Sourcing Diversity, Shifting Culture: Building “Cultural Competence” in Public Media

Abstract

This study looks at the “cultural competency” efforts of one U.S. public media station as it attempts to shift a culture of whiteness and increase the representation of people of color within both staffing and online and broadcast coverage. Using a field theory framework and a combination of ethnographic observation and interviews, it follows a project that seeks to change sourcing and community engagement practices. The study charts where colorblind ideology and traditions of journalistic objectivity are and are not disrupted—and the challenges of moving from a project to an institutionalized process of culture change that embraces reflexive journalism.

Keywords:

• Diversity
• inclusion
• objectivity
• public media
• race
• reflexive journalism
• sourcing
• whiteness

Acknowledgement

This project would not have been possible without the openness of research participants at WHYY public radio.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 As of 2015: https://www.cjr.org/analysis/are_podcasts_the_new_path_to_diversifying_public_radio.php

2 As of 2017 estimates of non-Latinx white population: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/RHI825217#RHI825217

3 https://www.nationalpublicmedia.com/npr/audience/?profile=the-business-leader

4 https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/philadelphiacountypennsylvania

5 https://current.org/2018/07/whyy-efforts-focus-on-increasing-racial-diversity-of-staff-audiences/

6 https://current.org/2018/07/whyy-efforts-focus-on-increasing-racial-diversity-of-staff-audiences/

7 According to WHYY market research (Scarborough), 78% of WHYY listeners are white, compared with 67% of their regional coverage area (which includes the suburbs surrounding Philadelphia).

8 https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/politics/a27075028/black-lives-matter-explained/

9 For a discussion of the problematic nature of calling individuals diverse see: https://www.ozy.com/immodest-proposal/stop-calling-me-diverse/92540 and https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/01/ava-duvernay-oscars-so-white-diversity-academy-awards-language/429225/

10 From cultural competency training at WHYY, 5/23/18.

11 WHYY’s source diversity newsroom experiments list. Shared October 1, 2018.

12 Follow up cultural competency training 9/20/18.

13 Interview 7/5/18.

14 Online reference withheld.

15 Interview. 7/3/18.

16 Interview. 6/20/18.

17 Interview 7/3/19.

18 Interview 5/18/18.

19 Interview 5/18/18.

20 Interview 5/17/18.

21 Interview 5/20/18.

22 Interview 5/14/19

23 Interview 5/18/18

24 Interview 5/17/18

25 Interview 5/17/18

26 Interview 5/18/18

27 Interview 5/17/18

28 5/21/19

29 5/21/19

30 5/21/19

31 Interview 11/06/18.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.