Journalism — I know, I know — a newspaper’s opinion section writing about journalism. What a concept. But please, stick with me here. This is not your average journalism column, and it’s not just about journalism. It’s about newspapers and diversity.
According to a 2018 Pew Research Center report, “Newsroom employees are less diverse than U.S. workers overall,” newsroom employees are more likely to be white males.
As a Cuban-American journalist, this is an issue. While I know newsrooms are changing and continuing to grow, we need to discuss why this is a problem.
Let me break it down for you.
Newsrooms are filled with the people putting together a newspaper. These employees’ experiences, approaches and thoughts help fill the paper. While content comes from interviews and people outside of the newsroom — the news gatherers’ backgrounds matter too – AKA journalists.
If a journalist is a heterosexual white man, he is less likely to understand the experiences of an underrepresented community. And I’m not saying this “typical” journalist couldn’t spend time getting to know underrepresented communities, he can and should.
For those who are unsure what I mean by an underrepresented community, I’m writing about communities that are not talked about every day. This usually means people of color (POC), members of the LGBTQA, those with disabilities and more.
Underrepresented groups are more likely to come from lower-income backgrounds. This can cause an inability to have access to higher education, take an internship across the country and more.
But we should also talk about the giant elephant in the room: Why isn’t a person of the underrepresented community covering it?
It isn’t because of their own personal bias, or there isn’t a person for the
job. While bias is real and a part of our discussions as journalists, when a community has been underrepresented by the media for a long time, they are not as willing to talk to people who don’t understand them. While a white man could begin to learn about a particular community, they might not be able to empathize.
So, what do I want you to do with all this information? First of all, any of my fellow members of underrepresented groups, if you are reading this, I hear you. As a journalist and as a Cuban- American, I want more people like me to become journalists and to know there is a place for you. And if you’re not interested in journalism in any form, that’s OK. There are journalists of underrepresented groups out there, and we are fighting to make sure all people are represented fairly.
And finally, as an editor at The Argonaut, let us know when we mess up.
Let us know what you want us to cover.
Tell us about your communities, even if you just want to talk. We are here to listen and to tell your stories.
Alex Brizee can be reached at [email protected]