June 25, 2006

This year, we have asked APME editors to share good examples of diversity coverage from their markets. We're received several responses, which we've shared below. If you have any examples from your print, online or niche publications, please e-mail a few paragraphs about the project, its web site address and a visual element to mporto@delawareonline.com.

– Marisa Porto, assistant managing editor,The (Wilmington, Del.) News Journal.

Features Editor Bob Walsh, Richmond Times-Dispatch:

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Graduating senior Anoop Kochar, 18, has taught people about his faith by participating in panel discussions at local churches, helping to plan summer camps designed to teach diversity and by appearing in a video, "The Sikh Next Door." His father phoned in a tip about his son and the video to Times-Dispatch reporter Janet Caggiano, then sent her a packet of information. The more she checked into Anoop's activities, the more he seemed like a good story.

Caggiano took a look at the DVD and did some research on the Sikh faith. She and the photographer, Eva Russo, spent several days with Anoop over a two- to three-week period, going to his home, temple, school and the rescue squad where he volunteers. She talked to his friends, family, director of the video and his rescue squad adviser to get a feel for the young man before she met him. She had a lot of good questions before she and Anoop sat down to talk. By knowing some details about what he went through after 9-11, she was able to talk with ease about his experiences and the slurs he had encountered.

The result was a main story, two sidebars – one about his desire to help others and the other about Sikhism – and photos that gave readers a good look inside a lifestyle most people are not familiar with. Anoop's father's reaction: "The story was in great detail and depth. The article was well-balanced in its contents and layout. It actually catches (a) reader's eye and makes him/her curious to read the article. The Richmond Sikh community was very happy, excited and at ease to see an article on Sikhs and especially at that detail and depth. It makes us feel that (The) Times-Dispatch has done a great public service in educating the community about Sikhs. It will help the Sikhs in the Richmond area to live comfortably with their traditions."

Richard Ramirez, assistant to the executive editor, San Jose Mercury News:

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In 2006, the Mercury News redoubled efforts to connect with its communities. Because of our region's diversity – Santa Clara County is 60 percent minority and about a third of its residents were born outside the United States – it's imperative that we hear from these groups regularly.

The paper formed four reader panels – for Latinos, Vietnamese-Americans, Chinese-Americans and a diverse group of readers – which have met quarterly. Each panel has about a dozen members, who were recommended by staff members.

The sessions have produced story ideas ranging from profiles to trend pieces and added perspective to coverage already planned. Some of the story ideas have included:

• The battle in one community over whether a neighborhood park should add a soccer field.

• A profile of a Chinese-American multimillionaire Silicon Valley powerbroker.

• The role of the local Vietnamese community in the San Jose mayor's race.

• A look at how the ethnic media are filling a need here.

• The local Mexican consulate offering free legal advice to Mexican nationals.

• The possibility of Santa Clara County having in 2007 five Asian-American mayors (out of 15 cities.)

These meetings have coincided with the nation's immigration debate and panelists have helped us view our coverage through the community's eyes.

The Asian panels enriched a story about Asian illegal immigrants keeping a low profile in the immigration debate.

Latino panelists have asked us to re-examine our use of the term "illegal immigrants." Members are suggesting we move toward "undocumented workers" or "undocumented immigrants."

Several of our journalists are having an ongoing dialogue about our use of the terms. And we've asked about 15 other papers across the country for their input. Our newsroom is still studying this, but whatever the decision, community members will know that their concerns were taken seriously and the issue was researched thoroughly.

These sessions have enhanced our journalism. In addition to getting us deeper into these communities, the meetings also have paved the way for an ongoing, open dialogue.

From Logan Molen, managing editor, The Bakersfield Californian:

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About 42 percent of Kern County is Hispanic, and the numbers are growing. About six months ago to help reach that audience, The Californian launched a weekly newsmagazine called Mas. The magazine targets second-generation Hispanics, of which only about 25 percent subscribe to The Californian.

Mas is published in English but is strong on Hispanic heritage and culture. Mas is an opportunity to serve a large and growing part of our community with content that focuses on culture and other issues such as health and education that are covered from a Latino perspective.

The print version is free and thrown to 25,000 to 30,000 houses in the Bakersfield area. It's also available on newsstands.

Mas has a small staff but is mostly fed by community columnists and contributors (two of whom recently won writing awards). In addition, the online version allows readers to participate by sharing their own news, photos and opinions.

From Antoinette Taylor-Thomas, managing editor, The Lancaster (Ohio) Eagle-Gazette:

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The Lancaster Eagle-Gazette staff meets quarterly to brainstorm and plan enterprise coverage for each quarter. Reporters come to the meeting with story ideas. The ideas can come from trends, observations, calendar events or their beats. We do a solid job of covering diversity in our community, which has a minority population of about 5 percent, throughout the year. Our goal is to produce diversity stories that also are deeper and richer in subject, local ties and approach each year. Among the topics covered this quarter:

• A number of stories were covered during Black History Month. In one of them, the staff profiled four blacks who grew up in Lancaster, which is now about 2 percent African-American, during the early 1900s to the Civil Rights Movement. It focused on the challenges they faced and how they overcame them. Also for Black History Month, the staff published a local or state black history question each day. The next day, we published the answer. In sports, we wrote about how much high school athletes know about the struggles of early black athletes, how it has or hasn't influenced them.

• For Women's History Month, we featured four women from different generations in a question and answer package. They talked about how far they come, the glass ceiling and who they thought were the most influential women in the world now. The package also included a list of events planned for the month and a story on how far women have come in the community.

The coverage for both received a number of responses from readers. In particular, readers thanked us for sharing the stories about growing up black in Lancaster. We hit a single-copy sales record that Sunday the Black History package was published.

From Sue Halena, managing editor, St. Cloud (Minn.) Times:

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New immigrants are a significant and growing part of Central Minnesota's population and manufacturing work force. It was essential to have immigrant voices in a story about proposed changes in immigration laws. Our reporter worked hard to find an identifiable source for the story, and we held the story for a couple weeks because of that. Coincidentally, the story was finally ready to go at the time the Senate passed its immigration bill. It succeeded in showing that the national issue is a local issue too, one that warranted the dominant photo on Page 1A.