We know diversity has a significant impact on the quality of journalism. More diverse staffs can produce a wider range of stories and perspectives. They can provide inclusive content, an imperative for the longevity of any media platform. With better representation of communities, a diverse newsroom can also build audience trust and even make news organizations more profitable. Yet, many newsrooms still lack diversity.
According to a Pew Research Center study published last summer, most journalists give their news organizations low diversity marks when it comes to gender, age, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, political ideology and economic status. That’s why we invest in news diversity initiatives of all kinds.
One important area where news organizations have fallen short is in serving and representing the community of military veterans.
