Newsrooms Confront Systemic Racism as Trust in Journalism Plummets
Newsrooms across the US, including prominent ones like the Philadelphia Inquirer and WHYY, have begun acknowledging and investigating issues of racism within their own ranks. This follows numerous accounts from journalists of color detailing experiences of discrimination, which has raised the visibility of systemic racism in journalism.
Scholars have delved into these issues, revealing how systemic racist practices in media lead to stereotypical coverage of BIPOC communities, further straining relationships. A significant challenge lies in newsrooms' poor engagement with audiences of color, compounded by a deep-seated mistrust of journalists among these communities.
Despite these challenges, a solution is on the horizon. A long-overdue rubric aims to assess and improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in newsrooms. This tool will evaluate specific factors and set standards to enhance newsrooms and the broader media ecosystem. Many newsrooms, however, currently lack the understanding and resources to address these issues effectively.
The rubric, designed to tackle the systemic nature of racism in newsrooms, is a step towards ensuring that newsrooms reflect and serve the diverse communities they cover. By providing a clear framework for assessment and improvement, it can help newsrooms better engage with audiences of color and rebuild trust with BIPOC communities.
