By diversity we are talking about a wide range of identities, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic background, and religion.

In an article on this site, Naomi Goldsmith wrote about the role of women in the media. In ‘Gender equality in the media’ she argued that “Gender equality is important for both men and women. Neither gender benefits from being stereotyped and not being allowed to fulfil its full potential.”

Gender is just one area covered by diversity. The following are some of the ethical, editorial and business reasons why diversity in both staffing and coverage is important:

1. Accurate and authentic representation:
   • Diverse staffing:
     • Newsrooms and media organisations with diverse staff are better equipped to understand and report on the complexities of diverse communities.
     • Individuals from different backgrounds bring perspectives, experiences, and cultural knowledge that can enrich storytelling.
     • Employing journalists from a mixture of backgrounds helps avoid stereotypical or one-dimensional portrayals of marginalised groups.
   • Diverse coverage:
     • When media outlets prioritise diverse coverage, they give voice to underrepresented communities and shed light on issues that might otherwise be ignored.
     • This fosters a more inclusive and accurate reflection of society, promoting understanding and empathy while also creating richer editorial output..
2. Countering bias and promoting fairness:
   • Diverse staffing:
     • A lack of diversity in media can lead to unconscious bias in reporting, resulting in skewed or inaccurate story telling.
     • Diverse newsrooms are more likely to challenge these biases and ensure fair and accurate coverage – while taking care to avoid false equivalence and false balance.
   • Diverse coverage:
     • Media that consistently prioritises diverse viewpoints helps to counter dominant narratives and challenge prevailing assumptions.
     • This promotes a more comprehensive understanding of complex social issues.
3. Building trust and credibility:
   • Diverse staffing:
     • When audiences see themselves reflected in the media, they are more likely to trust the information they receive.
     • Diverse newsrooms foster a sense of inclusivity and build stronger connections with their communities.
   • Diverse coverage:
     • Media that accurately and respectfully portrays diverse communities gains credibility and fosters trust with a wider audience.
     • This is essential for maintaining a healthy and informed public discourse.
4. Enhancing creativity and innovation:
   • Diverse staffing:
     • Diverse teams bring a wider range of perspectives and ideas, leading to more creative and innovative storytelling.
     • This can help media organizations stay relevant and engage with a rapidly changing audience.
   • Diverse coverage:
     • By highlighting diverse stories, media outlets expose their audiences to new perspectives and ideas, enriching the cultural landscape.

Supporting information:

• National Union of Journalists (NUJ):
  • The UK’s NUJ highlights what it sees as a concerning lack of diversity in UK newsrooms, emphasising the need for greater representation.
  • Link: Fewer than one in five media workers believe newsroom diversity is a top priority in their workplace – National Union of Journalists (NUJ)
• Jefferson University:
  • The importance of representation is underlined by information from Jefferson University which shows how media can shape perspectives.
  • Link: How can the media Improve representations of diverse identities?
• The Diversity Dashboard:
  • The importance of diversity in media careers is set out by the UK’s Diversity Dashboard. The site contains information diversity in the media industry along with the many different career paths within the media and journalism.
  • Link: Careers in media: Opportunities and the importance of diversity

In conclusion, diversity in media is not just a matter of social justice; it is essential for producing accurate, fair, and engaging content that reflects the complexity of our world.

Diversity in journalism is crucial not only for fair representation but also for improving the quality and relevance of news coverage. It ensures that media content speaks to a broader audience, reflecting the complexity of the society it serves.

Diversity encompasses a wide range of identities, including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic background, and religion. By including these varied perspectives, journalism becomes more comprehensive, nuanced, and relatable.

One key area where diversity matters is in staffing. Journalists from different backgrounds bring unique experiences, cultural knowledge, and perspectives that enrich storytelling and lead to more authentic representation. This helps avoid stereotypical portrayals, particularly of marginalised groups, while providing greater depth and complexity in news coverage. A diverse newsroom is also better equipped to understand and report on communities often overlooked by traditional media.

Ensuring diversity in coverage is equally important. By reporting on a wide range of voices and experiences, media outlets shine a light on underrepresented communities and the issues that affect them. This approach not only promotes empathy and understanding but also helps counteract bias and challenge dominant narratives. A diverse editorial focus allows journalism to tackle complex social issues in a way that is fair, accurate, and informative.

Diversity also plays a critical role in building trust and credibility. Audiences are more likely to engage with a media organisation that reflects their realities and perspectives. When people see themselves accurately and respectfully portrayed, it strengthens their connection to the news and fosters a more inclusive media landscape. This is essential for maintaining public trust and supporting healthy democratic discourse.

