NBC’s weekly news program needs some color along with its edge.
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If its Sunday, I’m watching white people interview politicians, corporate executives and foreign dictators on “Meet the Press,” usually with a bowl of cereal or a cheesy omelet.
And although I’m not usually entertained by the program—and I don’t think the producers want to me to be—the hour-long show does inform me of relevant happenings and sometimes the conversation is so engaging that I Google clips afterwards to relive the moment, though I’ve never been to the show’s website nor downloaded its fancy E-book.
Nonetheless, I’m a fan of the Washington, D.C., based production and of David Gregory, so I was a little disappointed to see him go. But even more, I was disappointed to hear that he’ll be replaced by another white man.
Though I’m not surprised that Chuck Todd was selected to steer the ship—I actually enjoy watching him as well—I was hoping that NBC News would’ve used this moment to draw from a new deck, and potential broadcast the show IN LIVING COLOR!
Mr. Todd’s ascension to the moderator’s role on MTP, while he may deserve it, is reflective of a much larger issue—one that should actually be discussed at length on the show: the lack of diversity in newsrooms and on-air programming.
I’m not the first person of color to recognize and criticize NBC News for white-washing its media platforms and only using color to trace the lines of the pictures. In 2010, the network was lambasted by black members of Congress who questioned how it was possible for them not to have any African-American targeted shows.
After that “scolding,” NBC News pledged to feature “a more diverse group of voices on the show.” And though I don’t think they’ve done a great job of executing that – seeing as how I can count the amount of blacks who’ve been featured on the platform, most notably Joy Reid, Mayor Kasim Reed, Rev Al Sharpton, Dr. Ben Carson, Marc Morial, Attorney Benjamin Crump, and Mayor Michael Nutter – the real issue goes beyond just adding black leaders and journalists to the panel rotation, what NBC News needs to do is commit to diversifying its newsrooms and news products across platforms and markets.
The reality is that journalist of color make up less than 13 percent of newsroom employees—which is troubling considering minorities now account for one-third of the U.S population—and 90 percent of newsrooms supervisors are white.
NBC News, which operates under NBCUniversal News Group, a subsidiary of NBCUniversal—which is owned by Comcast Corporation—is uniquely positioned to dramatically change the landscape of American news so that it’s reflective of the country’s cultural, economic, political and racial makeup.
Diversity in media energizes our democracy and is critical component to making us a stronger, more understanding nation. NBC News—and all major news outlets for that matter—should to do more than pledge to feature a more diverse group of voices, they should make the voices of all communities and their leaders a regular part of the conversation.
Thanks for reading. Until next time, I’m Flood the Drummer® & I’m Drumming for JUSTICE!™
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Photo: AP/Virginia Sherwood