2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012 2012

2012 NABJ Diversity Census Volume 1: An examination of Television Newsroom Management

5th Annual Edition

0 By Bob Butler National Association of Black Journalists

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

2012 NABJ Diversity Census Volume 2: An Examination of Television Newsroom Management

by Bob Butler

Edited by Phillipa Mould

PRESIDENT, Gregory Lee VICE PRESIDENT – BROADCAST, Bob Butler VICE PRESIDENT – PRINT, Errin Haines SECRETARY, Lisa D. Cox TREASURER,.Keith Reed PARLIAMENTARIAN, Cindy George EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, Maurice Foster

1100 Knight Hall, Suite 3100, College Park, MD 20742

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

For Copies:

Please visit www.nabj.org;

Call (301) 405‐0248;

Or write to

1100 Knight Hall, Suite 3100 College Park, MD 20742

NABJ Diversity Census 2012:

Volume 2

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 DETAILS 3 RAYCOM 3 ALLBRITTON 4 JOURNAL 5 SINCLAIR 5 METHODOLOGY 5

ALLBRITTON COMMUNICATIONS 7

JOURNAL BROADCAST COMPANY 8

RAYCOM MEDIA 10

SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP 12

APPENDICES 14 ALLBRITTON 15 JOURNAL BROADCAST GROUP 16 RAYCOM MEDIA 17 SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP 20

I would like to thank the NABJ Broadcast Task Force for helping collect the data.

NABJ Diversity Census 2012 Volume 2: An Examination of Television Newsroom Management

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) has just completed Part One the 5th Annual Diversity Census of the newsroom managers in 68 television stations owned by four national media companies and the results are mostly discouraging but there is one bright note.

According to the report, released at the NABJ national convention in New Orleans on June 22, Raycom Media, Allbritton Communications Company, Journal Broadcast Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group employ 350 men and women in the positions of general manager, news director, assistant news director, managing editor, assignment manager, executive producer or web manager. However, only 12% of these managers are people of color, a figure that is consistent in NABJ studies of other television newsrooms from previous years. This includes 28 African Americans, 6 Hispanics/Latino Americans, 3 Asian Americans and 1 Native American.

The 2010 United States Census determined that nearly 35% of the U.S. population is non‐White. That figure varies from city to city but NABJ encourages management

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012 teams that make coverage and hiring decisions to reflect a station’s television market demographics1.

NABJ understands that a lack of diversity in management does not mean a station’s coverage and hiring will be unfair. But it believes the workforce, including managers, that reflects the marketplace gives a station the best chance to air accurate coverage of communities of color.

The concern is many of the stations owned by these companies fall short of that NABJ standard. 41 of these companies’ 68 stations (60%) have no diversity in management at all, despite having stations located in diverse markets such as Memphis, Baltimore, Little Rock and Las Vegas.

"It is disheartening to see these newsrooms do not reflect the society that we walk everyday," said NABJ President Gregory Lee Jr.

"NABJ will continue to push for diversity in all newsrooms positions, especially in positions of management. We need more voices in management to dictate coverage so they can accurately report on the stories that affect all communities."

One area that has become more relevant in this year’s report is the use of Shared Services Agreements in which companies outsource various operations to competitors in the market.

“Three of the four companies in this report own at least one station that has news provided by competitors in their local markets,” said census report author and NABJ Vice President of Broadcast Bob Butler. “This reduces the diversity of voices favored by the Federal Communications Commission and is an issue that FCC is expected to explore during its National Proposal for Rule Making in late 2012 or early 2013.”

1 NABJ Diversity Index 2

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

The appendices on pages 14 to 21 list every station owned by the respective companies and the percentage of the non‐White population in each market.

The goal of this report is to make companies aware of their diversity numbers. NABJ stands ready to help all companies that want to improve their newsroom diversity. NABJ members work at all levels in all fields and many would welcome opportunities to lead news coverage.

Along with examining diversity numbers NABJ is also committed to being part of the solution.

The Executive Suite program at the annual convention offers training in management skills that are usually only acquired on the job. The curriculum covers such areas as budgets, contract negotiations, how to nurture subordinates and those things that “I wish I would have known.”

The complete census report with this information and updates on 15 other companies from previous studies in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2011 will be released in the fall.

DETAILS

RAYCOM MEDIA Raycom Media comes the closest to meeting NABJ’s diversity index with 16% of its television newsroom managers being people of color, and 19 of the company’s 32 stations having at least one person of color in station or news management.