Lastly, diversity enhances creativity and innovation within journalism. A wide range of voices in the newsroom leads to more dynamic storytelling, fresh ideas, and new ways of engaging audiences. Similarly, diverse coverage exposes audiences to different cultures, experiences, and viewpoints, enriching the overall media landscape.

In an increasingly diverse and global society, prioritising diversity in journalism is not just ethically important, it is vital for the industry’s relevance and survival.

The post Diversity in journalism first appeared on Media Helping Media.

Journalists need to be trained in how to recognise and deal with algorithmic bias in order to counter the speed and scale at which biased content spreads.

That’s the view of Gemini, the artificial intelligence (AI) conversation tool, which says that the need for such training is “more urgent than ever”.

According to AI:

“the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and machine learning has led to a significant increase in the use of algorithms in news production…

… algorithms can introduce bias into news content, which can have serious consequences for both individuals and society.”

Media Helping Media (MHM) asked Gemini how journalists can recognise and deal with algorithmic bias.

We also asked it to design a one-day training course to equip journalists with the tools they need to tackle the issue.

The following is the text of that conversation, which took place in September 2024. During the conversation Gemini states that while the challenge of bias in news production is not entirely new, the rise of AI has made it more urgent and complex.

AI warns that:

“journalists and news organisations must adapt to this new reality by developing strategies to mitigate algorithm bias and ensure that the news they produce is fair, accurate, and representative”.

We then asked AI the following questions. The answers were immediate. Gemini’s responses are unedited other than to change them from American English to English English  (MHM’s preferred house style).

MHM: What is algorithmic bias in news production?

Gemini AI: Algorithmic bias in news production refers to the unintentional or intentional bias introduced into news content by the algorithms used to curate, personalise, or generate news. This bias can manifest in various ways, including:

• Selection bias: Algorithms may prioritise certain stories or topics over others, leading to a skewed representation of the news.
• Confirmation bias: Algorithms may reinforce existing beliefs or biases by recommending content that aligns with a user’s preferences.
• Representation bias: Algorithms may underrepresent certain groups or perspectives, leading to a lack of diversity in the news.
• Amplification bias: Algorithms may amplify certain narratives or misinformation, contributing to the spread of false or misleading information.

Factors contributing to algorithmic bias:

• Biased data: If the data used to train algorithms is biased, the algorithms will likely produce biased outputs.
• Biased algorithms: The design of algorithms themselves can introduce bias, such as by prioritising certain features or metrics over others.
• Lack of transparency: The lack of transparency in how algorithms work can make it difficult to identify and address bias.

Addressing algorithmic bias in news production requires a multi-faceted approach, including:

• Improving data quality: Ensuring that the data used to train algorithms is diverse, representative, and free from bias.
• Designing unbiased algorithms: Developing algorithms that are transparent, accountable, and resistant to bias.
• Promoting transparency: Increasing transparency in how algorithms are used and the decisions they make.
• Human oversight: Ensuring that human editors and journalists play a role in reviewing and curating news content.

By understanding and addressing algorithmic bias, news organisations can help to ensure that the news they produce is fair, accurate, and representative.

MHM: How can journalists avoid algorithmic bias if they are not in control of the algorithms?

Gemini AI: While journalists may not have direct control over the algorithms used in news production, they can take several steps to mitigate algorithmic bias:

1. Be aware of algorithmic bias: Journalists should understand the concept of algorithmic bias and how it can manifest in news content. This knowledge can help them identify potential biases and take steps to address them.
2. Critically evaluate news sources: Journalists should be sceptical of news stories generated or curated by algorithms. They should carefully evaluate the sources of information and verify the accuracy of the content.
3. Seek diverse sources: Journalists should strive to gather information from a variety of sources, including those that may not be prominently featured in algorithm-driven news feeds. This can help to ensure that the news they report is balanced and representative.
4. Use human judgement: Journalists should rely on their own judgement to assess the quality and relevance of news stories. They should be willing to override algorithmic recommendations if they believe that they are biased or misleading.
5. Advocate for transparency: Journalists can advocate for greater transparency in how algorithms are used in news production. This can help to identify and address biases and ensure that the news is produced in a fair and ethical manner.
6. Collaborate with data scientists: Journalists can collaborate with data scientists to understand how algorithms work and identify potential biases. This can help them to develop strategies for mitigating algorithm bias.

By taking these steps, journalists can help to ensure that the news they report is accurate, balanced, and free from algorithmic bias.

MHM: So mitigating algorithmic bias is a new task brought about by the advance of AI but should now become a crucial part of a news producer’s job?

