 |
|
|
Updated:
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Posted: July 25, 2008 |
MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact:
NABJ Communications
(866) 479-NABJ
NABJ Releases Network Television Station
O&O Management Diversity Census
CHICAGO, July 25, 2008 - A survey conducted by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) of newsroom managers at major network-owned television stations found a dearth of people of color, with almost no diversity in the uppermost ranks.
The study found that only 16.6% of the managers at 61 stations owned and operated by ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC are people of color, and more than a third of the stations have no people of color at all in the managerial ranks.
"I look at the calendar and it reads 2008, but our survey numbers reflect the year 1978. Industry leaders should be embarrassed that diversity has not taken a permanent root in their hiring practices,” said NABJ president Barbara Ciara.
According to the US Census Bureau, people of color comprise 33 percent of the national population.
Of the 367 managers at the stations, only 42, or 11.4%, were African American, 15, or 4%, were Hispanic and 4, or 1%, were Asian. The survey found no Native Americans in managerial positions at any of these stations. Twenty-three of the stations had no people of color and 17 had only one person of color in management.
While many of the television stations surveyed have diverse teams of anchors and reporters, the census focused on those positions behind the scenes that have hiring power, choose what stories get covered and decide in what form the stories will air.
Details of the census were released at a news conference July 25, 2008 at the Unity: Journalists of Color Convention in Chicago.
An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation, with more than 4,100 members, and provides educational, career development and support to black journalists worldwide.
|
|
