The Journalist’s Toolbox – Editing in a Diverse World

Read for Next Week

Read & Study Chapt. 8 of your book –

Editing for Legal and Ethical Issues

This is the topic for next week’s lectures – bring in questions and be ready for discussion.

Some of the Minefields of Editing and Diversity: Race Ethnicity Gender Religion Country of origin Sexual preference Class Disability

The following is adapted from “Race Matters” by Keith M. Woods of The Poynter Institute Let's look at the term "inner-city youth." What does that mean? Does it mean young people who live in the

innermost core of the city? In the "euphemistic lingo of race" . . . "the

precise answer is: not exactly."

"Inner-city youth" mean young people who are poor, black, Latino, Asian or Native American.

You never see it applied to whites Even though Bush's daughters sleep in the inner city of

Washington, D.C. "Inner-city youth" becomes more distorted with:

gentrification the movement to decentralize urban poverty the migration of poor people into middle-class

neighborhoods out into the suburbs.

Just say what you mean

If you mean black children who are poor, then write this: “black children who are poor.”

If you're referring to the innermost core of the city, then write: "inner city."

If you mean both, then say so.

What does "minority" mean? Here's what the dictionary says:

"1. the lesser part or smaller number; less than half of a total: opposed to majority. 2. a racial, religious, national, or political group smaller than and differing from a larger, controlling group of which it is a part."

"Minority" defines people in relation to other people. But journalists use the word interchangeably with

race. "Minority" is not a synonym for someone's race. Precision demands that you use it when referring to

numbers. Even then, write what you mean: Racial and ethnic

minorities.

What does Google News Tell Us? “inner city youth”

Here’s A Test*

This is the season when everyone is hoping for a good tan.

He complained that he got gypped at the store where they sold him an egg for $15.

The suspect was described as black and weighing about 150 pounds.

The 21-year-old girl was featured on the magazine cover about woman pilots.

*(Drawn from “Unbiased Editing in a Diverse Society” by Elizabeth Wissner-Gross.)

Here’s A Test (Cont.)

The 10-man team helped to evacuate the passengers from the burning train.

The breadwinner in the average household tends to earn twice as much as his wife

The political party was searching for the best man for the job

Here’s A Test (Cont.)

The girls in the office threw a party for their boss

Jane Anderson, an attractive blond, is married to Michael Anderson, a plumber.

She was a pretty girl—blond hair, blue eyes—and smarter than you would expect a typical blonde to be.

Here’s A Test (Cont.)

The average American shopper prefers to buy her clothes at outlet stores

She was a tomboy and played volleyball like a boy.

For a female candidate, she certainly did not know how to dress

Here’s A Test (Cont.)

Although she was a fundamentalist, she was nonviolent.

The elderly woman had just celebrated her 50th birthday with her grandchildren

Although Justin was taking ballet lessons, he still found time for football.

Here’s A Test (Cont.)

The 30-year-old murderer, who had been an adopted child, was sent to prison.

Ask any doctor which aspirin he recommends most.

Firemen rescued the boy's adoptive mother as his real mother watched in horror

Although she was old, she was still fashionable and feminine.

Here’s A Test (Cont.)

In federal court today, the plaintiff wore an orange plaid ski sweater, gold earrings and matching slacks, and her hair was pulled back neatly in braids.

In Austria, Gypsies are being victimized by some of the worst racial violence in 50 years

Our mailman said she had just started working for the U.S. Post Office.

He behaved like a real boy—wild, careless and assertive. She was bossy—wild, careless and assertive.

Content Audit on Diversity

Apply the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education "Fault Lines" guidelines on

1. Race2. Ethnicity3. Age4. Gender5. Class6. Geography To stories you write and edit

Content Audit:Questions You Need to Ask

What is the demographic breakdown of my circulation area and state?

Who on the staff has "listening posts" or sources in communities of color?

Where are they? Do you know the grass roots leaders? Could your staff members identify the leaders from their pictures? Could you?

Content Audit:Questions You Need to Ask

What are the images being projected by the front pages? Who are in the photographs? Do the ratios of men to women or people of color to whites match our demographic profile?

Do positive images of minorities show up only in sports and entertainment?

Content Audit:Questions You Need to Ask

Who are the sources in the stories? How often do "average" citizens show up to comment in government stories dealing with taxes, the budget, community projects compared to institutional sources?

How does the total paper represent the "fault lines" of coverage: race, ethnicity, geography, class, gender, and age - in stories dealing with lifestyle issues in the daily paper? What about religious and political viewpoints?

Content Audit on DiversityA Summary

What discussion guidelines do I have in place in news meetings, editing conferences, copy editing, layout, graphic and photography to ensure accuracy of the total community?

What mechanism holds the staff accountable on these issues?

Do we maintain an electronic Rolodex that is accessible so the staff can develop stories with non-mainstream voices?

Is the staff encouraged to go off on source hunting expeditions and to share their finds?

Do we audit the paper to see if new voices appear?

Content Audit on DiversityA Summary

Do recruiting efforts bring in people with different points of view aside from skin complexion?

Do I have a system that guarantees that a diverse person will be considered for each job?

Do I evaluate my own performance in terms of content, hiring, retention, and community outreach to make the newspaper a comfortable place for a diverse audience?

What am I doing now to promote diversity? What could I do? What will I do?

Other resources on Editing & Diversity Link to the Center for Integration &

Improvement of Journalism (CIIJ) at San Francisco State University. http://www.ciij.org

Link to the News Watch Diversity Style Guide put together by CIIJ. This is a PDF file. http://www.ciij.org/publications_media/20050321-

133409.pdf

Read for Next Week

Read & Study Chapt. 8 of your book –

Editing for Legal and Ethical Issues

This is the topic for next week’s lectures – bring in questions and be ready for discussion.