Minorities in Newsrooms

A way that the media can become sensitive to minorities is to hire more minorities. As the population grows, it becomes more diverse, physically, culturally, socially etc. the need for more minority representation in the media, media coverage and in workforce will only increase. Just like radio stations are broadcasting more Spanish stations, the Hispanic population is increasing so rapidly, media outlets are having to converge to identify and relate to the audience. For example, The Dallas Morning news created "Al Dia" which appears six days a week. Newsday created a daily newspaper in Spanish called Hoy.

(("Hiring minorities is only the first step"editors have to encourage minority reporters to express their diversity. One of the problems is that white editors 'really want black faces that write like whites' said Mervin Aubespin, a board member of the NABJ. He said he doesn't believe there is a specific set of guidelines to give journalists sensitivity. "There is no formula, no one way to write about a minority group. The best guideline is to treat each person as an individual. We are as different as you.")) (Carol Rich)

I completely agree with Aubespin. People need to start seeing people for who they are, and what they are capable of. Not by the color of their skin, hair etc. We need to see through the color, because like Lambiase said in the beginning of class "Everyone Matters" ...and I couldn't agree with her more.

Multicultural sensitivity occurs with the sources you use but most importantly the stories that are being used. Minorities are often featured in stories about crime, where they are excluded as sources in stories about lifestyles, or the economy, positive roles. Coverage of ethnic and racial minorities still reflects too many festivals and football games and not enough family issues or finance said James Woods, a faculty member at the Poynter Institute.