Diversity

I most of these companies have given up any pretense of diversity. I always wondered about executives who constantly preached diversity, but never got their butts to a McDonald's or someplace downtown, sat down with a cup of coffee and listened to what real people of all colors, ages and genders were talking about. They've been more concerned with getting a certain number of certain types of faces on a front page, but they wouldn't be caught dead breaking bread with the people behind those faces. You're right, Riddick. The true color they're showing is green.

 

WFW, Joe.

As far as the impact of cutbacks/layoffs, of course there will be an impact on diversity. The fewer people there are to choose from to cut (because of all the previous cuts) from a staff, the more diversity will be affected, just as a matter of course, and numbers, and no matter what those in decision-making positions might want, or think is ideal.

Eventually, their numbers might be up, even if somebody has ethnic diversity on their side. These days, there's really not much to be done about it.

But, all other things being equal, if minority hires get onto a staff in the first place and have any ability at all, they will, typically, be the last ones to be impacted.

And lohengrin is right, too. Diversity is more a numbers game, anyway, more about meeting certain numbers guidelines than it is any real genuine interest in individual people, or their other cultures, perspectives or voices that might actually add to a newspaper's depth of coverage or improve its relations, empathy or intelligence about any part of its audience that may be different from the majority.

 

That doesn't mean we can't -- or shouldn't -- strive for those things, however.

 

I can agree with that, up to a point. I'm just not sure where that point is, anymore, where you say, 'Yes, it really is more/most important to give weight to a person's race, as opposed to some other, differentiating factor or attribute we may otherwise like just as much, or more, in somebody else.'

What is the framework, what are the limits, that you apply to subjective, esoteric things like said subjectivity and judgment, and do/should those same standards apply, no matter what the circumstances?

It's a tough call.

 

Look at Johnette and Shaun. They were eliminated regardless of the fact that it bleached the Newsday sports department.

For about the last five years, I've noticed diversity is less and less important. And no one is screaming about it. Look at the hiring patterns at the online places. Creating an entire sports department from scratch and very, very few non-white male hires.

The idea underneath diversity, that more voices allow you to get a wider variety of stories, seems to be quaint in this age. It's like the idea of journalism. It a luxury these days.

 

I think diversity is doing just fine.

Most newspapers I know are Equal Opportunity Unemployers these days.

 

Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. White males? Don't even bother.

 

I know you said you were just pointing it out and don't view this as an issue of fairness, but I know there are people who do. My question, as a white male, is why can't I be groomed for a bigger and better role? If someone has more talent than me, and they happen to be black and or a woman, then great, give them a leg up. But if they aren't, don't look me over just because I'm "another" white male. That's where affirmative action diversity starts to rub me the wrong way.

 

Good points, all. Though here's another way I'd look at it.
This, too, may sound bad. But if I'm a smart, ambitious, talented kid from a "diverse" background - be that racial, ethnic or economic - why would I pick journalism these days? All sorts of industries would love to have me, and many are likely to be more stable and/or make me more prosperous. So why go work for a newspaper right now?
I know, this could be said of anyone. But I think it's especially true of people who may not see a lot of faces like theirs in newsrooms, and of people who come from less financially-secure backgrounds.

 

Tom, no one is talking about diversity anymore. The word is survival. At many places, people of color are getting the boot from the last hired, first fired scenerio to cutbacks. Look around your newsroom and ask yourself is there any diversity.

 

can't seem to formulate an opinion yet either, tom. though i've thought about this a lot.

here's some real world data for you though.

after layoffs and buyouts, the sports department i work in has gotten whiter, more male, closer in age and less proficient.

we used to have multiple women, multiple minorities and a wide range of age groups.

now, aside from myself, we have all white males in their 30s but for one white male recent grad.

as for the newsroom as a whole, it has gotten younger yet remains ethnically diverse. as for sports, the economy has turned the department into a blob of homogeny.

like other have said, it's tough to make a stink about much though when you feel like the entire industry is hanging on for dear life.