That includes three African American general managers, three African American news directors, one Asian American news director, five African American assistant news directors, a Hispanic/Latino American managing editor, one Hispanic/Latino American and two African American assignment managers, one Hispanic/Latino American and five

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

African American executive producers and six African American and one Asian American web manager.

Raycom Media CEO Paul McTear said, “We are proud of our efforts to recruit and retain managers who reflect the diversity of their communities. With the majority of our stations being in small to medium markets it can be a struggle to attract managers of color. But we believe our internal management training and leadership classes, actively promoting managers from within and a continuing NABJ partnership will help in our efforts.”

Raycom Media approached NABJ in 2011 for help in improving its overall newsroom diversity. Raycom executives and staff, including NABJ Region III Director Dedrick Russell, started a conversation that resulted in Raycom becoming a convention sponsor, participating in the student projects and holding a reception at the convention in order to meet prospective news managers.

"This is what NABJ hopes all companies would do," said (President Gregory) Lee. "We have the ability to help any company. All they need to do is ask."

When contacted about the report, Raycom worked with NABJ to insure the data was accurate.

According to Butler, "in the 5 years we've been doing this report, this is the first time a television group has been so open and cooperative. I hope other companies follow Raycom's example."

ALLBRITTON COMMUNICATIONS COMPANY Allbritton Communications has 11% diversity. Four of its seven stations have at least one person of color in management, including one African American news director, one African American assistant news director, one Asian American web manager and one Hispanic/Latino American web manager.

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

JOURNAL BROADCAST GROUP This contrasts sharply with Journal Broadcast Group, which employs news managers in eight stations but has only two (5%) people of color – a Native American assistant news director and a Hispanic/Latino American assignment manager, both at the same station.

The Native American assistant news director is the only manager of Native American descent out of all 350 managers listed in this report.

SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP Sinclair Broadcast Group has 61 stations but it only employs on‐air, technical and management staffs in 21 station newsrooms. The company has shared service agreements in which competitors provide news for 13 other Sinclair stations.

Of the 99 news managers who work for Sinclair only three (3%) are people of color – a Hispanic/Latino American general manager, an African American executive producer and an African American managing editor.

METHODOLOGY

The 2012 NABJ Diversity Census, Volume 1, was conducted from March 2012 through June 8, 2012. Information for all 68 stations was gathered by examining Google, individual station websites, Facebook, NewsBlues, LinkedIn, TVSpy.com and by talking with industry insiders familiar with the respective markets and stations. Some of the information was gathered by calling stations directly and some came during conversations with current or former employees of the respective stations.

Diversity percentages (in parentheses) of the Designated Market Areas (DMA) were obtained from the diversitydata.org website (http://diversitydata.sph.harvard.edu/), a project of the Harvard University School of Public Health that compiles the figures for

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

362 metropolitan areas by using 2010 U.S. Census data.

There are approximately 760 television stations with news departments in the United States.

The study counted upper management ‐‐ general managers and news directors ‐‐ because they make hiring and firing decisions. The positions of assistant news director, managing editor, assignment manager, executive producer and web manager were included because these are the people who, along with the general manager and news director, set the station’s news agenda and decide which stories are covered and in what form they are broadcast or posted to the station website.

Because of the volatility of the broadcasting industry, it is possible that some of the managers may no longer hold the positions listed, may have been replaced by someone else, may have moved to a different station or may have left the business altogether.

While we may have missed a few people, one cannot dispute the fact that the management diversity at most of these stations is far from the estimated 35% diversity of the nation’s population.

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

ALLBRITTON COMMUNICATIONS

Allbritton Communications owns seven stations in Washington, D.C., Birmingham, Harrisburg, Little Rock, Tulsa, Roanoke and Charleston, South Carolina.

There are 35 managers: 25 men (72%) and 10 women (28%). People of Genger Breakdown of Allbritton Communications color comprise 11% of the management staff: an African American news director in Tulsa, an African American 29% assistant news director in Birmingham, Male Female an Asian American web manager in 71% Washington, D.C. and a Hispanic/Latino American web manager in Roanoke, Virginia.

There is no diversity at stations in Racial Breakdown of Allbritton three markets with significant diversity: Communications Harrisburg (20%), Little Rock (45%) and 3% 6% 3% Charleston, SC (36%). White Black NABJ sent a request for comment Hispanic to Allbritton Chairman and CEO Robert Asian L. Allbritton on June 11. There had been 88% Native no response at the time this report went to print.

