Just as professional newspapers need different voices to tell community stories, so do school media. Having publications that reflect, as accurately as possible, the full picture of the school and its community requires diverse student media participation. A diverse staff offers various viewpoints and is more likely to cover a broader range of topics.
A 2012 American Society of News Editors survey showed the percentage of minorities in newsrooms had declined since 2010, even while the percentage of minorities making up the total U.S. population increased. Because many of today’s most pressing news topics (immigration, poverty and crime, for instance) reflect issues of culture and race, diversity among the journalists who cover these stories can mean greater sensitivity and understanding of the nuances involved.