The following are remarks presented by NAMME Chair Mei-Mei Chan at the NAMME Awards Dinner.
NAMME is unique in its vision of inclusion. We represent, unite and nurture leaders of color across media, across disciplines and across ethnicities. We are the intersection and the integration of all those who believe that having diverse leaders is vital to our success as news and information providers.
I was invited to ASNE's Diversity roundtable earlier this week where the newsroom census numbers were shared. While the percent of minorities working in newsrooms crept up to 13.87%, that is far below today's 33% minority population, and well below the target needed to reach parity by 20225. There was robust conversation about the implications. Two key questions surfaced: One: why does parity matter? Two: What will it take to stimulate exponential movement?
The issues are supremely complex. And yet for me, the answers are simple:
ONE: Having your newsroom reflect your community is imperative if you are to connect with audiences, which in turn connects with your advertisers. We as the media have no business model if we do not connect with audiences, wherever they are, however they're accessing news and information, whatever their color, language and interest.
2006 Awards Banquet
Read NAMME Executive Director Toni Law's remarks presented at the Awards Banquet.
View photos from the 2006 Awards Banquet.
TWO: At the end of the day, it all starts at the top. What matters to our bosses matters to us. It's why some of us choose to work where we work. Our executives set the agenda, whether it's news staff to reflect the community, or courageous coverage under horrific circumstances, or patiently investing today for ROI in the future, or sounding the call to reinvent ourselves.
It's all about leadership. And NAMME's membership represents some of the most innovative strategic leaders in our industry, with holistic perspectives that enrich the dialogue and quality of decisions on behalf of all our stakeholders, especially the communities we serve.
NAMME has four signature programs:
The McCormick Tribune Fellowships focuses on top-level executive development, and will have graduated 73 senior leaders of color including this year's class.
The Al Fitzpatrick Development Institute (LDI) develops mid-level managers, and has trained 300 emerging leaders of color.
Our annual conference provides executive development, multimedia insights, and unique perspectives about our changing audiences. This year, it will be at the Ritz-Carlton in Washington, D.C., July 12-14.
And our fourth signature program is this, our annual Awards celebration, which will have honored 69 leaders of diversity, including tonight. This, by the way, is our major fundraiser to help support all our efforts: We thank you for your generosity into the future.