Media mavens and new media school grads alike converged on the 25th Anniversary Women’s Forum Breakfast, held in the Skyline Ballroom of Chicago’s McCormick Place today.
Rolling out spoke with these women-in-the-know about the state of diversity in media.
Here’s what they had to say.
Cathy Hughes
Founder, Chairperson of the Board and Secretary of Radio One
How diverse is the media landscape?
“Women have made more progress in basketball with the WNBA than they have with the WNAB.
I go to gatherings of owners, and I’m still the only African American. The progress for women in media has been so slow, so sluggish because it’s still controlled by the old boy’s network.”
How can we implement change?
“Do what I’m going to do and go over to WVON in partnership with Melody Spann. We’ve got to form coalitions — we’ve got to look out for each other.”
Faith Morris
CEO/Chief Strategist of Merge Consumer Marketing
How diverse is the media landscape?
“There are nowhere near enough black faces, black voices, and black articles. There’s still a perspective out there that is not covered. I think media is coming along. I certainly know a lot of folks who are heading up media operations and I support them very heavily because I think what they do is critical. I do think our hands are tied because we still don’t have the power in numbers, or the clout, or the financial strength to do everything that needs to be done.”
How can we implement change?
“If our leaders in media would get together, and if we could really have some kind of consortium and become more involved with each other — that’s easier said than done, because we’re all independent.
My folks that are in media are being very creative on how to survive, and some of them are doing a fabulous job at it. They have recreated their brand, they have recreated who they are, and they’re not just print anymore. They’re print and digital, they’re doing events, they’ve become multifaceted just to make sure they stay relevant and stay at the table.”
Aleta M. Clardy Vice President, Midway Broadcasting Corporation Home of WVON Talk 1690 and WRLL 1450 AM
How diverse is the media landscape?
“In terms of hiring, many of the stations that target minorities will have more minorities that they hire. Stations that are more mainstream formatted will have predominantly caucasians.
The thing that makes the difference is really the persistence in terms of the candidates really being persistent and fully knowledgeable, and making themselves visible at a multitude of events, consumer as well as trade. It is all about who you know and meeting and getting to know the right people.
Today’s world of advertisers and marketers are predominantly young caucasians in many cases, where companies have had to downsize many of the more tenured, seasoned, skilled professionals and have had to hire people at a younger age, as well as people who don’t have all of the expenses — the homes, the children to support — so [corporations have] made a conscious decision to hire people with less baggage. It’s a matter of connecting, in any business especially radio, it’s about connecting and differentiating ourselves in terms of our unique sales proposition. It’s all about, ‘how are you different and how is that going to benefit me?”
What can job seekers of color do to increase their odds of employment?
“Lots of networking and understanding the business, educating and subscribing to the right trade publications, in order to get to know that particular client’s business, as well as networking with the proper people so that you can network with them on the proper level. People want to know that you know their business before you come up to them, talking about what they can do for you.”
Virginia Clarke,
President and CEO of Talent Optimization Partners
How diverse is the media landscape?
“We’re not doing well, still. Yes, we’ve got several minority-owned media companies. We have a lot of on-air talent and that’s great, but I don’t know about the ownership. I just think there’s a bigger base and we can have better representation.“
What can we do to improve things?
“I think, we train quite a few people. Larger media organizations need to understand and become more serious about hiring. That’s my specialty, I’m a talent management and career management expert and a former executive recruiter, so in my world I find that so many companies say that they have a commitment to diversity, but they’re not really putting people of color and women in the most important revenue-generating parts of the business. We’re not always behind the scenes and we do not always own and that’s what we need to do.”
Leah Holmes
Account executive, WVON Talk Radio
How diverse is the media landscape? “Over the past five years I’ve noticed diversity in media has progressed in the way that we are portrayed in the news, as well as reality TV and music — as far as us broadening our categories, styles and genres that we reach. In news, I see that we tend to have a stronger presence.
As far as positivity, sometimes we’re still portrayed in a negative way. But I’ve still seen our image and who we are as a people. I wouldn’t say that we’re portrayed extremely negatively, but I’ve seen our roles so far as more powerful, influential, political, and educational figures — more so than just rappers and actors.”
Janeal Garry
Recent graduate of Columbia College, studied radio and broadcast journalism job seeker.
How diverse is the media landscape?
“My mother is two generations before me, and being able to see television today and see more women who look like us has definitely shown that we’ve made a lot of progress. I think this is normal and she thinks its unheard of. I think that it’s a pillar in history, this is something that has never happened before — so many black women in media, it’s empowering. It’s inspiring and motivating.”
