The board members of the Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Journalism & Women Symposium, and NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists are deeply disappointed by the decision by NBC News to lay off staffers from their sites dedicated to marginalized communities.
While cutting nearly 7 percent of its newsroom, NBC News laid off staffers who were fully dedicated to its verticals covering Asian American and Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, and LGBTQ+ communities. The company has said the verticals will continue to be updated by staffers across the newsroom, but dissolving these editorial teams represents a step back in NBC’s longtime commitment to making sure their reporting represents the diversity of this country.
Leaders from AAJA, NABJ, JAWS, and NLGJA met with NBC executives on Wednesday to discuss our concerns. They said the decision was related to financial pressures, and reaffirmed their commitment to continuing the work to cover diverse communities and experiences. NAHJ has requested an in-person meeting early next month.
As groups dedicated to ensuring the news industry and its coverage reflect our audiences, we urge NBC News to remain steadfast in their support for championing essential coverage of Asian American and Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, and LGBTQ+ communities – and to recommit to representative newsrooms that reflect the diversity of every community.
When NBC Asian America was created more than a decade ago, it was a pioneering addition to a news ecosystem that often relegated stories of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities to the background. Since its creation, NBC Asian America has published breaking news, uplifted untold stories, and shed light on and brought important nuance to AAPI experiences. In recent years, it was particularly instrumental in giving voice to AAPIs during a period of anti-Asian hate.
AAJA’s board of directors celebrates the achievements of those who have led, championed, and contributed to NBC Asian America through the years. We challenge newsrooms to step up to the challenge of covering all communities – including Asian American and Pacific Islander, Black, Latino, and LGBTQ+ communities – with empathy, depth, and nuance. AAJA stands ready to assist NBC News with ensuring that AAPIs remain a priority in their reporting, mitigate any impact on coverage of our communities, and assist our members affected by the layoffs.
AAJA continues to offer waived year-long membership fees to those affected by the cuts, access to our career center and a resource guide on navigating layoffs.
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