What do you typically think of when we talk about "fair and balanced" coverage? Did you speak to the right sources? Did you give an attacked party an opportunity to respond? Although that's important, it's not everything. Covering diverse groups in a community shows your publication is accurate and committed to excellence. It shows media represents a truthful and balanced picture of their community, or as the San Jose (CA) Mercury-News executive editor David Yarnold said, "It comes down to a question of credibility: If readers don't see themselves and hear their voices in your pages, they will no longer view you as a credible source of information." Do readers of The Voice see and hear themselves in our coverage? Leigh Stephens Aldrich's text, Covering the Community: A Diversity Handbook for Media (1999) defines diverse coverage: "Diversity describes an environment, such as a community, that includes representation of multiple groups. Diversity places emphasis on accepting and respecting differences by recognizing that no one group is intrinsically superior to others." That means your coverage should account for every voice in the community, i.e. the affluent and the poor, whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, etc. While we shouldn't keep a scorecard to see what groups appear in coverage, realize that your coverage should reflect your community's demographics and psychographics. In other words, only including black voices during Black History Month or only covering an ethnic festival will not cut it. Instead of returning to the same sources again and again, you must get out into the community to find the voices you typically miss. Go to key community contacts — e.g. the barber, religious members, the grocery store clerk — to find out what's bothering people in the area. Also seek out sources in each cultural group; a trustworthy source in the group will be able to provide other group members who agree and disagree with their viewpoints. Using these sources will ensure your story is more complete with an array of sources. Don't be afraid to have community groups critique news coverage and make suggestions. You might also create a focused column on specific diverse groups in your midst, e.g. covering Louisiana is impossible without considering the views of Cajuns, the French-speaking populace that's been around before the Louisiana Purchase was thought about. RACE, ETHNICITY and the CENSUS A census occurs every 10 years in the United States. You should check it to become aware of changes in your community. Are there more Latinos? What does this tell us about job prospects, or religious observances? Remember: most of America is not the same-old white people running the show anymore. Also realize there's a new definition to ethnicity where people embrace several racial categories, and the 2000 census began to reflect this change. The strains from demographic change cause frictions and adjustments, providing the source for many important stories for a journalist to cover. FINDING STORY IDEAS The census provides dozen of story ideas, from political redistricting to change in the family structure. But remember: census stories report more than numbers, they tell the stories behind the numbers. If you search the Census Bureau Web site, you can quickly find profiles of your community and show the diversity changes that might be taking place. Another story cuts across demographics, i.e. information about people with disabilities (account for about 20 percent of the U.S. population prior to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq). Almost any story has a disability angle, and government noncompliance with laws always makes for a good story. We're not only talking about wheelchair ramps, but also flashing smoke detectors for the hearing impaired and door handles that are easier to use than the round knobs that frustrate those who cannot grip tightly. In a recent Voice story about Chancellor Lassiter, he noted that he has a better appreciation for the disabled since dealing with his stroke. How many buildings on campus are not ADA compliant? (Note: The journalism program lost a promising student in Sitton's first year because her step-dad had to slide down the steps in one of the dorms, and nobody helped her mom push her step-dad through the dinner line on Parent-Family Appreciation Day.) Observe your community by driving around neighborhoods, checking out business areas and going to restaurants. Where are ethnic and racial groups congregating? Where are people integrating? Aging is another story that cuts across cultures. In the 1960s, few people lived past 65; today, one in six do. Some people claim that technology is bringing us to a time when we'll never die, but have our consciousness implanted on a computer chip that can be accessed by future generations. Audience Diversity — Marshall McLuhan suggested technological changes have turned the world into a global village. You can’t expect not to come into contact with diverse cultures. There is no frontier where you can get away from everyone if you’re an everyday Joe.
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©Ronald W. Sitton 2009 |