Gemini AI: That’s a great observation. While the term ‘algorithmic bias’ may be relatively new, the underlying issue of bias in news production has existed for centuries. However, the advent of AI and machine learning has amplified the potential for bias to be introduced into news content at a larger scale and at a faster pace.

Here’s a breakdown of how traditional news production compared to AI-driven news:

Traditional news production:

• Human curation: News editors and journalists manually select and curate stories based on their judgement and expertise.
• Limited reach: News distribution was primarily through print and broadcast media, limiting the audience and potential for bias.

AI-driven news production:

• Algorithmic curation: Algorithms use data to recommend news stories to users, often based on their past behaviour and preferences.
• Vast reach: News can be disseminated instantly to a global audience through digital platforms, increasing the potential impact of bias.

Key differences:

• Scale: AI can process and analyse vast amounts of data, increasing the potential for bias to be introduced at a larger scale.
• Speed: AI can disseminate news at a much faster pace than traditional methods, making it difficult to identify and correct biases before they have a significant impact.
• Personalisation: AI can personalise news content to individual users, potentially reinforcing existing biases and limiting exposure to diverse perspectives.

Therefore, while the challenge of bias in news production is not entirely new, the rise of AI has made it more urgent and complex. Journalists and news organisations must adapt to this new reality by developing strategies to mitigate algorithmic bias and ensure that the news they produce is fair, accurate, and representative.

MHM: So would you say that dealing with algorithmic bias should now be part of every journalist’s basic training?

Gemini AI: Absolutely. Dealing with algorithmic bias should be a fundamental part of every journalist’s training in the digital age. Here’s why:

1. Understanding the problem: Journalists need to understand how algorithms work, how they can introduce bias, and the potential consequences of this bias.
2. Identifying and mitigating bias: Journalists should be able to identify signs of algorithmic bias in news content and take steps to mitigate its effects.
3. Evaluating sources: Journalists should be able to critically evaluate the sources of information they rely on, especially those that are generated or curated by algorithms.
4. Promoting diversity and inclusion: Journalists should strive to promote diversity and inclusion in the news they report, by seeking out a variety of sources and avoiding algorithmic biases that may underrepresent certain groups or perspectives.
5. Advocating for transparency: Journalists can advocate for greater transparency in how algorithms are used in news production, which can help to identify and address biases.

By incorporating training on algorithmic bias into journalism programmes, we can equip journalists with the skills and knowledge they need to produce fair, accurate, and representative news in the digital age.

MHM: Would you say that the need for journalists to be trained in dealing with algorithmic bias is urgent?

Gemini AI: Absolutely. The need for journalists to be trained in dealing with algorithmic bias is more urgent than ever. The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and machine learning has led to a significant increase in the use of algorithms in news production. These algorithms can introduce bias into news content, which can have serious consequences for both individuals and society.

Here are some reasons why this training is urgent:

• Increasing reliance on algorithms: News organisations are increasingly relying on algorithms to curate, personalise, and generate news content. This means that the potential for algorithmic bias to impact news coverage is growing.
• The potential for harm: Algorithmic bias can lead to the spread of misinformation, the amplification of harmful stereotypes, and the underrepresentation of certain groups or perspectives. This can have serious consequences for individuals and society.
• The need for accountability: Journalists have a responsibility to ensure that the news they report is accurate, fair, and unbiased. This includes understanding and addressing the potential for algorithmic bias.

By training journalists in how to identify and mitigate algorithmic bias, we can help to ensure that the news we consume is reliable and trustworthy.

MHM’s conclusion

The fact that AI is warning that journalists need to be trained in recognising and dealing with algorithmic bias suggests that human judgement, journalistic ethics and editorial values are crucial in a world where artificial intelligence and machine learning is crafting so much content.

As Gemini says in the interview above, “the underlying issue of bias in news production has existed for centuries. However, the advent of AI and machine learning has amplified the potential for bias to be introduced into news content at a larger scale and at a faster pace.”

Questions

1. What is algorithmic bias in news production, and how can it manifest in news content?
2. Identify and describe two factors that contribute to algorithmic bias in news production.
3. Explain why the rise of AI has made the challenge of bias in news production more urgent and complex.
4. What are some steps journalists can take to mitigate algorithmic bias, even if they do not control the algorithms?
5. Discuss the role of human oversight in addressing algorithmic bias in news production.
6. How does algorithmic curation differ from traditional human curation in news production?
7. Why is it important for journalists to seek diverse sources when reporting news?
8. Evaluate the potential consequences of algorithmic bias on society and individuals.
9. How can journalists advocate for greater transparency in the use of algorithms in news production?
10. In what ways can collaboration between journalists and data scientists help address algorithm bias?

