Diversity coverage assailed

By Marsha Davison

Moderator Jeanette Chavez of The Denver Post fields a question during the colorado Press Association's annual Diversity Media Day on the CU-Boulder campus. To her left is panelist April Washington, a Rocky Mountain News reporter. Photo by Michael Alosi.

Newspapers have done a lousy job of covering minorities. What we miss are the nuances, the shades, the real stuff of life," said Rocky Mountain News columnist Tina Griego, a panelist at the Colorado Press Association's annual Diversity Media Day on Nov. 3 at CU.

Newspapers also have a tendency to cover either the worst incidents in the community or the most sensational, the panelists said.

Griego said such coverage paints a caricature of minority communities.

Gil Asakawa, online executive producer at The Denver Post, said the problem lies in a lack of minority reporters and editors.

"News organizations won't really cover minority communities well until there are more minorities to cover the issues and suggest stories from their neighborhood to editors," Asakawa said.

Denver Post columnist Cindy Rodriguez delivers the luncheon address. Photo by Michael Alosi.

Panelists said, however, that in seeking that objective, newspapers sometimes pigeonhole minority reporters.

Griego, Asakawa, and Pablo Mora, regional editor at The Pueblo Chieftain, all complained about being "ghettoized" in the newsroom and turned into the sole person covering minority events.

Asakawa said minority reporters do bring another level of understanding and cultural sensitivity to a story, but Griego pointed out that minority reporters are interested in covering a broader range of topics. Another way to get diverse voices into the news is to make sure all reporters step out of their comfort zones to tap a wider variety of sources, Asakawa said.

"Let us see what happens when the doors are opened," Mora said.

The panel discussion culminated the CPA's annual Diversity Media Day, hosted by the School at the University Memorial Center.

Denver Post sportswriter Chris Dempsey coaches junior Broadcase News major Josh Sanchez on how to break into the industry. Photo by Michael Alosi.

Earlier in the day, another panel of newspaper professionals met with students to discuss career-entry options. The panel was moderated by Denver Post Managing Editor for Operations Jeanette Chavez ('73). Panelists were Boulder Daily Camera Managing Editor Kevin Kaufman, Denver Post sportswriter Chris Dempsey ('05), Rocky Mountain News reporter April Washington and Denver Post Associate Editor for Staff Development Carla Kimbrough-Robinson.