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

JOURNAL BROADCAST COMPANY

Journal Broadcast Company owns 14 stations in 10 cities: Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Fort Myers, Green Bay (2); Tucson (2);

Omaha, Boise (2); Twin Falls, Palm Racial Breakdown of Journal Springs (2); and Lansing, Michigan. Broadcast Company 2% 3% It operates eight news White departments in Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Black Fort Myers, Green Bay, Tucson, Hispanic Omaha, Boise and Palm Springs. Asian Native News for WYSM in Lansing, 95% Michigan is provided by Grey Television station WILX in Lansing.

Sports for WGBA in Green Bay is provided by Journal station WTMJ in Milwaukee.

There are a total of 39 managers and nearly half (46%) are women.

Gender Breakdown of Journal There are two (5%) people of Broadcast Company color in management at all Journal stations – a Native American assistant news director and a Hispanic/Latino assignment manager. Both work at 46% Male Female KGUN in Tucson. 54%

The Tucson market has a diversity index of 45% so it is

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012 encouraging that 40% of KGUN’s management staff is comprised of people of color.

NABJ has reached out to Journal Chairman and CEO Steve Smith, Executive Vice President for Television and Radio Operations Steve Wexler and Vice President of News Bill Berra via email and hard‐copy letter on June 6 seeking comment on the census report findings.

There was no response by the time this report when to the printer.

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

RAYCOM MEDIA

Raycom Media owns of provides services to 48 television stations in 36 markets in 18 states across the country.

34 of the stations air newscasts and Raycom employs news staffs at 32 stations. News for WTNZ in Knoxville is provided by Gannett station WBIR and Scripps station WPTV does the news for WFLX in West Gender Breakdown of Raycom Palm Beach. Media

There are a total of 177 employees and 41% (73) are women. 29 (16%) of the managers are people of color, including 41% Male 24 African Americans, 3 Hispanic/Latino Female 59% Americans and 2 Asian Americans.

There are three African American general managers: a man at WWBT in Richmond and two women at WAFF in Huntsville and WSCS in Charleston, SC.

Racial Breakdown of Raycom There are four news directors of Media color: an African American man in 2% 1% Birmingham, two African American 13% White women at WIS in Columbia, SC and Black KSLA in Shreveport; and an Asian Hispanic American woman at WMBF in Myrtle Asian Beach. 84% Native

Five of Raycom’s assistant news

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012 directors are African American: women at WBTV in Charlotte, KTRE in Tyler and WDAM in Hattiesburg and there are men at KFVS in Cape Girardeau, MO and WSCS in Charleston, SC.

Two of Raycom’s anchors also hold the title of managing editor, including a Hispanic/Latino American man at KCBD in Lubbock.

Two of the assignment managers are African American: a man at WTVM in Columbus, GA and a woman at KPLC in Lake Charles, LA. The assignment manager at KGMB in Honolulu is a Hispanic/Latino woman.

There are six executive producers of color. African American women work at WIS in Columbia, SC; WAFF, Huntsville and WAFB in Baton Rouge. Executive producers at WBRC in Birmingham and WMBF in Myrtle Beach are African American men and an EP at WWBT in Richmond is a Hispanic/Latino American man.

Raycom also has seven web managers of color: an Asian American man at WWBT in Richmond and African American men at WAVE in Louisville, WBRC in Birmingham and WLBT in Jackson, MS; and African American women at WOIO in Cleveland, KSLA in Shreveport and WTVM in Columbus, GA.

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP

Sinclair owns, operates of provides sales services (via local marketing agreements) to 74 stations in 45 markets across the United States. 42 of its stations air news in 36 markets. Gender Breakdown of Sinclair Sinclair makes extensive use of Broadcast Group Shared Services Agreements (SSA’s) in which competing stations owned by 34% other companies provide newscasts for Male Sinclair stations. Female 66% Our report notes at least 13 instances of SSA’s.

Sinclair employs 21 news directors who oversee newscasts on 30 stations in 22 markets: Baltimore, Nashville, Columbus, OH; Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Asheville, NC; West Palm Beach, Grand Rapids and Lansing, MI; Oklahoma City, Austin, Albany, NY; Pensacola, Dayton, OH; Charleston, WV; Portland, ME; Racial Breakdown of Sinclair Broadcast Group Springfield and Champaign, IL; 2% 1% Chattanooga, Cedar Rapids, Medford, ORE; and Beaumont, TX. White Black The news director at WWMT in Hispanic Grand Rapids also oversees news at Asian 97% WLAJ in Lansing. Native

Sinclair employs a total of 99 news managers at its stations. 74 (64%) are men and 35 (35%) are woman. 12

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

Of those news managers there are only 3 (3%) people of color: a Hispanic/Latino general manager in Austin, an African American managing editor in Charleston, WV and an African American executive producer in Nashville.

