Commit to and plan for diversity: we've provided our readers a steady diet of diversity; consequently they focus more on a columnist's point of view. (Diversity of Opinion).How to make opinion pages better reflect a diverse readership? Commitment and planning. It really is that simple. On the opinion pages at the Democrat and Chronicle The Democrat and Chronicle is the most widely circulated daily newspaper in the greater Rochester, New York area. Located at 55 Exchange Boulevard in downtown Rochester, the Democrat and Chronicle operates under the ownership of Gannett. in Rochester, New York This article is about the city of Rochester in Monroe County. For the town in Ulster County, see Rochester, Ulster County, New York. Rochester, once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City or , sticking to that formula has resulted in a culture change. Diversity is an expectation, not just during annual Martin Luther King celebrations or Black History Month in February, but day in and day out Adv. 1. day in and day out - without respite; "he plays chess day in and day out" all the time . As editorial page editor the past 10 years, I've made diversity a part of the fabric of our opinion pages. No longer does my phone ring, for instance, when more than one syndicated columnist Inc.com defines a syndicated columnist as, "[A] person hired by publications or broadcast organizations to produce written or spoken commentary about specific feature subjects. who happens to be African American African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. or female appears on the same day. I like to think that's because we've provided our readers a steady diet of diversity over the years. Consequently, they focus more on a columnist's point of view. There also is usually a diverse mix of essayists The following is an abbreviated list of essayists, arranged alphabetically by last name (years of birth and death, if applicable, and country of birth, are noted in parentheses). Note: An individual's country of birth is not always indicative of his or her nationality. and letter writers on our op-ed page. And I make a concerted effort daily to touch a broad base of reader interests in our three daily editorials. Here's what works for me: EDITORIALS Editorial writers understand that attention to diversity and issues affecting people of color Noun 1. people of color - a race with skin pigmentation different from the white race (especially Blacks) people of colour, colour, color race - people who are believed to belong to the same genetic stock; "some biologists doubt that there are important is a priority -- a top one. They know that they're expected to consider the implication of issues for the broadest range of people. People who might ordinarily be overlooked typically have a voice in our discussions. Like most newspapers, we want to attract more younger readers. So it's not unusual to see editorials on a regular basis that comment on, say, hip-hop music or young working mothers. SYNDICATED COLUMNS I choose columns daily from several wire services and a stable purchased separately. Special buys don't get preferential treatment. I don't schedule certain columnists for certain days; they all must compete for the three slots we offer daily. As I make the selections, I look for pieces that are topical, of course. But I also think about how that next day's page will look. I want a good mix of race, gender, and subjects. Occasionally, that may mean three women or three columnists of color not of the white race; - commonly meaning, esp. in the United States, of negro blood, pure or mixed. See also: Color . A page could consist of Leonard Pitts Lenard Pitts is a nationally-syndicated columnist and winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. He was originally hired by the Miami Herald to critique music, but within a few years he received his own column in which he dealt extensively with race, politics, and culture. , Michelle Malkin Michelle Malkin (née Maglalang) (born October 20, 1970) is a socially and politically conservative American columnist, blogger, author and political commentator. She makes frequent guest appearances on national syndicated radio programs and on television networks such as , and Ruben Navarette. But almost daily, our readers, who are heavily white in our region and 60% minority in the city of Rochester, can expect at least one columnist of color. I've found that the Progressive Media Project, which specializes in providing minority voices, is a dependable source for diverse viewpoints. Recently I used a piece that was written by a Latina woman involved in a strike by janitors in Boston. Reader response was terrific. READER ESSAYS Our op-ed or Speaking Out page is one of the newspaper's most popular. It's a full page (no ads) that usually features three daily essays from readers and letters. In many ways, this page is our community's public square. Because that's so, I believe that it's important to reflect the total community So while we have no problems getting regular submissions, there continues to be a problem getting pieces from people of color. And we're actively working on it. In fact, there are now more of these pieces than ever. One reason that's so is that people of color see themselves on our pages more often. Consequently, more unsolicited essays from this segment of our readership are being submitted and published. Too, the Speaking Out editor understands that she can't simply stand by the fax machine or await e-mail or regular mail from our black, Latino, Native American, and Asian readers. She has to go after them. That means visiting schools and community groups and working the phones to get these submissions. Occasionally, we place a box on the Speaking Out page that asks readers to respond to a particular topic. While the response is generally good, typically there are few people of color in the pack. This situation calls for affirmative action affirmative action, in the United States, programs to overcome the effects of past societal discrimination by allocating jobs and resources to members of specific groups, such as minorities and women. . The Speaking Out editor is expected to find people of color to add to the mix. It's understood that a special page featuring reader responses with photos of people all of the same race or gender is not acceptable. SPECIAL PROJECTS Including diverse voices is a critical part of the planning process for special projects. From day one, we're thinking how we can mix it up. Most recently the editorial board completed a major project that focused on Medicare and retiring baby boomers See generation X. . It was no coincidence that African Americans and Latinos were featured throughout our week-long report. It was planned. And though the execution wasn't easy, the result was well worth the effort. The total Rochester region was reflected in our work. Editorial boards that truly want to be in touch with their communities must be committed to diversity. A nod here and there is just that--a nod. It's transparent; it's insulting. Make diversity a priority. NCEW NCEW National Conference of Editorial Writers member James F. Lawrence is editor of the editorial pages of the Democrat and Chronicle in Rochester, New York. E-mail him at Jlawrence@Rochester DandC.com |
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