FYI, Anita >X-Really-To: <unknown> >User-Agent: Microsoft-Outlook-Express-Macintosh-Edition/5.02.2022 >Date: Thu, 14 Nov 2002 20:05:43 -0500 >Subject: Debate on Diversity in Journalism >From: David Honig <[log in to unmask]> >To: MMTC Board of Directors <[log in to unmask]>, > MMTC Board of Advisors <[log in to unmask]>, > MMTC Braintrust <[log in to unmask]> > >Dear Colleagues, > >The following debate on the impact of diversity initiatives in >journalism might be of interest. > >David Honig >Executive Director >Minority Media and > Telecommunications Council >3636 16th St. NW #BG-54 >Washington, D.C. 20010 >[log in to unmask] >202-332-7005 >fax 202-332-7511 >11/14/02 > > > >The following is a National Press Club press release. > > > >NAHJ President and "Coloring the News" Author to Debate Impact of >Journalism Diversity Efforts > > >Contact: John Aubuchon, 202-662-7517 or Melinda Cooke, 202-662-7516 > >Event Information: November 18, 2002 - 7:30 PM >National Press Club >Holeman Lounge >529 14th Street, NW >Washington, DC 20045 > >The National Press Club will sponsor a debate November 18, 2002 over >one of the most difficult issues within journalism: the decades-old >effort to increase diversity in America's newsrooms. The president >of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), Juan >Gonzalez, will present the case for increasing diversity efforts, >while William McGowan, author of "Coloring the News," will discuss >his book's conclusion that over-eager diversity efforts have >distorted news coverage. > >Terence Smith, the veteran television and print correspondent who >leads the Media Unit of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, will moderate >the event. Smith's work on the NewsHour earned him the Arthur C. >Rowse Award for Media Criticism from the National Press Club in >2002, 2000 and 1999. He formerly reported for the New York Times >and CBS News. > >Mr. Gonzalez, a columnist with the New York Daily News, has led the >NAHJ to step up its pressure on media companies to recruit more >minorities. A strategic initiative adopted by the organization's >board last month calls on the news industry to double the percentage >of Latinos employed by daily newspapers from the current 3.8 percent >to 7.8 percent and to boost the percentage of Latinos working for >local English-language television stations from the current 6.1 >percent to 9.0 percent by 2008. > >Mr. McGowan contends in "Coloring the News" that diversity efforts >have resulted in excessive attention to numbers of minorities at the >cost to journalism's quality. He further argues that this sometimes >extends to word and quote counts to ensure minority representation >in stories, distorting the essence of the editorial process. > >"The question is not whether diversity in the newsroom is good or >bad," said National Press Club President John Aubuchon. "It's a >question of how we as journalists are doing and how our employers >are doing in trying to achieve it." A resolution adopted by the >National Press Club's Board of Governors in July 2002 declared, >"Only by bringing journalists of color and other minorities fully >into our editorial process can we change the content of our >newspapers and broadcasts to reflect accurately our communities." > >But the National Press Club also honored the McGowan book with a >Rouse Award for Media Criticism that month, on grounds that his work >had stimulated debate within the journalism community over an >important issue. That decision drew sharp protests from several >minority journalism organizations, including the NAHJ. In a July >letter to Aubuchon, Gonzalez challenged the National Press Club to >sponsor a debate with McGowan --- a proposal Aubuchon quickly >translated into an invitation to McGowan, the NAHJ and the National >Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). McGowan and Gonzalez >quickly accepted; the NABJ declined to participate. > >The event is open for coverage. Admission is free and open to the >public, but space is limited, so reservations should be made by >calling the Press Club's reservation line at 662-7501 or emailing > [log in to unmask] Anita Fleming-Rife, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Media Studies Department 223 Carnegie Penn State University University Park, PA. 16802 (814) 865-8135 Fax#: (814) 863-8161