| Draft mission statement on newsroom diversity post 2000
Published: April 23, 1998
Last Updated: April 23, 1998
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The following is a draft statement. ASNE's board will decide the final
language of the statement at its fall meeting in Miami:
Newsroom diversity is essential to the newspaper’s responsibility in
a democratic society and success in the marketplace. To accurately and
sensitively cover the community, newsroom staffs must reflect society as
a whole. The newsroom should be a place in which all employees contribute
their full potential, regardless of their race, ethnicity, color, age,
gender, sexual orientation, physical disability or other defining characteristic.
To drive the quest for diversity and inclusion in the work place, the
American Society of Newspaper Editors will:
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*Encourage and
assist newspapers to reach newsroom parity with minorities in the population.
As a benchmark, the representation of journalists of color should reach
at least 20 percent industrywide by 2010. At a minimum, every newspaper
should employ journalists of color and every newspaper should reflect the
diversity of its local community.
-
Monitor year by year the employment of Asian Americans, blacks, Native
Americans, and Hispanics in the newsroom.
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Advocate diversity in content as a journalistic core value.
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Commit a significant portion of the Society’s energy and resources to fostering
newsroom diversity.
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Encourage collaboration on diversity among various groups.
* Note: This section of the statement has been reworded since it
was first released to clarify the board’s intent.
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