A free, fair and equitable press is an essential part of our democracy. But Pennsylvania’s two biggest newspapers have historically undermined the state’s Black communities, eroding trust both among the public and their own reporters.

Last month, journalists at the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette accused the leadership of both outlets of dismissing the vital work and important concerns of journalists of color, particularly in coverage of the Black Lives Matter protests and the resulting police escalation. [1] [2]

But this dangerous behavior didn’t begin last month and it isn’t limited to these two outlets -- much of our contemporary media coverage has skewed the public perception of issues affecting Black and Brown communities and silenced the voices in those communities. The lack of diversity in newsrooms and discriminatory practices towards journalists of color contribute to uneven reporting that keeps Black and Brown communities from fully participating in our democracy.

We echo the demands raised by more than 40 community organizations, social justice groups, and local leaders. [3]

We demand that these newspapers: release audits of their leadership and readership demographics … institute new guidelines for criminal-legal coverage that center the communities impacted … diversify management … and create a community-advisory board and public editor to ensure accountability.

Holding these media outlets accountable for last month’s actions is just the beginning -- they must take concrete steps to guide their coverage of diversity and equity.

[1] https://www.businessinsider.com/philadelphia-inquirer-buildings-matter-too-journalists-of-color-headline-letter-2020-6
[2] https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020/06/08/pittsburgh-post-gazette-alexis-johnson-michael-santiago/
[3] https://www.freepress.net/sites/default/files/2020-06/coalition_sign_on_letter_to_philly_inquirer_final.pdf