NPR Still Struggling for Diversity
Although National Public Radio’s choice of Melissa Block this week to fill an anchor seat on its signature program “All Things Considered” does little for the network’s diversity efforts, sources tell Journal-isms that NPR is in negotiations with a network television reporter of color and the reporter’s network to fill another co-anchor slot on the program.
The reporter is still under contract to the television network.
Robert Siegel, Noah Adams and Linda Wertheimer had co-hosted “All Things Considered” for 13 years until the network made Wertheimer a roving correspondent in January. Then Adams left in March, taking a sabbatical to write a book about the Wright brothers.
The longest-running program in the history of public radio, “All Things Considered” is now in its 32nd year, and reaches about 12 million listeners per week. Block, 40, is NPR’s New York correspondent.
Her choice raised questions about the network’s commitment to diversity, considering:
— That the network decided to stop distributing the general-interest “Public Interest,” hosted by Kojo Nnamdi of Washington’s WAMU-FM, effective Sept. 30. As the network is promoting its own “Tavis Smiley Show,” targeted at African American listeners, some wondered whether the network believed it could focus on two African American hosts at the same time.
— The long-unfilled position of diversity management director at the network.
— The decision in March not to renew the contract of Africa Bureau Chief Kenneth Walker, an African American who has left the network.
— Its April settlement out-of-court with Sandra Rattley-Lewis, its one-time vice president for cultural programming whose suit charging race discrimination had been pending since 1997.
— The continuing lawsuit filed by Sunni Khalid, a former NPR Africa correspondent who alleges discrimination.
And while some people of color have been sounded out for the “All Things Considered” positions, some insiders wonder whether broadcasters of color already at the network are being given a chance for such slots.
Said Jay Kernis, NPR’s senior vice president for programming: “NPR staff is making every effort to reaffirm our commitment to diversity when making any on-air hiring decisions, and this of course is true for an important opening such as ‘All Things Considered’s’ host.”
Bob Nishizaki, Leonard Pitts Among Knight Ridder Winners
Bob Nishizaki, assistant manager editor/news operations for the Contra Costa Times (Calif.), Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts and Knight Ridder journalists who covered the Afghan war were among those honored when Knight Ridder today announced the winners in its annual James K. Batten Excellence Awards competition, designed to recognize and celebrate the successes of Knight Ridder people.
The top prize, the John S. Knight Gold Medal, was awarded to Wes Turner, publisher of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Nishizaki, leader of the news desk and the night news operation, won the Diversity award for his work in recruiting, hiring, training and mentoring journalists of color.
“He maintains relationships with new arrivals — and with key recruiting prospects who might be persuaded to make their career with Knight Ridder. The news desk he supervises maintains 17 percent minority representation, the highest in the newsroom. He finds a way for the newspaper to get involved at many levels. He coordinates the Times’ editorial internship program for minority journalists, works with the Chips Quinn Scholarship Program for minorities and initiated a relationship with the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund Copy Editing Program,” the company said. “He is doing something to change the institution,” the jury said. “He has worked one-on-one to mentor individuals. He is moving the needle on recruiting and retaining minority talent — and retention is a very important part of diversity efforts.”
The Knight Ridder journalists who covered the Afghan War, honored with the Byron B. Harless Award, included: Malcolm Garcia, correspondent, Kansas City Star; Carl Juste, photographer, Miami Herald; Ken Moritsugu, national correspondent, Knight Ridder Washington Bureau; Sudarsan Raghavan, Africa correspondent, Knight Ridder Washington Bureau; Nancy San Martin, reporter, Miami Herald, and Juan Tamayo, world reporter, Miami Herald.
The jury awarded a special citation to Pitts, whose column “From This Moment Forward” became one of the most-reprinted responses to the terrorist attacks. Pitts received more than 30,000 e-mails about his piece.
AP Fires Reporter; Existence of Sources Questioned
The Associated Press has dismissed a reporter after the news agency could not confirm the existence of people quoted by name in a number of his stories, the AP reports.
AP reviewed stories by Washington reporter Christopher Newton, a black journalist, after receiving inquiries about two experts he quoted in a Sept. 8 piece about crime statistics. Editors then found a number of additional stories quoting people whose existence could not be verified. Most of these quotes were attributed to individuals with academic credentials or working in policy research.
“Chris Newton maintains these experts are real and accurately quoted, but our editors have been unable to verify that they even exist,” said AP spokeswoman Kelly Smith Tunney. “The integrity of the news report is our highest priority, and we asked him to provide proof of authenticity, but he could not or would not do so.”
