For all the oppressed white males out there....

The most intelligent post so far in a purely idiotic thread.

 

Well you can start here for candidates. I saw this website scanning the net....www.sportsjournalisminstitute.org

 

Isn't it the candidate's job to actually apply for a job? THEN you make sure everybody gets a fair shake.

I've been frustrated a time or two about jobs i didn't get, but NEVER thought I should be mad about ones I didn't apply for. But hey, maybe that's just me.

 

I think I've told this story before, but it's kind of funny.
I applied for a job at a fairly prominent southeastern newspaper a couple years ago. I probably didn't deserve the job, based on my experience doing what I'd applied for. But the SE called me and we had a very pleasant phone interview. He tells me I'm one of three finalists for the job and they're beginning the process of deciding who to bring in for interviews. He calls one of my references, a former boss who is now a pretty good friend.

At this point, let me point out that I'm a white guy. So white I'm nearly transparent. And yet I have a name that sounds like I'm of another ethnicity. Well I'm not...back to the SE's conversation with my friend (who is a member of the board and can feel free to verify this if he comes across this thread).

so they're talking and the guy's apparently impressed enough to say some nice things about me. and then he throws out this little nugget: "Plus, it would look good to add to the diversity in our department," at which point my friend starts laughing and tells him if he's looking to make a minority hire, he's barking up the wrong tree. not surprisingly, the next time I talk to the guy, he sort of icily tells me they've hired someone else and I never heard from him again.

true, the numbers show there's a problem attracting minorities to journalism, specifically in sports. that's why papers are so desperate to alleviate it that they'll hire people who are grossly unqualified -- just to have a non-white male face. I'm proof of that. If I HAD been what that guy thought I was, I'd have probably gotten a job I had no business getting.

It's just a fact of the business today. There is huge opportunity for minority candidates to advance in this field. In just the last six months, three of my friends at my paper (all minorities) got jobs at a 275,000 circ paper, a 350,000 circ paper and a 450,000 paper. I'm happy for all of them. But the one who went to the 450,000 paper is one of the least talented writers I've ever been around. Seriously, this person can barely string together a complete sentence. I understand why all of them got those jobs (and certainly, talent was among the reasons for the most part), and I understand the need to have a diverse staff. But I doubt I'll ever think much of the practice of giving hiring preference to someone because of something other than ability and talent.

 

I get SO sick of people using diversity as justification for not getting a job. Shit, I didn't get several jobs I've applied for, not even brought in for interviews. So what! Move on, sharpen your skills and apply somewhere else. For every story about a minority getting a job over a white guy, minorities have the same story to tell about white guys getting jobs over them. The last two jobs I applied for were given to white males. Guess what? I'm fine. I was promoted to a pro beat less than a month after losing out on a prep beat to a white guy (in Austin, Tx.) that was probably hired because he had less experience (and a lot less talent), thus would come cheaper. Actually, I'm glad I didn't get the gig because Austin has a shitty sports section anyway.

Am I saying dude got the job becaue he's white? Nope. Perhaps the SE hired him because he'd be cheaper and it wouldn't cost as much to move him. But this is a case of someone being given preference for something other than ability and talent. It happens all the time. Life goes on.

 

I'm not sure if that was directed at me or not. If it was, I wasn't saying I didn't get a job I deserved. Honestly, I wasn't qualified for the job. I feel fairly certain based on what happened that the only reason I was being considered was that they thought I was a minority, which is a bullshit practice.

doesn't really matter. I'd take what I'm doing now 10 times out of 10 over that job. but it happened.

 

The idea is that if you have a staff that more closely reflects the demographics of the area, that readership might grow -- you might draw in people who hadn't been reading the paper if you have more writers with similar backgrounds, doing stories that resonate more with them.

And on another note, so far this thread seems to be saying that there are so few minority journalists because the applicant pool is so small, yet white men can't get a break because minorities are getting all the jobs. Well, which is it? It can't be both.

 

Don't you go introducing logic into this thread now.

 

And on another note, so far this thread seems to be saying that there are so few minority journalists because the applicant pool is so small, yet white men can't get a break because minorities are getting all the jobs. Well, which is it? It can't be both.
Why not? Few are applying, but those who do have a great shot of getting hired. Not a big mystery.

 

Come on, Bomber.

In sports departments:
6.2 percent blacks, 12 percent minorities, 12.6 percent women
9 in 10 sports editors are white males, 84 percent columnists

Don't tell me it's harder. Just look at the numbers. And I refuse to stoop down to a name-calling match. Those are for people with no substance behind their arguments.

 

Name-calling is often entertaining, though, and if done properly, it can complement a strong argument.

 

I'm curious. How are SE's supposed to discover miniority candidates? I no longer even have NABJ on my resume and never send columns unless asked for. It's my way of ensuring I'm hired for my writing.