Links to some diversity resources

When I was with AP, I had the pleasure of attending Fault Lines diversity training conducted by the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. The Society of Professional Journalists has a Diversity Toolbox offering perspectives including a section on "How to Cross Your Fault Lines." I commend both resources to your attention.

In AP's Phoenix bureau, we began using the fault lines of race, class, gender, generation and geography to plan coverage. Each day's news meeting included these questions: "Are we accurately covering the diversity of our community?" and "Are we perpetuating stereotypes through our coverage or coverage plans?" Studying fault lines helped us plan how and where we covered the news. For example, rather than just running to the mall to get man-on-the-street comment, we would challenge ourselves to think of the many layers of diversity in the community we covered. I applied the same questions when it came time to hire.

I've found fault lines a useful way to help students understand the importance of diversity and its central role in journalists fulfilling their ethical responsibility to seek the truth and report it.

Another diversity lesson from my AP experience was hearing Jerry Ceppos, top editor at the San Jose Mercury News, say one of the paper's priorities was identifying ways to show young people in a positive light. He thought -- and I agreed -- that most coverage of young people focused on the negative. It informed the way I practiced journalism from that point forward.

Steve Elliott
Arizona State University
Phoenix