18 Sinclair stations have no management diversity. This includes stations in markets with a significant diversity index – Baltimore (40%), San Antonio (64%) and Beaumont (40%) – for example.

NABJ reached out via email and hard copy letter on June 8 to Sinclair President and CEO David Smith and Vice President of News Scott Livingston seeking comment on the report’s findings. There had been no response by the time the report went to print.

Stations with Shared Services Agreements receive their news from 10 different companies:

WYMA, Asheville News done by WLOS, Raycom

KDSM, Des Moines News is done WHO, Local TV

WSMH, Flint MI News done by WNEM, Meredith

WXLV, Greensboro News done by NEWS 14

WDKY, Lexington KY News done by WKYT, Gray Television

WMSN, Madison WI News by WKOW, Quincy Newspapers

KBSI, Paducah KY News done by KFVS, Raycom

WYZZ, Peoria News done by WMBD, Nextstar

WPGH, Pittsburgh News done by WPXI, Cox

KDNL, St Louis News done by KSDK, Gannett

WLFL, Raleigh‐Durham News done by WTVD, ABC

WRLH, Richmond News done by WWBT, Raycom

WUHF, Rochester News done by WROC, Nexstar

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

APPENDICES

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

ALLBRITTON

WJLA, Wash, D.C.: 49% KATV, Little Rock: 45% GM/ND wm GM wm ND ND wm ND* wm Asst ND wm Asst ND wf Asgt Mgr wf Asgt Mgr wm EP wm EP wf Web wm EP* wf Web am WCIV, Charleston, SC: 36% GM wf *News Channel 8 ND wf AND wf WCFT, Birmingham: 34% Asgt Mgr wm GM wm Web wm ND wm Asst ND bm KTUL, Tulsa: 33% GM wm WHTM, Harrisburg: 20% ND bm GM wm Asst ND wf Stn Mgr wm ND wm Web wm EP wf Web wm

WSET, Roanoke: 18% GM wm ND wm ME wm EP wm Web hf

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

JOURNAL BROADCAST GROUP

WTMJ, Milwaukee: 29% KMTV, Omaha: 19% GM wm GM wm ND wm ND wm Asst ND wf Asst ND wf ME wm Asgt Mgr wf EP wm EP wf Web wm EP wf

KTNV, Las Vegas: 49% KIVI Boise: 18% GM wm GM wf ND wf ND wf Asgt Mgr wm Asgt Mgr wm EP wm EP wf EP wf Web wm EP wf Web wf KMIR, Palm Springs: 34% GM wm WFTX, Fort Myers: 29% ND wm GM wf ND wm WSYM, Lansing: 21% Web wm News Done by WILX, Gray Television

KGUN, Tucson: 45% GM wf ND wm Asst ND nf Asgt Mgr hf EP wf

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

RAYCOM MEDIA

WOIO, Cleveland: 28% WWBT, Richmond: 40% KFVS, Cape Girardeau: 17% GM wm GM bm GM wm ND wm ND wf ND wm Asst ND wm Asst ND wm Asst ND bm EP wm Asgt Mgr wf Asgt Mgr wm EP wf EP wm Web wf Web bf EP hm Web am WBRC, Birmingham: 35% WAVE, Louisville: 21% GM wf GM wm WAFF, Huntsville: 31% ND bm ND wf GM bf Asst ND wf Asst ND wf ND wm EP wm Asgt Mgr wf Asst ND wm EP wm EP wf Asgt Mgr wf EP bm EP wf EP bf Web bm Web bm EP wf Web wf Web wf WIS, Columbia SC: 42% WXIX, Cincinnati: 18% WTOL, Toledo: 23% GM wf GM wm GM wm ND bf ND wm ND wm Asst ND wf Asst ND wf AM EP wf Asgt Mgr wm Asgt Mgr wm EP wm AM EP bf EP wm EP wm EP wm KSLA, Shreveport: 45% Web` wm Web wf GM wm KOLD, Tucson: 45% ND bf WBTV, Charlotte: 39% GM wf Asst ND wm GM wm ND wf Asgt Mgr wf ND wm Asst ND wf AM EP wf Asst ND bf Asgt Mgr wm Web bf EP wf AM EP wm Web wm EP wf PM EP wf Web wm

