The National Association of Black Journalists has named Roland Martin its Journalist of the Year for 2013, the organization announced Wednesday, lining up behind the journalist and commentator after CNN refused to renew Martin's contract.

In another development, Soledad O'Brien, another journalist of color whose role at CNN is being diminished, included Martin on her "Starting Point" show Wednesday morning despite a reported order to some CNN producers not to book him.

"Starting Point" ends soon, to be replaced by a show with a different host, presumably white. Under an arrangement with CNN, O'Brien, who is black and Latina, is forming a production company and plans to continue to supply documentaries to CNN on a nonexclusive basis. Those documentaries include her "Black in America" and "Latino in America" franchises, which she now owns.

The NABJ board voted Martin "Journalist of the Year" in a March 20 conference call, NABJ President Gregory H. Lee Jr. told Journal-isms, the day after Martin disclosed his contract was not being renewed. The disclosure fanned further concern about CNN's commitment to journalists of color under new President Jeff Zucker.

"Roland Martin has had an enviable career as a multimedia journalist, becoming a respected and trusted voice in print, on air and online," Lee said in the NABJ statement. "He is unapologetic about his quest to provide well-rounded coverage of the African-American community, and to provide unique insights to diverse audiences across the many platforms on which he is asked to contribute on a regular basis."

The release continued, "Those who nominated Martin noted his important coverage of voter suppression, perhaps the biggest story of the 2012 presidential election.

" 'No other African-American journalist and member of NABJ brought more news and analysis to black communities about the most important story of 2012 than Roland Martin,' said Vanessa Williams, former NABJ President and an editor at The Washington Post. 'As managing editor and host of Washington Watch on TV One, Roland consistently offered journalism that reflected the hopes and fears of many African American voters as they anxiously watched to see whether Barack Obama would win a second term as president of the United States.' "

Martin took a poke at CNN in his own statement, included in the release.

"I am enormously thankful and humbled that NABJ has bestowed this amazing honor on me for my work as a fearless voice in advocating the critical issues facing voters in the 2012 election, but especially as they relate to African Americans," he said. "I hope this honor serves as a lesson to any young or veteran journalist that Black media platforms are just as essential and important to us today as they have always been.

"Before CNN, TV One offered me a TV platform for my commentaries, as well my own show. After CNN, TV One and Tom Joyner are still there. It pleases me greatly to be at a place where our voices and images are the norm, and not the exception. I'm enormously thankful for the opportunity."

Martin, an NABJ stalwart and former board member, is honorary chairman of the upcoming NABJ convention.

In comments in cyberspace, many African Americans have reacted negatively to CNN's failure to renew Martin's contract, but not all have. Some have said "good riddance," citing what they considered his outsized personality. They joined others who have called Martin a homophobe over tweets last year that the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation denounced as anti-gay. CNN suspended Martin for a month, though Martin denied homophobic intent.

Indications were that those divisions would remain.

Robert Naylor Jr., a longtime diversity advocate within the Associated Press who was laid off in February last year as AP's director of career development/news, wrote the NABJ board, Martin's "insistence that the tweet was not intentionally anti-gay simply does not stand up. I cannot imagine the NABJ board not protesting another journalism organization bestowing such a high honor on someone who made a similarly racist comment. Your decision to overlook this gives the impression that NABJ does not genuinely care about the broader issue of diversity or, more specifically, [its] own LGBT members."

Others questioned Martin's accomplishments as a journalist, rather than as a pundit.

O'Brien announced on Twitter Wednesday morning that Martin would join her on her show, prompting a follower to ask whether the report about the order to producers not to book Martin was wrong. Martin replied, "not necessarily. @Soledad_OBrien wanted me here."

On the show, Martin was introduced as host of "Washington Watch With Roland Martin," his TV One Sunday show, and he discussed a variety of subjects, including North Dakota Gov. Jack Dalrymple's signing Tuesday of a measure that would make abortion illegal in the state after six weeks. "Dalrymple is asking the legislature to set aside money for legal battles he is expecting," O'Brien noted.

