Yesterday, I wrote about how the Houston Chronicle attacked a Latina who happens to be the County Judge. I mentioned that in my opinion, the Chronicle is and has always been biased against Latinos. Perhaps the issue runs much deeper, as the Chronicle appears to have diversity problems; they were Trump before Trump was Trump. They seem to have been practicing no DEI before it became cool to claim that Latinos and other minorities were not qualified to have jobs like the ones they did.
The Hearst-owned Chronicle, however, does not reflect those demographics.
According to figures it submitted to the American Society of News Editors for its annual diversity census, the newsroom is 76.3 percent white, 7.9 percent black, 10 percent Hispanic and 5.8 percent Asian Americans. There are no African American editors, and its top-ranking journalists of color, both Latina, are leaving.
Harris County, where Houston is located, is 42.4 percent Hispanic, 19.7 percent black and 7.2 percent Asian, according to 2016 projections from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Chronicle mentions that they will be bringing in a top Latina reporter, Cecilia Balli. How did that work out for the Chronicle?
She is no longer with the Chronicle. How long did she last? Not long:
It appears that Ms. Balli worked for the Houston Chronicle for a brief period.
Houston is about 70% or more minority, and the Chronicle is about 85% White. Can a White tell the truth or even know how the others think or believe?
What does AI say about the Chronicle and diversity?
Yes, the Houston Chronicle’s newsroom has historically been predominantly white, though the demographics of the city of Houston are much more diverse. This discrepancy has been a point of criticism and concern, with reports indicating a lack of representation among top editors and a higher turnover rate for journalists of color.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
- Lack of Diversity: News reports have highlighted that the Houston Chronicle’s newsroom does not reflect the city’s diverse population, particularly in terms of race and ethnicity.
Leadership Disparity:
Concerns have been raised about the lack of diversity among the Chronicle’s top editors, who are described as mostly white and middle-aged.
High Turnover:
There have been reports of journalists of color leaving the Chronicle, with some citing issues of inclusion and a lack of opportunity for advancement.
Houston’s Diversity:
Houston is known for its significant minority populations, including large Hispanic, Black, and Asian communities, making the lack of representation in the newsroom even more striking.
The Houston Chronicle may have been more diverse ten years ago, as evidenced by the following from 2016.
Houston Chronicle sports columnist Jerome Solomon grew up in Acres Homes, historically a rural African-American neighborhood in northwest Houston. Almost always, he feels, the media portrays the place inaccurately.
“Of course, they can’t deliver a description of my neighborhood as well as someone who’s been there and lived it,” Solomon said. “That’s part of what the problem is when it comes to the lack of diversity in newsrooms: You’re going to get a superficial — if not just flat-out inaccurate — portrayal of people, neighborhoods and communities.”
For the major newspapers that participated in the report, the percentage of minority staff is higher than the ASNE average. The Los Angeles Times has 33.6 percent minorities. The New York Times reports 21 percent minorities. Based on the latest payroll numbers, The Houston Chronicle‘s staff is 25 percent minority.
The 25% likely includes tasks such as mopping and sweeping, as well as cleaning the bathrooms.
