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The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) joined the NewsGuild-CWA and a coalition of more than 140 other U.S. journalism groups in calling for the Pulitzer Prizes to require transparency in diversity reporting in order for news organizations to be eligible to receive awards.
The call for change stems from an April 12 report from Harvard’s Nieman Lab that revealed only 303 print and online news organizations out of 2,500 participated in the News Leaders Association (NLA) annual diversity survey.
“This is unacceptable and egregious,” said NABJ President Dorothy Tucker. “In 2019, we gave member newspapers of NLA (then-ASNE) our annual Thumbs Down Award for engaging in practices at odds with the diversity goals of NABJ because many of them did not complete the survey then. It is disheartening to see that nearly four years later there are still nonrespondent organizations that are not prioritizing diversity. NABJ is committed to working with our fellow organizations to hold them accountable.”
In an April 22 letter, the coalition made the request to the Pulitzer Prizes to change the eligibility criteria in order to help amplify the importance of making diversity a cornerstone in America’s newsrooms and to showcase that our industry cannot accept any disregard for diversity.
The letter reads (in summary):
“We are asking your organization to promote this survey and reporting of demographic data by adding the following criteria to your selection process for Pulitzer Prizes in Journalism.
In order to qualify for an award, organizations must provide proof of participation in the most recent general survey/census by the News Leaders Association or another industry reporting system that shares data publicly, effective 2024 (i.e., they must participate in this year’s data collection to be eligible for awards/funding in 2024).
By implementing this new criteria, the Pulitzers would honor not only great journalism, but journalism from newsrooms willing to be accountable to the public.
NLA supports this addition to the Pulitzer’s criteria for entry, and is committed to prioritizing this survey and working with newsrooms to increase participation.
Journalists have an ethical duty to be accountable and transparent. We must be accountable to our readers and our workers by making sure our newsrooms reflect the demographics of our readers. And we must be transparent with that data to improve the diversity of our newsrooms so they can operate at their full potential.”
In addition to NABJ, the coalition of journalism groups includes:
100 Days in Appalachia
Africa Institute for International ReportIng (AIIR), Minnesota
AIR (Association of Independents in Radio)
American Press Institute
Anchor media
The Appeal
The Arab & Middle Eastern Journalists Association (AMEJA)
Arizona Luminaria
Arizona Press Club
Asian American Journalists Association
Asian American Journalists Association, Philadelphia chapter
Bay City News Foundation
The Beacon (The Kansas City Beacon and The Wichita Beacon)
Black Video News
Bridge Michigan
BridgeDetroit
California Health Report
CalMatters
Capital B
Center for Cooperative Media
Center for Ethical Leadership in Media
The Center for Independent Journalists
The Center for Investigative Reporting
Center for Public Integrity
Central Current
Cityside Journalism Initiative
The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ)
Colorado Community Media
Colorado Media Project
The Columbia Journalism Review
Community Info Coop
Connecticut Health I-Team
The Conversation U.S.
The Current Media
Dallas Free Press
Democracy Fund
Documented
EDM Publications
The #FightToWrite Initiative
FMB Radio
Four Points Media
Free Press
Fresnoland
GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics
Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media
Georgia News Lab
Get Current Studio
Grist
Health Stuff TO Know
High Country News
The Ida B. Wells Society
Indiegraf
Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance
Institute for Nonprofit News
International Women’s Media Foundation
Investigate Midwest
Investigative Newsource dba inewsource
The Kansas City Defender
Lede New Orleans
LION Publishers
Los Angeles Times Guild
Madison Minutes
Making Contact (aka International Media Project)
The Marshall Project
Media 2070
Media Alliance
Media and Democracy Project
Media Bridge Partners
Media Guild of the West, The NewsGuild-CWA Local 39213
Media Innovation Collaboratory/TrollBusters
The Mendocino Voice
Military Veterans in Journalism
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Milwaukee Newspaper Guild
MindSite News
Mojatu Foundation (Mojatu Magazine)
The Morning Call Guild
National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ)
Native American Journalists Association (NAJA)
Native News Online
New York Public Radio
News Catalyst
News Media Guild
News Product Alliance
News Revenue Hub
The NewsGuild of New York
The NewsGuild-CWA
NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists
North Carolina Local News Workshop
NuestroEstado.com
The Objective
OnlySky Media, Inc.
OpenNews
OpenSecrets
Our Body Politic
Outlier Media
Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists
Prism
Prison Journalism Project
ProPublica
Public News Service
PublicSource
Quartz
rabble.ca
Racial Equity in Journalism Fund
Racine County Eye
The Record Community News
Reality Team
Renaissance Journalism
Reporte Hispano
Resolve Philly
The Roanoke Rambler
Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education
SAG-AFTRA
Sahan Journal
San Antonio Association of Hispanic Journalists
Scalawag
Society of Professional Journalists
Society of Professional Journalists, Oregon Pro Chapter
Solidarity Journalism Initiative
South Asian Journalists Association
Southern California Public Radio (KPCC + LAist + LAist Studios)
Spotlight PA
The Texas Tribune
The Trace
Trans Journalists Association
Tucson Sentinel
United Media Guild – CWA 36047
The UpTake
URL Media
Verified News Network (VNN)
Vision25: Building Racial Equity in Newsrooms
Vox Media
Washington-Baltimore News Guild
West View Media
Whong Community Media
Writers Guild of America, East
WURD Radio
YR Media
Learn more here.
Media Contact: Press@NABJ.org