Charles D. Ellison, Uptown: Like Hip Hop, Black Talking Heads Are Not Dead

CNN Names Cuomo, Bolduan, Pereira to New Morning Show

CNN announced Thursday that Chris Cuomo and Kate Bolduan will co-host the network’s new morning show, which will premiere this spring, replacing Soledad O'Brien's "Starting Point."

O'Brien told Journal-isms that her last day is Friday. A CNN spokeswoman said the show would continue as "Starting Point" with fill-in anchors until the new show launches.

"Michaela Pereira will join CNN from KTLA Morning News in Los Angeles, as the program's news anchor. News executive Jim Murphy will oversee the program as senior executive producer, and Matt Frucci will serve as executive producer. The show will be broadcast from CNN's New York City studios," an announcement said.

It has long been reported that Jeff Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide, was eager to secure Cuomo, the former news anchor at ABC's "Good Morning America," for a morning show slot. He joined CNN in January.

The Canadian-born Pereira is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists, the Black Journalists Association of Southern California, and Alliance for Women in Media, according to her KTLA bio. She is also active with the NAACP. Cuomo and Bolduan are white; O'Brien is black and Latino.

The release continued, " 'I've been looking forward to this announcement since I first joined CNN,' said President of CNN Worldwide Jeff Zucker. 'Chris, Kate and Michaela are a dynamic team that will give our viewers in America a new way to start their day. We were floored with excitement when we saw Chris and Kate together on screen, and by adding Michaela to the mix we feel we have something very special. We believe there is an opening to do news in the morning with a fresh, new voice.' . . . "

Wendy M. Reynolds, beautycomeforth.com: Michaela Pereira: A Story of Her Own!

Story on Tax Abuse by the Undocumented Earns Peabody

A six-month investigation by WTHR-TV in Indianapolis that documented IRS mismanagement resulting in billions of dollars in fraudulent tax refunds, many going to immigrants in the country illegally, was among the recipients Wednesday of a Peabody award, the oldest in broadcasting.

"The national response to WTHR's 'Tax Loophole' investigation has been huge," the station said. "Millions of people have watched the videos that show how undocumented workers are tapping into an IRS loophole -- a loophole that allows illegal immigrants to claim billions of dollars in tax credits."

The station also said, "The investigation was viewed online more than 14 million times and triggered IRS reforms designed to save U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars.

"In announcing 39 Peabody recipients Wednesday morning at the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, the Peabody judges wrote 'WTHR's stunning investigation exposed not only how illegal immigrants were bilking billions in tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service but also how the IRS had known of the scamming and failed to stop it,' " the station reported.

Other winners included CBS-TV's "60 Minutes" for "Joy in the Congo," which celebrated the emergence of a homegrown symphony orchestra in that war-ravaged African republic; "D.L. Hughley: The Endangered List," "a mock documentary on Comedy Central in which the comedian campaigned to get black men the 'same EPA protections' as the Kaman cave cricket and the Texas kangaroo rat; the Smithsonian Channel's "MLK: The Assassination Tapes," "in which rare archival footage was fused into a gripping reconstruction of the events surrounding the Civil Rights leader's 1968 murder."

Also, "The Loving Story," "a poignant film shown on HBO about a couple infamously arrested in 1958 for daring to marry across racial lines"; "Summer Pasture," "an 'Independent Lens' film that chronicled a nomadic Tibetan family's natural and political hardships"; and "Why Poverty?," "a collection of eight distinctively different films from Steps International" on PBS "that explored aspects of that human condition historically and here and now"; "What Happened at Dos Erres," a "This American Life" spellbinder "about a Guatemalan immigrant who learns that the man he believed to be his father actually led the massacre of his village"; "Rapido y Furioso (Fast & Furious)," "Univision’s Mexican perspective on the infamous ATF gun-tracking debacle"; and "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel," on HBO, "a sterling magazine series that springboards from athletics," among others.

Complete list of winners

Apple, Google, Facebook Still Stonewalling on Diversity

"A CNN Money report finds that Google (GOOG), Apple (AAPL) and other tech titans continue to stonewall questions on the diversity of their workforce, five years after the Mercury News kicked off a quest to find out the racial makeup of the workforce at the country's most important technology companies," Jeremy C. Owens reported last week for the San Jose Mercury News.

