regards to journalism, there hasn’t been much change within the last several decades. Recent studies revealed that the journalism industry is driven by primarily white men. According to the most recent results from an annual survey conducted by Radio Television Digital News Association and Hofstra University, only 22.4 percent of television journalists consisted of minority groups, 13 percent of radio journalists, and 13.34 percent of journalists at daily newspapers (Papper, B., 2014, par. 1). Considering the fact that the United States’ population is made up of nearly 40 percent, this number of minorities in journalism is strikingly low.
After reading these statistics, some may pose the idea that there are few minorities pursuing a career in journalism. However, an analysis published by a Ph.D. student from the University of Pennsylvania, Alex T. Williams, clearly identifies that this isn’t the case. “Between 2004 and 2013, minorities accounted for approximately 21.4 percent of journalism or communications graduates” (Williams, A., 2015, par. 11). Although 21.4 percent of journalism graduates were minorities, only half were able to get full time jobs following graduation. “Overall, only 49 percent of minority graduates that specialized in print or broadcasting found a full-time job, compared to 66 percent of white graduates” (Williams, A., 2015, par. 14).
However the lack of diversity among journalists is not limited to racial uniformity. The president of the Women’s Media Center, Julie Burton, explains that on average, women are responsible for writing only one third of the stories published at major newspapers. “Media tells us our roles in society – it tells us who we are and what we can be,” said Burton. “This new report tells us who matters and what is important to media – and it is not women” (Spayd, E., 2015, par. 5).
Clearly there is a bias in the journalism industry, which is detrimental considering this is the field responsible for informing an increasingly diverse audience. Diversity in journalism creates a more realistic representation of our “melting pot” nation, which will naturally produce news that is relevant for all people. It is imperative to seek diversity in order to give a voice to those whose stories are not being heard in the uniformity today.
Resources
Papper, Bob. July 28, 2014. Radio Television Digital News Association. Retreived
Spayd, Elizabeth. June 17, 2015. New York Times. Retrieved from:
Williams, Alex T. July 22, 2015. Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved from:
Comments