Print

Blog

ASNE solicits comments on newsroom diversity

RESTON, Va. -- The American Society of Newspaper Editors is soliciting comments from members of the journalism profession on newsroom diversity beyond the year 2000.

RESTON, Va. -- The American Society of Newspaper Editors is soliciting comments from members of the journalism profession on newsroom diversity beyond the year 2000.

For nearly two decades, ASNE has been an industry leader in efforts to diversify newsroom staffs and news coverage at the nation’s daily newspapers. In 1978, ASNE adopted what has become known as its Year 2000 Goal: the diversity of newsroom staffs should approximate the nation’s diversity by 2000 or sooner.

With only two-and-a-half years to the year 2000, ASNE’s 1997 newsroom employment survey indicates that the staffs of the nation’s daily newspapers are just over 11 percent minority, while minorities now account for about 25 percent of the U.S. population.

We have begun to assess our efforts in diversity and lay out some ideas for the next century. ASNE Vice President Edward Seaton asked Loren Ghiglione, a former ASNE president, to prepare a report on a proposed diversity course for the 21st century. Ghiglione now heads the journalism program at Emory University in Atlanta.

"ASNE wants to elicit comments from as broad a spectrum of the journalism community as possible," Ghiglione said. "Comments are welcome on all aspects of newsroom diversity." He noted that ASNE is seeking specific input on the following questions:

  • Which of ASNE’s diversity efforts that you’re familiar with deserve support and which do not? What should ASNE do that it is not doing?
  • Should ASNE have a goal beyond 2000? If so, what should the goal be? Should it be a specific numerical goal (If so, what?), or a more general goal?
  • The term “minorities” has been defined as African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans. Should ASNE define that word in a different way or adopt a new notion of what constitutes diversity beyond 2000?

    • Founded in 1922, ASNE is an organization of the main editors of daily newspapers in the United States and Canada. There are currently 850 members.

Contributors