Newton was dismissed Monday.
Reporter Bemoans Being “Fashion Roadkill”
“The Man who had power over my destiny was tall, sharply dressed and had a crisp, Euro accent,” writes Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan in the Baltimore Sun.
She continues:
“It was just before the Hugo Boss fashion show last season, and I desperately needed him to believe I was important. In just seconds, he would decide whether to let me in.
” ‘I’m with The Baltimore Sun,’ I explained.
” ‘Baltimore?’ he asked, looking over at a colleague. ‘What country is that?’
” ‘It’s American,’ she said, sounding nastier than a PMSing Shannen Doherty. ‘And it’s a newspaper.’
“With that, the Man swiftly walked away. And a cashmered elbow suddenly emerged from behind and shoved me aside.
“Carrie Bradshaw may once have been called ‘fashion roadkill’ on ‘Sex and the City.’ But for many fashion writers, it’s who we are every single day for two grueling weeks of the year.”
D.C Powwow Prompts Column on “Redskins”
“For several seasons now, I have rooted against the so-called Redskins, having found it difficult to “love the team but hate the name, as some of my more tolerant Native American friends do,” wrote Washington Post columnist Courtland Milloy in a piece picked up on the Native Web site indianz.com.
“Talking with some of the hundreds of Native Americans who gathered on the Mall for a national powwow this weekend, none felt the name was complimentary. One teenager from the Crow tribe did say that he was not fazed one way or the other and noted that ‘on some reservations, you can see people wearing Redskins caps. It’s their way of identifying with the urban scene.’
“And I can go into any slum where blacks are confined and hear them calling one another ‘nigger,’ too,” wrote Milloy, who is African American.
“The extent to which members of both groups adopt as their own the words and symbols of oppression are manifestations of mental illness, as I see it — not a compliment at all.”
Belo to Offer Domestic-Partner Benefits
Belo, parent of the Dallas Morning News, plans to offer domestic-partner benefits to its employees, according to Robert Dodge, a staffer at the Dallas paper and outgoing president of the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association.
Dodge made the announcement Friday at NLGJA’s annual convention in Philadelphia, reports Editor & Publisher.
Eric Ludgood Promoted to CNN Vice President
Eric Ludgood has been promoted from managing editor to vice president of CNN International, reports Shop Talk.
Now overseeing production, programming and operational models for the network, Ludgood will continue to supervise the Atlanta-based CNNI newsroom staff in relation to technology and management issues. Additionally, he remains responsible for the recruitment of writers and producers for the network from around the world. As vice president of CNNI, Ludgood also continues to supervise “CNN World Report,” CNN’s longest running news program, which features news stories from more than 150 broadcasters from around the globe.
Suit Proceeds Over Reginald Denny Footage
A federal appeals court panel has revived a legal squabble over the footage of Reginald Denny being beaten a decade ago during the Los Angeles riots, the Associated Press reports.
At issue is the April 1992 taping from a helicopter of Denny being pulled from a truck and a brick thrown at his head by rioters. The footage came to symbolize the Los Angeles riots and was broadcast repeatedly.
A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Los Angeles News Service, which copyrighted the footage, may sue CBS Broadcasting Inc. on allegations of copyright violation. The case, Los Angeles News v. CBS, originally was dropped as the parties tried to settle, but was resubmitted in 1999 when negotiations failed.
Mark McEwen Leaves “Early Show”
Weatherman-entertainment editor Mark McEwen is the next personality set to leave “The Early Show,” reports Entertainment Weekly. The date of his departure has not been locked in.
Informed sources insisted that the ensemble will include former NBC Sports personality Hannah Storm and “Biography” host Harry Smith. Storm’s agent declined to comment, as did Smith’s attorney. The same sources say that “Early” news reader (and “Big Brother” host) Julie Chen also would be part of this “View”-ish ensemble.
McEwen might yet end up doing other projects within the CBS or broader Viacom family, sources said.
Oprah Delivers Highest Debut in Years
The season opener of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” hit its biggest numbers since its 1998 premiere, with a 7.5 rating/18 share, according to Nielsen Media Research data.
Broadcasting & Cable reports that the show, entering its 17th season, opened with an episode entitled “Good News,” which featured “American Idol” runner-up Justin Guarini as a surprise guest and Oprah spreading all sorts of good news to unsuspecting recipients.
Meanwhile, former Oprah talk-show rival Rosie O’Donnell‘s Rosie magazine, a joint venture between O’Donnell and Gruner & Jahr USA, will cease publication, according to executives involved, reports the New York Times.
