Texas dailies employ 7.2 percent minorities

Texas dailies on average employ only 7.2 percent minorities in their combined workforce, compared to 13.52 percent minorities employed at dailies nationwide.

The data comes from the latest newsroom census conducted by the American Society of Newspaper Editors.

This year’s census found that the number of full-time journalists working at America’s daily newspapers shrank by 4.4 percent in the past year, the largest decrease in the past 30 years.

The percent of minority journalists working at daily newspapers grew minimally to 13.52 percent from 13.43 percent of all journalists, according to ASNE.

“The numbers represent a dual reality: It’s mildly encouraging that the minority percentage held steady despite difficult economic times that are causing many cutbacks,” ASNE President Gilbert Bailon said.

“On the other hand, the total number of minority journalists employed at daily newspapers declined by nearly 300 people, which follows the pattern for the overall newsroom workforce. Such a trend will not help newspapers in their quest to reach parity with the minority population by 2025.”

ASNE created the annual Newsroom Employment Census in 1978 as a tool to measure the industry’s success toward its goal of having the percentage of minorities working in newsrooms nationwide equal to the percentage of minorities in the nation’s population.

The 1978 census found an estimated 43,000 full-time journalists working as editors, reporters, copy editors and photographers of which 3.95 percent were minorities. The 2008 census found 52,600 full-time journalists of which 13.52 are minorities.

An estimated 2,400 journalists left newsrooms in 2007 through a combination of buyouts and layoffs. Since 2001, newsrooms have lost an estimated 3,800 professionals, a 6.7 percent decline. But the largest loss came last year.