"CNN Money, which began its own investigation in 2011, reported Monday that its attempts to obtain the data -- which companies with more than 100 employees must provide to the federal government annually -- from 20 prominent tech firms in the U.S. have hit the same roadblocks. Of the 20, only Intel (INTC), Dell and Ingram Micro voluntarily released the data.

"Ten companies were able to block the release of the data from the U.S. Department of Labor because they are not federal contractors: Facebook, LinkedIn, Netflix (NFLX), Twitter, Yelp, Zynga, Amazon, Groupon, Hulu and LivingSocial.

"Apple, Google, Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), IBM and Microsoft successfully appealed to the Labor Department to keep their information private, claiming that public release of the data would cause 'competitive harm.' Cisco (CSCO) and eBay (EBAY) data was released through the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, filing, providing the news organization with information from five of the 20 companies it originally contacted.

"The Mercury News attempted to obtain the same data from the 15 largest tech companies in Silicon Valley in 2008, and nine companies -- including Cisco, Intel and eBay -- turned it over. After six companies refused the request, an 18-month legal battle ensued that forced the release of the data from HP, but not the other five companies: Apple, Google, Yahoo (YHOO), Oracle (ORCL) and Applied Materials. . . .

Gay Journalists Urge "Same-Sex" Term, Not "Gay Marriage"

Just before two days of Supreme Court arguments on same-sex marriage issues began on Tuesday, the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association issued suggestions on covering the topic.

The arguments concluded Wednesday with the court appearing ready to strike down a central part of a federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman, as Adam Liptak and Peter Baker reported for the New York Times. A majority of the justices expressed reservations about the Defense of Marriage Act, the Times wrote.

NLGJA said, "Journalists should consider diversity of opinion when bringing these stories to readers, viewers and listeners. Look beyond preconceived 'pro' and 'con' sides. Not all LGBT community members are in favor of marriage for same-sex couples; not all members of communities of faith are opposed.

"Reporters should note the differences between marriage law and the legal designation of civil unions. Civil unions are presumed to extend many marriage benefits and protections; however, they do not include the federal protections and benefits available to married couples.

"As NLGJA has previously noted, the oft-used term 'gay marriage' is both inaccurate and misleading. 'Gay marriage' implies the creation of a new set of legal standards and guidelines as opposed to what is being sought by most advocates -- the extension of currently existing benefits and responsibilities to include same-sex couples. More appropriate terminology in discussing such legislation would be 'marriage rights for same-sex couples.' Or, in those instances where a briefer description is necessary, 'same-sex marriage' as 'same-sex' is a more accurate and inclusive description than 'gay.' "

Perry Bacon Jr., the Grio: How Obama changed the gay marriage debate

Jeff Bercovici, Forbes: Huffington Post Goes All In On Marriage Equality

Nisha Chittal, Poynter Institute: Journalists share arguments for, against using same-sex marriage symbols on social media profiles

Mary C. Curtis, Washington Post: A 'military spouse of the year' closely watches the Supreme Court

Eric Deggans, Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times: As Supreme Court considers ending gay marriage ban, I name TV's top portrayals of gay people which helped get us here

Keli Goff, the Root: Gay-Marriage Coverage: A Media Shutout?: Coverage of the issue may be overshadowing another important civil rights cause.

Susan Green, NPR: Fighting For The Right To Marry, A Family Tradition

Noah Rothman, Mediaite: CNN Anchor Gets In Explosive Personal Battle With Conservative Over 'Legality' Of Gay Marriage

Al Tompkins, Poynter Institute: Why the Supreme Court should allow TV cameras in the courtroom

Alex Weprin, TVNewser: After Proposition 8 Oral Arguments, Cautious Analysis From Correspondents

In Hollywood, TV Writers See Disconnect on Diversity

"In its latest analysis of the state of diversity in writing for TV, the Writers Guild of America, West finds that while there have been some recent job gains for minority and women writers, the employment playing field in Hollywood is far from level," the guild said Tuesday.

"The 2013 TV Staffing Brief analyzes employment patterns for 1,722 writers working on 190 broadcast and cable TV shows during the 2011-2012 season, highlighting three specific groups who have traditionally been underemployed in the TV industry: women, minority, and older writers.

