Journalism recruiters brace for a future without affirmative action
Colleges and universities will no longer be allowed to use race-conscious admissions policies after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled its use unconstitutional last month.
The decision could affect journalism programs across the country and lead to fewer diverse candidates, worsening representation within newsrooms.
About 76% of journalists are white, according to a Pew Research Center study. Only 8% of journalists are Hispanic, 6% are Black and 3% are Asian.
Yvette Cabrera, president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, said the ruling is top of mind. She has talked with university leaders and the organization plans to announce ways to address the lack of diversity soon.
Recruiters at the NAHJ conference said they’re waiting to see the impact the ruling could have on their applicant pools for jobs and journalism schools. That hasn’t stopped them from working out different strategies to create newsroom staff representative of the communities they cover.
Aisha Baiocchi is a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University studying journalism and international comparative studies. Reach her at aisha_bee [at] me [dot] com and on Twitter @_aishabee_.