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

RAYCOM MEDIA (continued)

WMC, Memphis: 54% KTRE, Tyler TX: 38% WSCS, Charleston SC: GM wm Asst ND bf 37% ND wf Asgt Mgr wm GM bf Asgt Mgr wm ND wm EP wm WECT, Wilmington NC: Asst ND bm EP wf 22% Asgt Mgr wm Web wf GM wm EP wf ND wm EP wf KGMB, Honolulu: 80% Asgt Mgr wm Web wm GM wm EP wf ND wm Web wf WFXG, Augusta: 44% Asgt Mgr hf GM wm PM EP wm WTOC, Savannah: 42% EP wf AM EP wm GM wm Web wm ND wf KCBD, Lubbock: 43% Asst ND wf GM wm WLBT, Jackson MS: 51% ME wm GM wm Asgt Mgr wf WALB, Albany GA: 56% ND wm EP wm GM wm Asst ND wm Web wf ND wm EP wm Asst ND wf Web bm KTLV Tyler TX: 38% EP wf GM wm Web wm WAFB, Baton Rouge: ND wm 42% Asst ND wm WFIE, Evansville, IN: 11% GM wf Asgt Mgr wm GM wm ND wm EP wm ND wm Asst ND wf Web Asst ND wf Asgt Mgr wf EP wf EP bf ND wm EP wm ME hm EP wm Asgt Mgr wf Web wf EP wm Web wm

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

RAYCOM MEDIA (continued)

WSFA, Montgomery: 48% WMBF, Myrtle Beach: 22% KPLC Lake Charles LA: 30% GM wm GM wm GM wm ND wm ND af ND wm Asst ND wm Asgt Mgr wm Asst ND wm Asgt Mgr wm EP bm Asgt Mgr bf EP wf EP wf Web wf WTVM, Columbus, GA: 50% WLOX, Biloxi: 29% GM wm KAIT Jonesboro AR: 29% GM wm ND wm GM wf ND wm Asgt Mgr bm ND wm Asst ND wf Web bf Asst ND wm EP wf Web wm Web wf WDAM, Hattiesburg MS: 33%

GM wm ND wm Asst ND bf

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP

WBBF, Baltimore: 40% WEAR, Pensacola: 27% WCHS, Charleston WV: 37% GM wm GM wm GM wm ND wm ND wm ND wm EP wm ME wm ME bm EP wf Asgt Mgr wf WLOS, Asheville NC: 14% Web wf EP wf GM wm EP wm ND wf WSYX, Columbus OH: 24% Asst ND wm GM wm KABB, San Antonio: 64% Asgt Mgr wm ND wm GM wm EP wm Asst ND wf ND wm EP wf Asst ND wm WRGB, Albany NY: 17% EP wf Asgt Mgr wm GM wm EP wm EP wm ND wf Web wf Asst ND wf WKEF, Dayton OH: 21% Asgt Mgr wm GM KEYE, Austin: 45% EP wf ND wm GM hf Web wf Asst ND wm ND wf Asgt Mgr wf Asst ND wm WZTV, Nashville: 26% EP wm ME wf GM wm EP wf EP wf ND wf KUTV, Salt Lake City: 25% EP wf EP bm GM wm Asgt Mgr wf ND wf WGME, Portland ME: 6% EP wm GM wm WPEC, West Palm Beach: EP wm ND wf 32% EP wm ME wm GM wm Web wm EP wm ND wf ME wm KOKH, Oklahoma City: 33% WICS, Springfield: 17% EP wm GM wm GM wm Web wm ND wm ND wf Asst ND wf Asst ND wm Asgt Mgr wf Asgt Mgr wm EP wm

2012 NABJ Diversity Census 2012

WWMT, Grand Rapids: 20% WICD, Champaign: 25% KTVL, Medford: 14% GM wm ME wf GM wm ND wm ND wm Asst ND wm WTVC, Chattanooga: 19% ME wf Asgt Mgr wf GM wm EP wf EP wf ND wm Web wf Web wm Asst ND wm WGME, Portland ME: 6% Web wm KGAN, Cedar Rapids: 10% GM wm GM wm ND wf ND wm ME wm ME wm EP wm