" 'It all begins with the writing,' said Dr. Darnell Hunt, author of the report and director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA and professor of sociology. 'From concept to characters, from plot to narrative, writers play a fundamental role in the fashioning of stories a society circulates about itself. But in the Hollywood entertainment industry, unfortunately, there has all too often existed a disconnect between the writers hired to tell the stories and an America that's increasingly diverse with each passing day.'

The guild added:

"Minority writers nearly doubled their share of staffing positions since the millennium, but remain severely underrepresented. Between [the] 1999-00 and 2011-12 seasons, minority writers' share of TV employment increased from 7.5% to 15.6%. Despite this increase, minorities as a combined group remain underrepresented by a factor of more than 2 to 1 in television staff employment in the 2011-12 season.

"Women and minorities continue to be underrepresented among the ranks of Executive Producers in television. In the 2011-12 season, women were underrepresented by a factor of more than 2 to 1 among the writers who run television shows; minorities were underrepresented by a factor of nearly 5 to 1.

"10% of shows of TV shows in the 2011-12 season had no female writers on staff; nearly a third had no minority writers on staff.

"In the 2010-2011 television season, only 9% of pilots had at least one minority writer attached, while just 24% of pilots had at least one woman writer attached. . . . "

Expect to See More of Al Roker on NBC

"Another bit from the New York cover story on how NBC intends to bring 'Today' back to its former morning glory," Chris Ariens wrote Monday for TVNewser. "Joe Hagan writes:

"Last fall, Today producers used a research firm called Sterling to help analyze how viewers felt about the show. The producers flew to Florida to hang out in viewers’ living rooms, identifying themselves as researchers. A woman named Adrianna, for instance, thought the interviews went on too long, but she liked the weatherman. 'People told us, "I love that Al Roker," ' says ['Today' executive Alex] Wallace. 'So they're getting more Al Roker. It's not an anti-Matt [Lauer] thing at all.'

"Roker is already a fixture on the first three hours, he does another morning show, 'Wake up with Al,' on Weather Channel and he has his own production company that churns out shows for multiple networks. Still, you should expect to see more Al Roker. . . . "

David Bauder, Associated Press: NBC's Wallace: 'We're Not Replacing Lauer'

Kevin Eck, TVSpy: Al Roker: My First Big Break (Feb. 27)

Marisa Guthrie, Hollywood Reporter: NBC: Anderson Cooper Not Approached for Matt Lauer Job

Brian Stelter, New York Times: Call to a CNN Host Hints at a Shifting 'Today'

Environmental Websites Looking for Freelancers

The Washington Post's Darryl Fears wrote Sunday of the nation's large environmental organizations, "the level of diversity, both in leadership and staff, of groups such as the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Sierra Club and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation is more like that of the Republican Party they so often criticize for its positions on the environment than that of the multiethnic Democratic Party they have thrown their support behind. . . ."

Peter Dykstra, publisher of Environmental Health News and its sister site, the Daily Climate, says the same is true of the environmental press.

"Science and environmental journalism is not a very diverse place," Dykstra told Journal-isms by telephone Wednesday. The former CNN executive producer for science, environment, weather and technology coverage encourages 'capable freelancers' to contact his staff after studying the sites to see what they publish. Staff members work from home.

Also open are entry-level jobs aggregating the 200 stories the sites collect daily, he said. Dykstra notes proudly that Environmental Health News won honorable mention in the Oakes Awards competition, conducted by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism for "Pollution, Poverty, People of Color," a 10-part series.

Interested writers should contact Douglas Fischer, editor of the Daily Climate, Marla Cone, editor-in-chief of Environmental Health News, or Pauli Hayes, managing editor, for the entry-level jobs. Contact information is on this page.

Short Takes

"After seven tumultuous years for Gannett, Arthur Harper is leaving the 10-member board of directors, effective with the annual shareholders' meeting in May," Jim Hopkins reported Wednesday for his independent Gannett Blog. "Corporate quietly disclosed his planned retirement last month, without giving a reason or saying whether he will be replaced. Harper, who is African-American, may well be Gannett's lone minority director at a time when corporate boards everywhere are pressed to diversify even more. . . ."

