Ep 7. News & Media

We’re back after a very small series break with a great episode on the need to change who is making the news, in order to accurately reflect the experiences and feelings of the public it serves. 

The National Council of Training for Journalists released a report last week that shows: 92% of journalists come from white ethnic groups, a higher proportion than across all UK workers. The media shapes important conversations in our lives, and if it doesn’t reflect the people it serves, it reinforces negative stereotypes and creates blind spots that have huge ramifications. 

For the discussion, I am joined by Hannah Ajala of We Are Black Journos who talks us through her personal experiences working in the news industry and the small steps that the sector can take to ensure Black and other minority journalists are valued and prioritised. 

Visions for the future

🗞Newsrooms that reflect the communities they serve

📝 Editors offering help and support to help Black and other minorities 

🤝 Trust built with marginalised communities - no more mix-ups due to bias 

What you can do

✊ Put pressure on the News Group to adopt more inclusive practices

📰 Read and pay for news sources that actively support raising the voices of marginalised groups 

🙌Check out the work of We Are Black Journos who have an extensive network that Black journalists can tap into and practical steps allies can take to properly diversify the media