An Examination of Diversity Issues in SE Journalism College Newspapers

Abstract

Diversity issues in college journalism curricula reflect concerns of professional newsrooms that college faculty prepare next generation of journalists for working in a multicultural world and a multicultural newsroom. This paper examines college newspapers through mirror of diversity statements, ethics codes and staffing. Campus newspapers were selected because a campus newspaper is frequently first place journalism students have to practice their craft under exposure of a large community.The issue is timely as college admission practices founded on concept of encouraging campus diversity face national scrutiny.1 In addition, Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications requires programs undergoing accreditation review to demonstrate a commitment to diversity.The topic is not limited to academia. Professional news organizations are tackling diversity issues through public commitments to have newsrooms reflect communities they cover and through adoption of newsroom guidelines that provide employees with strategies on how to diversify coverage, including hiring of a diversified staff.Keith Woods, director of diversity programs at Poynter Institute for Media Studies, contends that a commitment to diversity should accompany core journalism values of fairness, balance, objectivity and accuracy:A multitude of factors-as base as prejudice and as complex as societal structure-conspire to keep many people and their opinions out of news. It's our job to make sure we include them.2Literature ReviewProfessional media organizations have not ignored diversity even though, as Lehrman noted:The analyses of news finds over and over that certain groups get left out. Journalists repeatedly make error ofportraying America as primarily white and middle class when obviously that is not so.3The issue is at least a half century old. In 1947 The Freedom of Report, A Free and Responsible Press called for: the projection of a representative picture of constituent groups in society.4 Almost two decades later, Kerner Commission report, which was put together by President Lyndon Johnson's administration to examine civil unrest of mid-1960s, said because news media failed to report adequately on race relations and ghetto problems5 news was almost totally white, both in appearance and attitude.6Newsrooms are not only places lacking a firm grasp on meaning of diversity. Levine found that in university community, Few had any agreed upon definitions(s) of diversity or any explicit goals to help achieve diversity.7 Journalism students tend to define diversity in terms of race8 while others expand definition to include gender, religion, ethnic background and disability.9Little has been written specifically about college newspaper guidelines for covering diverse groups or for increasing diversity representation in newsroom. In contrast, Lederman and Shea found college newspapers are often criticized for poor coverage of minority groups, and few college newspaper editors are members of minority groups.10 Yet when it comes to diversity staffing, college newspapers appear to be doing a lot better than are commercial dailies.11With population of colleges and universities becoming more ethnically, racially, culturally and economically diverse, college newspapers not only protect their credibility by being diverse, but also serve as role models and public conscience for student body.12These views are similar to those found by Pease, who reported that news coverage is fairer and more substantive if there is strong agreement in newsroom about importance of racial diversity.13 Pease also showed that there is a persuasive connection between quality journalism and dedication to diversity. He noted too that greater attention to staff development and communication of management objectives on diversity is necessary to broaden diversity in newsrooms. …