"Former ESPN anchor and current Good Morning America host Robin Roberts will be honored with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2013 ESPYS in Los Angeles on July 17," Marcus Vanderberg reported Tuesday for FishbowlLA. "The award is presented annually to 'individuals whose contributions transcend sports,' and Roberts definitely fits the bill. In the past six years, Roberts has battled and defeated not only breast cancer but myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a rare blood disorder. . . . "

"Carlos Sanchez, the managing editor of NOLA Media Group's new Baton Rouge bureau, has resigned after less than six months on the job, multiple sources within the company have told Gambit," Kevin Allman reported Tuesday for the New Orleans alternative newspaper. "A memo co-signed by editor Jim Amoss and the director of state news and sports, James O'Byrne, went out to NOLA Media Group staffers in the last two hours, saying Sanchez was resigning for family reasons and returning to Texas, where he wrote about politics for the Austin American-Statesman and served as editor of the Waco Tribune-Herald for several years before being let go in a Trib-Herald companywide layoff in 2011. . . ."

The South Asian Journalists Association exceeded its $10,000 fundraising goal for its Broadcast Challenge, SAJA President Sovy Azhath and Vice President Sharaf Mowjood wrote Monday on the SAJA Web page. "Because we reached our goal of raising $10K, this will be matched dollar-to-dollar by some of the top South Asian broadcast journalists from around the country. All the funds we receive go directly back to SAJA, as it will help us fund more for scholarships, internships, reporting fellowship grants, workshops for mid-career reporters and a variety of other events for our members across the U.S. and Canada," the two said.

"The UK journalism industry workforce is lacking in ethnic diversity and continues to be heavily influenced by social classes, according to a report published by the National Council for the Training of Journalists," Angela Haggerty reported Tuesday for Britain's the Drum. "The Journalists at Work report, last conducted in 2002, showed there had been little change in these factors, with 94 per cent of journalists in the country of a white ethnic background, a drop of only two per cent in 10 years, despite more than half of all journalists working in London and the south-east, one of the most diverse areas of the country. . . ."

Board members of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, who reversed a ban on tweeting from their meetings last summer on a 6-5 vote, will be tweeting themselves this weekend. "We welcome NAHJ members to our board meeting at the Anaheim Marriott on Saturday, March 30th," President Hugo Balta wrote Monday, previewing the California board session. "The meeting starts at 8:30 a.m. Follow us on Twitter. We will be tweeting from our board meeting to keep our members informed on what we are discussing. . . ."

"Kathryn C. Lee, a matriarch and businesswoman who opened doors to opportunities for African Americans as a co-founder of the Sacramento Observer newspaper, died Monday of pneumonia, her family said. She was 77," Robert D. Dávila reported Wednesday for the Sacramento Bee. "Mrs. Lee helped start a newspaper to cover stories in the African American community that were ignored by the mainstream press, including The Bee and the Sacramento Union. . . . "

The New York Times' Sunday "T" style magazine, under fire for a lack of diversity in its editorial and advertising images, increased the number of people of color in the "America & Beyond" travel issue published Sunday. But the Times is not forthcoming about the diversity of the magazine's staff. Referring to the American Society of News Editors, spokeswoman Eileen Murphy told Journal-isms on Wednesday, "We report our diversity stats through ASNE at the macro level -- our news gathering staff. We just don't break it down to this level of detail." The Times most recently reported an editorial staff 0.1 percent American Indian, 6.8 percent Asian American, 7.6 percent black and 3.9 percent Hispanic, for a total of 18.4 percent people of color.

Jonathan Capehart, a cable-ready editorial writer at the Washington Post who is African American and gay, told FishbowlDC he gets anti-gay messages "usually a few times a week." He forwarded a fresh one to Journal-isms: "Is the 10th amendment a legal technicality? Typical bullshit from an affirmative action, faggot leftist posing as an intelligent, informed person."

Mónica Talán has been appointed executive vice president of corporate communications and public relations for Univision Communications Inc., effective immediately, Univision announced Wednesday. Talán was senior vice president of corporate communications and public relations.

