Minority sports reporters

Grizz, if you're white...Can I assume you'd eagerly step aside and vacant your current position in order to help improve the numbers?

Just askin'.

 

In my newsroom ... every editor, part-timer, reporter, copy editor and page designer is white. Every last one of them. The only black face we have is the woman who helps out with obits on a part-time basis and answers phones on the weekend. Yeah, we could stand to diversify a bit. :-\

 

The majority of sports departments are primarily white men, Sxy, for two reasons -- two non-malicious reasons -- one of which you touched upon.

The first is because THOSE are the people applying for the majority of jobs. Simple numbers.

The second goes to your last graf. The metro papers can afford to and make a point to cherry-pick any talented minorities they can find. Ergo, they don't have to spend time in Snakes Navel or East Fartknocker working their way -- or hoping to work their way -- up. They can start off at a Chicago Tribune or Washington Post and go from there.

Unless you're Ron Kroichick, Tyler Kepner or Chris Snow, the same doesn't apply to white males.

 

Armageddon, I'm not saying the numbers are fair. But quit crying about every job that you didn't get. People are going to be better than you. Deal with it. Get better or get out the business.
Plus, the term minority is used for a reason.
Think back to your college papers and recall how many black journalists were on your staff. I'm guessing it's about the same percentage that you work with now.
And I won't "give up" my job to anyone. Personally, I feel the job market should be conducted somewhat like pro sports. When you can't rush for 1,000 yards anymore, average 20 points and 10 rebounds a game, they find someone who can.
But we live in an economy where people are allowed to stick around even when they're way past their prime. That's the problem with the journalism job market. Not the phantom concept of "minority hirings."
End of rant.

 

There's a whole lotta truth to this statement.

 

Wow -- I started quite a discussion!

But, my original point is, my black phtographer colleague developed instant camaraderie with the Chinese tennis player. With that kind of camaraderie, the athlete may open up more and give better quotes because he's more comfortable. They were talking like buddies, not journalists and sources. And I guarantee you can write a better story on your buddy than a stranger.

And this photographer said he thinks the camaraderie came because of the race thing. Now, if we write more and better stories about minorities, then more minorities would buy our paper, instead of going with their free, weekly native language tabloid. A white person, no matter how good a writer he/she is, couldn't develop such camaraderie with many minority athletes. That's where I think some of these SE's who instantly reject candidate before they even see their stuff.

Does it suck to be on the outside? Sure. But is it any different from being instantly rejected from a labor job because you're not physically capable of lifting 50 pounds, or being instantly rejected from a women's swim team or men's wresting team, simply because you're the wrong gender, despite that the school doesn't have a team of that sport for your gender? No.

And by the way, I covered a playoff soccer game today. I counted five reporters and four photographers present. All were white. All but one was male. And on the field? Between the two teams, 5 black, 4 Asian and 12 Hispanic soccer players.

 

PETeacher,
Good reporters get good stories. The ability to listen and ask the right questions transcends the colour of our skin.
Try it some time.

 

I've gotten good stories from other people many times. But that tennis player I knew for years and he never opened up to me. He opened up to the photog instantly.

 

here's a concept that i'm not trying to sound like an ass, but maybe he just doesn't like you. it happens.

 

You know, I was just going to read this and stay out of it, but you just touched a nerve. I think the exact opposite is true. I think in this business there are far more people put in positions they're not ready for before their prime than people allowed the hang on when they're past their prime. I think experience is a much undervalued commodity in this field because younger people tend to work cheaper. Not that there aren't exceptions and some talented young people who are ready for the big time, but I've seen too many kids flounder as they're thrown in over their heads when a more experienced hand would be swimming. And it becomes more common every day.

 

. . . not to mention the mistakes that creep in because younger copyreaders don't have the background of
their seasoned seniors . . .

 

It could be true. I just thought the same thing ...