OFF-MUTE 🔈
👀 Many industries are taking a hard look at where they’re succeeding with DE&I and where they need to improve—including broadcast media.
📺 Major networks are (finally) making necessary changes to talent and guests when it comes to race and gender identity.
🎙️It’s important that newsrooms represent the communities they are reporting news to because broadcast media still plays a major role in shaping narratives and providing facts.
🗓️ Last week our CEO Beth Monaghan and Director of Media Strategy Smitha Rao co-hosted a virtual media panel with Mary Godie, producer of NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt; Maria White Tillman, producer of Black News Channel; and Archith Seshadri, broadcast global journalist of Nextstar Media Group.
💬 The journalists shared their perspectives about diversity in the media—how it’s going and what they’ve learned along the way. Watch the recorded event. Here’s a summary of the discussion:
☑️ Come from a place of learning, not judgment. Maria encouraged people to ask lots of questions because that’s how we learn new things. And Archith reminded the audience it’s okay to not know everything as long as you stay mindful of your tone. He said, "The intention behind the question that you ask is so important." For example, if you’re curious about where someone is from, first share your own story. It’s more inclusive that way.
☑️ Find different perspectives (at the decision-making level). “Who’s choosing the stories? When those people are diverse, it shows so much in the newscast,” said Mary. That’s why newsrooms need more diversity at the news director or manager level. It’s key to make a conscious effort when identifying sources too.
☑️ Tell the untold stories. There tends to be an idea about what is “American.” Fireworks on July 4th are American, but fireworks on Diwali, for example, are often viewed as foreign. Showing celebrations for all Americans helps shift perspectives.
☑️ Speak up. “When someone in the newsroom is talking about a story that they don’t have much knowledge about, but there’s someone else in the newsroom with more knowledge, it’s up to that person to raise their hand and say ‘hey, that’s out of touch’ and encourage the team to delve deeper into the issue before reporting on it,” said Mary. Speaking up for yourself is speaking up for other people.
☑️ Remember the end goal. “We all have to come together, collectively, so that our audiences learn something,” said Archith.
☑️ Make progress. “We’re doing a good job getting all voices heard,” said Maria. Bigger markets are likely doing better at this than smaller markets but Mary believes “we’re moving in the right direction.”