The Parity Paradox: Reader Response to Minority Newsroom Staffing

Abstract

The topic of newspaper newsroom diversity has been studied in terms of staffing levels, impact of minority staffing on editorial content, and the failure of newspapers to attract minority readers. However, no studies have been conducted that compared minority staffing levels with circulation and survey data indicating minority community readership and trust in newspapers. Through a secondary analysis of data from four sources, this study finds that minority staffing levels do not correlate with increased subscriptions and trust of local newspapers by the minority residents of 25 communities. Most surprising, one finding suggests that increased minority staffing actually may have a negative effect on minority reader trust. Given these results, the authors suggest that a more complex model should be adopted for measuring the success of newsroom diversity efforts.

Interviewing the Interviewers: Journalistic Norms and Racial Diversity in the Newsroom

“…Based on minority journalists' perceptions, we can infer that mainstream norms constrain minority journalists so that they are limited in their ability to enhance the news reports on minorities, lending further evidence to assertions that a diverse newsroom does not always result in better or more coverage of minorities (Adams & Cleary, 2006;Ankney & Procopio, 2003;Steele, 1994). Moreover, these findings imply that there is an ''illusion of inclusion'' in the mainstream newsroom (Wilson, 1991).…”

“…Moreover, readership is not likely to improve at newspapers with a more diverse staff. Adams and Cleary (2006) found no significant link between an increase in minorities in the newsroom and an increase in newspaper subscriptions, readership, and expressions of trust. Minority journalists working for mainstream newspapers suggest that several obstacles remain in the effort to diversify the newsroom, such as the perception that diversity is not an important news value and the lack of minorities in power positions (Johnston & Flamiano, 2007; see also Rivas-Rodriguez et al, 2004).…”

The Role of Minority Journalists, Candidates, and Audiences in Shaping Race-Related Campaign News Coverage

“…As Adams and Cleary (2006) point out, the issue of newsroom diversity has been explored since the 1960s, mainly in the form of descriptions of staffing levels in newsrooms and hiring, retention, and promotion issues (Bodinger-de Uriarte & Valgeirsson, 2015;B. Clark, 2017;Meyers & Gayle, 2015).…”

Racial and Ethnic Inclusion in the Digital Era: Shifting Discourses in Communications Public Policy

“…The historical legacy of racism, prejudice, and discrimination even impacts racial minorities themselves whereby the increased minority staffing in newsrooms even affects the trust of audiences of color. They too have internalized some version of white supremacy and the inadequacy of minority media employees (Adams & Cleary, ). Problems also stem from racialized stereotypes of the public that occur in newsrooms and the invisibility of racial minorities in media policy discussions.…”