The News Leaders Association (NLA) was formed in 2018 by the merger of the American Society of News Editors (ASNE) and the Associated Press Managing Editors. It is a left-of-center coalition of journalists that works to promote journalists’ rights and racial equity outcomes in the news media. ¹

History

The predecessor to the American Society of News Editors was founded in 1922 following publication in The Atlantic of two articles critical of the news media. ASNE later absorbed the fiscally weak Association of Opinion Journalists, with the latter donating most of its remaining endowment to the Poynter Institute for Media Studies to train ethnic-minority opinion journalists. In 2018, ASNE merged with the Associated Press Managing Editors to form the News Leaders Association. ²

Projects

Diversity Survey

In 1978, ASNE crafted its first Diversity Survey (then known as the Newsroom Employment Census) to compile statistical data about minority representation among journalists. The survey was last conducted in 2018, when a record-low 17 percent of newsrooms responded to the survey. After the merger creating the News Leaders Association, the survey switched to an interview format, partnering with the University of Virginia Department of Media Studies to gain insight into methods to increase diversity outcomes. This project received funding from John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Democracy Fund, and Google News Lab. ³

Minority Leadership Institute/Emerging Leaders

The Minority Leadership Institute is a training program aimed at equipping minority groups with the skills necessary to lead news organizations. This program began in 1978, when ASNE challenged journalistic organizations nationwide to achieve full racial parity outcomes in newsrooms by the year 2000. The target date has since been changed to 2025. In 2012, the program was rebranded as the Emerging Leaders Institute. This group partnered with the National Association of Black Journalists’ convention in August 2017 to provide leadership and management training to Emerging Leaders members. ⁴

Transformative Transparency Project

In June 2021,  News Leaders Association launched the Transformative Transparency Project, a diversity initiative meant to expand minority representation in journalism. The impetus for this project began in 2018, a year in which only 17 percent of newsrooms responded to the ASNE’s Diversity Survey. The project represents a shift from simply reporting racial statistics to forcefully advocating for greater diversity along lines of race, gender, and sexual orientation. In a 2020 press release, NLA diversity committee chair Katrice Hardy stated that “NLA is no longer asking, we are now demanding news leaders take significant actions that truly lead to diverse and inclusive newsrooms.” Among other suggestions, NLA recommended an organization initiate a 90-day challenge to fully diversify its leadership. ⁵

Awards

Ranging between $1,000 and $2500, News Leaders Association journalism awards included the Blethen Award for accountability, the Batten Medal for courage in journalism, and the First Amendment Award for the protection of freedom of speech. ⁶

People

Nancy Barnes is president of  News Leaders Association, as well as the senior vice president for news and the editorial director of National Public Radio. She is also the former executive director of Hearst Texas Newspapers and the Houston Chronicle. Barnes is also former executive editor of the Minneapolis Star Tribune Media Company. ⁷

Katrice Hardy is a board member at NLA and the chair of its diversity committee. Hardy is also the former editor of Greenville News, part of the USA Today network of newspapers, and is executive editor of the Dallas Morning News ⁸

1. Edmonds, Rick. “The Logic for Two Separate Newspaper Organizations Evaporates and So They Merge.” Poynter. June 21, 2018. Accessed February 14, 2022.  https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2018/the-logic-for-two-separate-newspaper-organizations-evaporates-%C2%97-and-so-they-merge/
2. Edmonds, Rick. “The Logic for Two Separate Newspaper Organizations Evaporates and So They Merge.” Poynter. June 21, 2018. Accessed February 14, 2022.  https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2018/the-logic-for-two-separate-newspaper-organizations-evaporates-%C2%97-and-so-they-merge/
3. “Newsroom Diversity Survey.” News Leaders Association. Accessed February 14, 2022. https://members.newsleaders.org/newsroom_diversitysurvey
4. Dodson, Verinique. “ASNE Brings Emerging Leaders Institute to #NABJ17.” National Association of Black Journalists. June 23, 2017. Accessed February 14, 2022. https://www.nabj.org/news/351599/ASNE-brings-Emerging-Leaders-Institute-to-NABJ17.htm
5. “News Leaders Association Calls for Structural Changes on Newsroom Diversity.” News Leaders Association. June 12, 2020. Accessed February 14, 2022. https://www.newsleaders.org/nla-updates/news-leaders-association-calls-for-structural-changes-on-newsroom-diversity
6. “Categories.” News Leaders Association. Accessed February 14, 2022. https://members.newsleaders.org/content.asp?pl=30&sl=15&contentid=227
7. “Nancy Barnes.” News Leaders Association. Accessed February 14, 2022. https://www.newsleaders.org/barnesbio
8. “Katrice Hardy.” News Leaders Association. Accessed February 14, 2022. https://www.newsleaders.org/hardy-bio