What is “Sources Of Color” and How Can Journalists Use It?
It’s no secret by now that newsrooms are overwhelmingly white. Poynter surveyed over 12,000 journalists, and despite newsrooms scoring high in the “age” and “gender” diversity markers, most journalists (52 percent) said that their newsrooms were lacking in racial diversity. Also disturbingly, white respondents were more likely to say that their colleagues of color were treated “fairly,” but respondents of color were much less likely to say that people were treated “fairly” in relation to their age, gender, or race.
This discrepancy shows up in journalism itself. Gabe Schneider, a journalist for Poynter, noted that “reporting on race or gender or class or disability or sexual orientation is often relegated to a passing mention or a one-off story, not a theme that’s punctuated throughout media stories.” Therefore, audiences of color see very little representation for themselves even in stories that are supposed to be covering issues of race. “It’s definitely something that’s legitimate and obvious,” journalist Max Tani said, “to people who pay attention to these kinds of things.”
A new database has arisen from the need for more access and more journalism centered around people of color. Sources Of Color, powered by KG Communications, aims to “highlight the melanin in media” by making journalists and experts of color more easily accessible for newsrooms to seek out. “Sources of Color was developed as a direct response to the lack of representation found in the media,” reads the website. “We help BIPOC subject matter experts, PR professionals, and journalists connect by using a searchable database and a suite of in-platform communication tools.”
The database aims to reduce the amount of time journalists spend researching or finding experts for their work, while layering in an extra level of inclusivity and more variable points of view. Sources Of Color allows users to create custom profiles wherein they can share both lived experience and expertise in order to facilitate connection. The platform has a match feature where it uses keywords entered by users to match them to what they need more efficiently, and contains in-platform video calling and text chatting capabilities. The service is free for journalists to use, but experts and sources who are looking to broaden and deepen their media connections and exposure will have to pay a $10/month premium in order to retain access to the website.
“Sources of Color presents a unique opportunity to ensure diverse voices are not only heard, but captured within newsrooms across the country,” wrote Angelo D. Jones II, the President, Black Public Relations Society of Atlanta (BPRSA). “BPRSA is proud to support this purpose-driven resource and looks forward to its continued success.”
Racial diversity is not the only problem plaguing newsrooms, and many journalist-focused resources have begun compiling lists of resources for more diversity and inclusion in newsrooms and in journalism. Sources Of Color is a new item on the list, but racial diversity issues cannot be solved by a database alone. In order to create a blueprint for change, journalists must actively call upon as many resources as they have at their disposal in order to make their own work more equitable and inclusive, and only then can we hope to see newsrooms seriously heighten their diversity and equity practices. In the meanwhile, resources like Sources Of Color are there to support the transition into a more equitable society.
