Women now make up the majority of the newsroom at USA TODAY.
In our latest survey on staff diversity, released today, women were 51.7% of all journalists. We also made strides in the percentage of Black (13.6%), Hispanic (10.1%) and Asian American (7%) journalists. Overall, the newsroom was 34% journalists of color.
We compare ourselves to 2019 U.S. Census Bureau data, the most recent available at the time of our survey, in which the population was 12.5% Black, 18.5% Hispanic and 5.8% Asian American. Overall, the nation was 39.9% people of color.
Our survey does not include data on sexual orientation or gender identity at this time.
Our goal is to reflect the diversity of the U.S. by 2025, so while we’ve made progress, we still have work to do. To be able to fully and accurately report the stories of our country, we must reflect it.
It’s a proud moment to see the progress we’ve made in hiring and retaining women, particularly women of color, to reach this milestone.
“It matters because the news industry records history and for a very long time that history has been written from a male gaze,” said Holly Moore, USA TODAY Network planning director. “People in newsrooms are making decisions about what’s covered, who’s interviewed and the language we use to tell stories. Having more women in those conversations is key to presenting the most accurate version of history.”
