Alt-D Quick Answer O’ the Day: Diversify your content. If your staffing is too white, don’t sweat it. Just make sure that your editorial team is reaching out and covering diverse communities—and not just the bad stuff or stories about their communities. The easiest way to diversify fast is in your “soft” coverage. Once people of color start noticing your deliberate efforts to diversify your coverage (which really means: “cover your entire community”), you will get more applicants of color. How to retain them? That’s a different riddle. Keep reading!
Content, Do It Now, Ladd's Advice, Recruitment
content, Hiring
With all the talk about newspaper readership shrinking in tough times, and amid lots of handwrining about how the Internet is killing print, one of the elephants in the room is that media that cater to more diverse readerships, as well as specific under-served minority communities, are growing dramatically. At its recent expo in Atlanta New America Media released the results of a new study that should give all “mainstream” and even alt-weekly outlets pause. Here’s just one of the findings:
The number of adults reached by ethnic media has increased by approximately 16 percent during the last four year.
There should come as no major surprise for those who keep up with both demographic and generational trends in the U.S. For one thing, as I talk about elsewhere on this blog, younger media consumers *expect* diversity in their media. They may not want to sit around and discuss diversity all the time — after all, why should you need to *talk* about something so basic!? — but all of the research backs up the obvious: they care about diversity in media. Yes, including young white media consumers.
Our experience here at the Jackson Free Press at least anecdotally (we believe decisively) backs up the idea that today’s media consumers (and advertisers) respond to diverse media (which includes stories, images and advertising messages). Our paper’s revenue has continued to steadily grow, as has our readership. We strongly believe that is in no small part due to our dedication to diversity throughout our newspaper and our Web site. In other words, we believe strongly that diversity is good for business. And all of the studies back us up, so hey. 
Business of Diversity, Demographics, Millennials
content, Ethnic Media, Millennials, New America Media
OK, you want more diversity in your paper, your readership and your newsroom, but it seems like an uphill, long-term battle. What can you do right now? My “Do It Now” posts will be immediate “fixes” that you can start doing right this very second. Today’s tip: Diversify your images.
This is one of the easiest ways to help at least the perception of your diversity. Often, the true diversity of your content is not apparent at first glance due to your images. First, take a quick inventory (perhaps while you’re flipping through all the issues deciding on what goes up for awards for the year). Take a stack of papers and look at the images with a fresh eye. How many issues have non-white faces? Better yet, notice how many don’t. What sections seem to always have images of one particular race? Does every section of your paper look diverse (not just sports and music)? Do your ads show a diversity of people?
Read more…
Do It Now, Ladd's Advice
Advertising, content, Design, Images, Music, Sports
Donna Ladd, June 6, 2008
The following diversity concerns and suggestions came from conversations with AAN and mainstream editors and media-diversity experts, as well as from my own experiences. Please be in touch with further concerns and suggestions we should add to the list.
1. “I have troubling finding qualified candidates of color.”
Diversity media experts say the answer is “pipeline.” That is, you have to actively seek out a diverse pipeline of potential employees. You do this by reaching out to local colleges, communities of color, even business and civic leaders in the community who might send their kids to you to intern, or suggest others. Join advisory boards at local ethnic colleges; volunteer to speak to classes to motivate young people one-on-one to seek out a career in the alternative press. Watch the alternative press for staffers with potential. Also, don’t forget the AAN diversity grants to help you fund interns during their training period. Watch local ethnic press for potential employees or partnerships.
Read more…
Ladd's Advice, Recruitment
Bean-counting, content, Newsroom Culture, Pipeline, Recruitment, Training
Recent Comments