By YOLANNE ALMANZAR
The UNITY News

When television network executives declined to release information about diversity in their newsrooms because of company policies, the National Association of Black Journalists got it themselves.

According to two surveys released by the organization at a news conference Friday, people of color are still a minority in television newsrooms’ highest leadership positions.

“They still resemble a cafeteria during integration. There are a few people here and there,” said Kathy Times, vice president of broadcast for NABJ and an evening anchor at WDBD-TV in Jackson, Miss.

One study surveyed news managers at 61 television stations owned and operated by ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC, and found that 16.6 percent of them were racial minorities. More than a third of the stations have no people of color in the managerial ranks, the study said.

The second study focused on managers responsible for editorial content and talent development at ABC, NBC and CBS. Of the 85 vice presidents, executive producers, managing editors and bureau chiefs surveyed, 26 were racial minorities.

NABJ executives described the numbers as “abysmal.” Bob Butler, director of NABJ’s Region VI who conducted one of the studies, said he expected the numbers to be bad, but he didn’t think “they would be this bad.”

“On the one hand, you’re not surprised,” Butler said. “Those of us who have worked in the newsrooms know what it looks like. Our hope is that now that we have hard numbers, people will start asking questions.”

Butler said the organization’s results contradicted the annual projection of minorities in television and radio released by Radio-Television News Directors Association and Hofstra University.

The RTNDA survey, which was released earlier this month, found that minorities make up about a quarter of local television news staffs, the second highest percentage since 2001.

Minority television news directors reached an all-time high of 15.5 percent, up from 10.9 percent in 2006, the study also said. The total number of directors was not made available.

The RTNDA survey, conducted last year, gathered information from 1,647 operating non-satellite television stations and a random sample of 2,000 radio stations. Complete census data was not available about female TV news directors.

“It’s difficult to dispute hard numbers,” said Butler. “We have names, race and gender. We know who they are.”

Butler, who is also a reporter for KCBS Radio in California, said the intent of the study was not to assess blame, but rather to address the industry’s shortcomings. He said they would like to conduct the study annually to continue tracking the numbers, and to ensure that there will be change.

“What we’re saying is if you need someone, we have these people who will add competence and diversity to your newsrooms,” he said.

NABJ President Barbara Ciara said network leaders should use these studies as a starting point for change.

“We’re tired of hearing that they can’t find qualified individuals,” said Ciara, the managing editor and an anchor for WTKR News in Norfolk, Va. “They are here, under this umbrella, this weekend.”

Hed: Surveys finds more diversity needed in newsroom leadership
By YOLANNE ALMANZAR
The UNITY News

According to two surveys released by the National Association of Black Journalists at a news conference Friday, people of color are still the minority in television newsrooms’ highest leadership positions.
“They still resemble a cafeteria during integration. There are a few people here and there,” said Kathy Times, an evening anchor at WDBD-TV in Mississippi and vice president of broadcast for NABJ.

Check back later for more details.

By EUNICE LEE and APRIL YEE
The UNITY News

More than 50 demonstrators are flying into Chicago from as far away as Paris and Dakar to protest a speech by Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade, organizers said Wednesday.

Critics say Wade, who will speak Friday at an event hosted by the National Association of Black Journalists, has suppressed press freedom in a country that enjoys one of the most vibrant media climates in Africa.

Wade will speak four days after Senegalese media outlets staged a press blackout to protest the beating of two reporters by Senegalese police. Web sites went black, and most newspapers did not publish.

NABJ President Barbara Ciara defended Wade’s invitation, saying “We invite people here so they can answer questions. We are journalists.

“The same would go for President Bush. …The same would go for Condoleezza Rice, figures that are not popular…,” Ciara said. “We want figures that are both popular and unpopular.”

To her point, when Wade was introduced at the UNITY opening ceremony, more than 40 Senegalese-Americans, many in “Wade in 2012” T-shirts, cheered him and waved flags.

NABJ also is hosting an invitation-only $500-per-person dinner with Wade for more than 70 people Friday. Ciara said the proceeds will help pay for NABJ to move into its new headquarters.

Though Senegal once had what the European press called one of the best records regarding a free press in Africa, Wade’s eight-year tenure has been marked by controversy over press freedom. Since Wade was re-elected in a landslide in February 2007, journalists’ complaints against Wade’s treatment of them have increased, even as he is embraced by the international community. Wade recently attended the G8 summit in Japan.