Answers

1. Algorithmic bias in news production refers to the unintentional or intentional bias introduced into news content by algorithms. It can manifest as selection bias, confirmation bias, representation bias, or amplification bias.
2. Two factors contributing to algorithmic bias are biased data, where the data used to train algorithms is biased, and biased algorithms, where the design of algorithms prioritises certain features or metrics over others.
3. The rise of AI has made bias in news production more urgent and complex due to the increased scale and speed at which AI can process and disseminate news, as well as the potential for personalised content to reinforce existing biases.
4. Journalists can mitigate algorithmic bias by being aware of it, critically evaluating news sources, seeking diverse sources, using human judgment, advocating for transparency, and collaborating with data scientists.
5. Human oversight involves journalists and editors reviewing and curating news content to ensure it is fair, accurate, and representative, thus helping to identify and correct algorithmic biases.
6. Algorithmic curation uses data to recommend news stories based on user behaviour and preferences, while traditional human curation relies on the judgment and expertise of news editors and journalists.
7. Seeking diverse sources is important to ensure balanced and representative news coverage, avoiding the reinforcement of biases that may underrepresent certain groups or perspectives.
8. Algorithmic bias can lead to the spread of misinformation, amplification of harmful stereotypes, and underrepresentation of certain groups, which can have serious consequences for individuals and society.
9. Journalists can advocate for transparency by pushing for clear explanations of how algorithms are used in news production and the criteria they use for decision-making.
10. Collaboration with data scientists helps journalists understand how algorithms work and identify potential biases, allowing them to develop strategies to mitigate algorithmic bias.

Lesson plan for trainers

If you are a trainer of journalists we have a free lesson plan: ‘Algorithmic bias’ which you are welcome to download and adapt for your own purposes.

The post Dealing with algorithmic bias in news first appeared on Media Helping Media.

Is your news organisation and its output male dominated? Are women fairly represented in newsroom leadership roles and the stories covered? Do your staff and your news agenda reflect the society they serve?

A 12-point plan containing “substantive opportunities to reshape the status quo” and improve the representation and voices of women in the global news industry was published in November 2022.

We look at the steps suggested and examine the possible consequences.

The report Outrage to Opportunity looks at the representation of women in newsrooms in India, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, the UK, and the USA.

Luba Kassova, the report’s author, says in-depth interviews with more than 40 senior editors in the six countries revealed two areas of concern:

• The “underrepresentation” of women in news leadership roles.
• The “invisibility” of women in news coverage.

Kassova’s research revealed a “cultural exclusion” of women in news leadership roles and found that the voices of women “remain muted in a global news industry”.

However the study also recognises that progress is being made. It looks at 168 existing initiatives which aim to improve women’s representation or inclusion in news.

And it identifies practical steps that could be taken to “include the missing perspectives of women of all colours in news leadership and coverage”.

The report says that taking these steps could open up significant business opportunities and that “global revenues in the newspaper industry would increase by a cumulative $11bn by 2027 and $38 billion by 2032“.

This article looks at those 12 practical steps that could be taken by news organisations. They are listed below with the author’s permission.

The 282-page document – embedded at the foot of this article – sets out three areas which the author says “requires the news industry’s urgent attention”.

1: Inclusion

The report found that women are still on the margins of editorial decision-making in the highest-profile news areas. In the major journalistic specialisms such as business, politics, and foreign affairs, women hold as few as one in six editorial roles in the countries researched. Occasional instances of parity, for example South African political editors or US business editors, are counterbalanced by exclusively male leadership in political editor roles in countries such as Kenya and India.

2: Race

According to the report, women news leaders are subject to marginalisation in countries with multi-racial populations such as South Africa, the UK, and the US. This, the report says, is a news industry “blind spot”. In the countries examined their representation is significantly below their proportion in the working population. Kassova says that when interviewed, news leadership teams are either unaware, reactive, push back, or turn a blind eye to the problem.

3: Coverage

The report says the coverage of issues that affect women is disproportionate. Just 0.02% of news coverage globally focuses on the gaps between men and women in pay, power, safety, authority, confidence, health, and ageism. According to the report:

“Just having women in many leadership positions is not the only solution. You need women’s voices to be heard, and, when women are in leadership positions, for them to be in meaningful positions.”

Steps to be taken

The report outlines 12 solutions for:

“changing the status quo and improving women’s representation and inclusion in news leadership and creating a more balanced and inclusive news coverage that engages more female and racially-diverse audiences”.

News sector level 

1. Consolidate efforts at an industry level to enhance progress 

• Set up a body that unifies all working in this area under the umbrella of the gender equity cause.
• Nonprofits and associations working to improve women’s position in news should collaborate more and compete less.
• Develop industry-wide initiatives that aim to understand women audiences.

