Journalists draw crowd at 'U'

More than 500 people packed the Michigan League Ballroom yesterday to hear journalists, including Mike Wallace, Charles Gibson, John Hockenberry and P.J. O'Rourke, speak at the "Diversity and the News" forum.

Professional journalists, college students, high school journalism students, professors and concerned citizens were among those who attended the eight-hour program.

"When you talk about diversity, it is relatively easy to be for it, but the practical applications can be difficult," said Gibson, who co-anchors "Good Morning America."

MALLORY S.E. FLOYD/Daily Renowned CBS news correspondant and University alumnus Mike Wallace speaks at the Media Conference yesterday at the Michigan League Ballroom.

The panels addressed a wide range of diversity issues including the roles that race, gender, sexual preference, age, class and physical abilities should play in news staffs and news coverage.

"Forty-three and a half percent of daily newspapers employ no people of color in the newsroom," said Walt Swanston, executive director of Unity '99, a National Minority Journalism Association coalition. "The issues are not going to be resolved overnight."

While the day's discussions generally proceeded smoothly, a group of activists unhappy with the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News booed and hissed every time those newspapers were mentioned or their staff members spoke.

Members of this group caused such a disturbance that at one point, Gibson, who moderated the afternoon session, said, "I will take some time while you guys leave. If you do not feel comfortable here, you are free to leave."

The protesters said they were unhappy with the newspapers' handling of a labor union strike.

This conference, sponsored by the Michigan Journalism Fellows and the Committee of Concerned Journalists, featured about 30 print and television journalists from across the country who explored diversity's role in the media.

Panelists identified specific areas in which diversity needs to be increased and improved in the media. A major concern of many participants was the makeup of newsroom staffs.

"Newspapers need to reflect their entire communities," said Sue Burzynski, assistant managing editor and administrator at The Detroit News. "I think having a diverse staff is key to broadening comfort zones."

Many of the speakers encouraged the journalism community to continue to work hard to achieve diverse staffs, diverse sources, and an atmosphere of inclusion.

"We in the media cannot be all things to all people, but we must never stop trying," said Clarence Page, columnist and editorial board member at The Chicago Tribune.

Many who attended the event said they were pleased with the selection of speakers and the manner in which the issues were discussed by the panelists.

"I think it's great that they came to give their opinions on a topic affecting our University right now," said LSA first-year student Neil Kinra.

The high-profile journalists slated to speak at the forum attracted several University students.

"I saw the list of names of people that were going to be speaking at this event and I was very interested to hear what they had to say on diversity in the news," said LSA sophomore David Freedland.

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