From reckoning to retreat: Journalism's DEI efforts are in decline

"I scanned public announcements, industry publications, and social media posts and found 169 full-time journalism jobs related to race, diversity, and equality that were posted and filled between June 2020 and December 2024. The jobs had titles like "race and equality reporter," "inequality reporter," "deputy inequality editor," "chief diversity and inclusion officer," and so on. I categorized the positions by type, company, and medium."

"Most of the roles created (62%) were reporting positions, meaning that the majority of the roles didn't have explicit power to implement change in newsroom operations or culture. Forty (23%) were team, desk, or managing editor positions. And 12% were management-level roles, like company heads, vice presidents, and directors of diversity and inclusion. "These numbers reflect a long-standing pattern in desegregating journalism: That most efforts are concentrated at levels with the least amount of editorial influence,""

"Clark resigned from her position running the News Leaders Association's annual diversity survey in 2022, telling Nieman Lab she'd "been met with the kind of crushing resistance that you would expect when you're trying to do things that contribute to structural and systemic change." "Reporting roles are essential," Clark added, "but editors are directly responsible for what reporters cover, and who gets to cover what.""

169 full-time journalism jobs related to race, diversity, and equality were posted and filled between June 2020 and December 2024. The majority of the roles (62%) were reporting positions without explicit authority to change newsroom operations or culture. Forty positions (23%) were team, desk, or managing editor roles, and 12% were management-level roles such as company heads, vice presidents, and directors of diversity and inclusion. The distribution reflects a long-standing pattern in desegregating journalism where efforts concentrate at levels with the least editorial influence. Reporting roles are essential, but editors determine coverage and who gets assignment. Roles were filled across various mediums, including newspapers (37%).

Read at Nieman Lab