News organisational level

2. Conduct a comprehensive gender diversity audit across all elements of the news operation

• Carry out an audit of the existing gender balance and news initiatives for women along all the elements of the value chain.

3. Make the gender diversity strategy explicit

• Agree the goal to pursue gender balance in your news organisation and coverage and make it explicit in the organisation’s strategy.

News leadership level

4. Improve the representation of all women

• Raise awareness that male-favouring norms prevail in society and in journalism.
• Be intentional about change at all levels within your news organisation by setting targets and measuring representation continuously along the whole news value chain.
• Challenge the persistent soft vs. hard news gender stereotyping that keeps women out of editorial roles in high-profile areas such as politics, economics, and foreign affairs.
• Develop talent retention programmes, especially for mid-level managers.

5. Improve specifically the representation of women of colour

• Measure women’s representation to understand the role of race and ethnicity when overlaid onto gender.
• Review recruitment and retention processes to accommodate diverse talent.
• Establish and measure targets for representation and inclusion of women of colour.

6. Improve the inclusion of all women in decision-making

• Ensure everyone understands that a more diverse team does not automatically translate into inclusive decision making.
• Consciously tone down the competitive win-lose journalistic values inside the newsroom to create a more empathetic culture.
• Encourage support groups for women, with men on board.
• Use employee engagement surveys to measure employees’ and leaders’ perceived inclusion.
• Set up initiatives that specifically support individual women’s safety and well-being.

7. Improve specifically the inclusion of women of colour in decision making

• Beware of knee-jerk reactions to external trigger events which lead to superficial solutions.
• Educate yourself about the stressful experiences of women of colour in your news organisation.
• When considering a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiative, bring in experts to run it rather than allocating it to staff with lived experiences but no formalised expertise.
• Do not expect women or ethnic minority groups to lead and resolve their own underrepresentation or exclusion. Offer support.
• If you are a woman of colour, do not take on DEI initiatives if this is too emotionally draining.
• Measure and track the success of DEI initiatives. Establish baselines before the initiatives start.

Newsroom and journalism level

8. Improve the representation and inclusion of women in newsrooms 

• Implement recommendations for gender diversity in the workplace from the “Gender Parity in News Checklist” in ‘The Missing Perspectives of Women in News’ report (p. 166). The two-page checklist is embedded at the foot of this article.

Newsgathering and news coverage

9. Improve the representation of all women

• Focus on circumventing the five main biases in journalism (status quo, male bias leading to gender blindness, short-term outlook, reductive journalism, organisations’ unwillingness to report on themselves).
• Measure the impact of your women-centric journalism.
• Make your newsroom more inclusive and accessible through outreach training.
• Ensure the sustainability of interventions to diversify contributors: keep them simple, get backing from both the top and the grassroots, and, ideally, make them voluntary.

10. Improve storytelling about women of all colours

• Look for story angles that appeal to both women and men.
• Use more micro angles in storytelling, including human stories to make macro stories relevant.
• Increase news coverage of seven gender gaps (power, pay, safety, authority, confidence, health, and ageism), which are wider for people of colour.
• Introduce inclusive storytelling and encompass the perspectives of different communities and audience groups about how a particular story affects them.

11. Improve the portrayal of all women

• Recognise that the portrayal of women of all colours in the news is an industry blind spot.
• Start measuring the use of common gender or racial stereotypes in your news coverage.
• Focus on expertise rather than identity when interviewing women contributors.
• Conduct portrayal analyses to understand how news contributors are portrayed.

News consumption and impact

12. Reframe the case for change to include the business opportunity of serving women audiences 

• Develop a business plan for increasing revenue from women audiences whilst still retaining men’s readership.
• Research and develop women-friendly news products and formats.
• Track women’s engagement and consumption.
• Track the impacts of any new strategy (on finance, brand, individuals, influencers, and decision-makers).

The business case

The report says gender equality in news makes business sense. It claims that if the “addressable gender consumption gap” in the global news industry is closed there could be a potential cumulative revenue opportunity of $43 billion between 2023 and 2027 and $83 billion between 2023 and 2032. See the section of the report covering business opportunities (part 4, chapter 2).

Outrage to Opportunities

The entire 282-page report Outrage to Opportunity is embedded below.

The report was produced by the international audience strategy consultancy AKAS, and published by Internews.

The gender parity in news checklist

This checklist appeared on pages 166 and 167 in the 2020 report by Luba Kassova “The Missing Perspectives of Women in News“. It is republished here with the author’s permission.

The post Female representation in news leadership and coverage first appeared on Media Helping Media.