diversity in career

Question 1

beulah ainley

Answer 1

Columnists fill a third of national press but NO black columnists
Only 15 of 8000 local journalists black or Asian
138 editorial positions – no Black/Asian
Only 35 of 12000 journalists in national and local press Black or Asian
Only 350 of the 27,000 members of the NUJ Black or Asian
205 Black journalists in mainstream media but 28,644 white – 140:1
PCC 112 complaints (1994-1996) but non upheld
In first 10years, PCC no complaints upheld
no Black member of PCC
Under-representation of Black opinion despite Black readership
News International 884,000 black readers
Sun 330,000 Black and Asian readers

Question 2

employment

Answer 2

Bradford Telegraph and Argus – 65 staff, 22% minority population – 2 black/Asian journalists
Birmingham Evening Mail – 93 staff, 30% non-white population, 7 Black/Asian journalists
Leicester Mercury – 120 staff, 38% minority community, 4 black/Asian journalists

Question 3

Thomas & Hargreaves 2002

Answer 3

ethnic minorities less likely to read local press?
But studies show that is not the case.

Question 4

why

Answer 4

Inadequate education?
But 80 per cent of black journalists were graduates compared to 60 per cent of others.
Some had more than one degree including Ph.Ds.

Black journalists in Ainley’s survey blamed it on racial discrimination, arguing that journalism is structurally racist.

Question 5

equality

Answer 5

There is a changing demography of UK journalists but studies show that minority ethnic people and women are still under-represented, particularly in top positions

Question 6

questions

Answer 6

Overall, from the 1990s – 2020s, Is the demography changing? If so, how?

Are there significant increases in the number of non-white top editors over the 4 years (2020 – 2023) examined?

Are there still issues with racial diversity in journalism?

Is journalism still structurally racist, if at all?