“Senegal has long been a model for press freedom prior to the arrival of Mr. Wade in office,” said Mohamed Keita, of the media watchdog group Committee to Protect Journalists.

In March, Senegalese police Tasered a TV journalist trying to interview an opposition leader at an anti-government demonstration. Last month, Senegalese police beat two journalists covering a soccer match. Newspapers called for Wade to condemn the incident, but Wade did not comment.

After the beatings, journalists banded to form another watchdog group called the Committee for the Protection and Defense of Journalists. And on Monday, Senegalese newspapers, radio stations and TV outlets participated in a media blackout. The Web sites for the daily newspapers Sud Quotidien and Le Quotidien featured a black background and red letters with the words: “DAY WITHOUT NEWS.”

“That’s like shutting your eyes and closing your mouth,” Ciara said. “To me, that’s totally not the approach of a free and open press, to shut yourself down.”

John Yearwood, the NABJ member who helped coordinate Wade’s visit, said, “There’s discontent against just about every leader in about every country. But this discontent does not mean that that president should not have been invited to speak.

“You have a country that clearly has work to do,” Yearwood said. “But what we are looking for from President Wade is a commitment to improve the sustainability of the press in his country.”

On Friday, Wade will answer questions from U.S. reporters after his speech about maintaining farmlands and providing more food to Senegalese residents. His critics, who include members of Senegal’s opposition political party and journalists, are not impressed.

Diop said the June beatings were the catalyst for recent outrage among Senegalese about the government’s treatment towards journalists.

“We fought for him to be elected, for him to be president, because we wanted there to be a free press, and that is what he is refusing,” Diop said. “We want to make American opinion leaders press the president to change the way he’s treating journalists.”

Ali Sarr, a Senegalese-American citizen who lives in the U.S. said, “I don’t think it’s appropriate for somebody who’s violating those (press) freedoms … I don’t think that kind of person should really be the person to make a presentation about freedom at all.”

By Amy Phan
The UNITY News Online

We asked UNITY ‘08 president and executive directors what they were most looking forward to while at the largest journalism conference to date. Here’s what they said:

Karen Michel, UNITY president, NAJA:

… the issue of newsroom diversity getting the attention it deserves. I am also looking forward to unveiling a new pilot project designed to get more people of color into newsroom management positions. I am hopeful that our attendees will get a lot out of their UNITY experience here this week in Chicago. And as always with UNITY conventions, I am looking forward to reconnecting with friends and colleagues in the news business.”

Renato M. Astudillo, AAJA:

… the opportunity to be able to talk one-on-one with as many members of AAJA as possible, including members of our UNITY alliance partners, on their feelings about the layoffs, buyouts, sales and consolidations that continue to happen at media companies across the country… know what role AAJA and our alliance partners can play to assist those who have lost their jobs –voluntarily or involuntarily — or have lost interest in pursuing their career as journalists. Since I am leaving AAJA in a few months, I’d like to be able to share whatever first-hand information that I can gather with the next E.D. or our board leadership.”

Jeffery Hargo, NAJA:

… seeing old friends and contacts that I haven’t seen since last year at our NAJA conference in Denver. I was unable to attend the last UNITY conference in Washington D.C. but had the opportunity to attend the first UNITY conference in Atlanta in 1994 and was on the NAJA Board during the 1999 UNITY conference in Seattle. I am definitely looking forward to meeting and visiting with the journalists and I haven’t seen since 1999… (also) opening ceremony, the many receptions and the opportunities to network with others. The most valuable aspect of UNITY is the convergence of the four alliance boards, media professionals and students from the four alliance partners.”

Karen Freeman, NABJ:

…. time for all journalists of color to unite with the common goal of ensuring that diversity thrives inside and outside of the newsroom. By coming together at UNITY, we are challenging ourselves to reinvent and become more competitive in an ever-changing industry. Our workshops and plenary sessions tackle topics like global warming and issues that affect the black community. In addition to our informative sessions, we are celebrating our past accomplishments and those yet to come.”

Iván Román, NAHJ:

… the student projects. I’m excited to see how we can pull this off. We’re doing something we have never done before. It really sets us apart from past conventions and trainings. Showing that the convergence (between print, TV, radio and online) can be done in journalism and how it can be done right.”