Last Updated: July 28, 2000
Printer-friendly version
ASNE on the move
Freedom Forum, ASNE, APME work together on diversity
The Freedom Forum announced at the ASNE convention that increasing diversity
in newspaper newsrooms will become one of its top priorities, with ASNE
and Associated Press Managing Editors as its partners.
The $1 million partnership will define and fund more effective ways
of recruiting people of color for the newspaper business.
“Over the years there has been more rhetoric than progress. We need
to move from rhetoric to real results,” CEO Charles Overby said.
“From a host of worthy endeavors The Freedom Forum has chosen to put its
weight behind finding solutions to the newspaper newsroom diversity issue
— especially at small and mid-size newspapers,” he said.
Richard Oppel, editor of the Austin (Texas) American-Statesman
and ASNE president, said the newspaper industry must focus on “replenishing
the reservoir” of talented young journalists of color. “We have real potential
to make progress for perhaps the first time in years,” he said. “Unless
newsrooms reflect the diverse voices of our communities, we will have a
much smaller role in society.”
The $1 million ASNE/APME partnership, is one of a series of initiatives
as well as enhancements for some of its existing diversity programs. The
other diversity initiatives include:
-
Hiring four diversity fellows to travel to colleges, universities and junior
colleges to identify men and women of color for careers in print journalism.
-
Expanding the Chips Quinn Scholar program, a 10-year-old program that places
students of color in internships at newspapers and public radio stations.
To support this, the Freedom Forum has hired a program director and training
coordinator. It will also provide tuition and travel for Chips Quinn alumni
to attend professional development seminars each year.