Herman Howard, professor at Benedict College in Columbia, S.C.; Darcelle Hall, producer at WIAT-TV in Birmingham, Ala., and David Huertas, director of photography at KOSA-TV in Odessa, Texas, are among 13 producers, reporters and multimedia journalists selected to be fellows in Germany in June as part of the Radio Television Digital News Foundation's relationship with the RIAS Berlin Kommission, the foundation announced Monday. The spring 2013 German/American Journalist Exchange Program runs from June 10 to June 24.

In New York, "Cops arrested four teens for the attack in Yonkers that sent a News12 reporter to the hospital Wednesday," Karl de Vries reported March 20 for Long Island's Newsday. "CeFaan Kim, 31, was attacked on Odell Avenue near the Greystone train station shortly before 9 a.m., authorities said. The teens hit him about 30 times before fleeing." De Vries added, "A general assignment reporter for News12 since October, Kim worked for NY1 News for 10 years, covering Queens, according to his LinkedIn page."

In Orlando, "Traffic reporter Jessica Sanchez is documenting her cancer battle through a blog called 'Let's Be Honest' on the WKMG-Channel 6 website," Hal Boedeker wrote Tuesday for the Orlando Sentinel. " 'She's laying it all out there with class and humor,' WKMG General Manager Skip Valet said Tuesday. 'I think she'll be very public in this fight. It's her decision. She says it's therapeutic to write about it.' . . . "

Black America Web, the Tom Joyner-sponsored web site, is now running admittedly unconfirmed rumors in its news space, elsewhere considered a journalistic no-no. "But again, these are just RUMORS currently circulating on the web," read an item Wednesday on the site about ABC's Robin Roberts. The story was credited to EURWeb.com.

"At a time when the ranks of news ombudsmen are thinning in the US (I was dismayed to read about the most recent casualty at The Washington Post), it's exciting to be part of a trend in the opposite direction in many countries in the developing world," Karen Rothmyer, the Kenya Star's public editor, wrote Wednesday for the Committee to Protect Journalists. "At the annual gathering last year of the Organization of News Ombudsmen, in Copenhagen, I talked with ombudsmen from India and Bangladesh who, like me, were working for relatively new newspapers. There were also people from several countries in Latin America, which according to Jeffrey Dvorkin, head of the organization, is the fastest-growing region for ombudsmen. He attributes this largely to a belief in countries once under dictatorial rule that ombudsmen play an important role in strengthening democratic institutions. . . . "

"The government of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi continues to escalate its offensive against journalists," Sherif Mansour wrote Wednesday for the Committee to Protect Journalists. "Details of the most recent case, in which an arrest warrant was issued for blogger Alaa Abdel Fattah for inciting 'aggression' against members of the Muslim Brotherhood, show how low the government is willing to go in order to silence its critics. . . ."

"By reaffirming the autonomy and independence of the regional human rights system and rejecting attempts to neutralize the work of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and its special rapporteur for freedom of expression, the Organization of American States (OAS) chose last week to discard proposals that would have made citizens throughout the hemisphere more vulnerable to abuses," Carlos Lauría reported Tuesday for the Committee to Protect Journalists.

"At least two news outlets were raided in the Central African Republic on Sunday when rebel groups ousted the president from power, according to news reports and local press freedom groups," the Committee to Protect Journalists reported on Tuesday. "Rebel groups known as Seleka ousted President François Bozizé from power in the capital, Bangui, according to local and international news reports. Seleka leader Michel Djotodia proclaimed himself the new head of state. . . ."

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Journal-isms is published on the site of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education (mije.org). Reprinted on The Root by permission.

The day before Roland Martin disclosed that his contract as a CNN commentator wasn't being renewed, CNN President Jeff Zucker excitedly proclaimed his new hire Jake Tapper "the face of the new CNN."

"I can tell you from the position that I was in, the prospect of Jake Tapper being the face of the new CNN had me more excited than anything, and I can tell you after today, I know it was absolutely the right thing," Zucker said, Patrick Gavin reported Monday for Politico. "I couldn't be prouder. I couldn't hope for more than for Jake and his team to take CNN into our next place, into our next century ... This is the start of an incredible new era."

It wasn't lost on television observers such as Eric Deggans of the Tampa Bay (Fla.) Times that "the face" of not just CNN but of all the networks -- is white.

"Just as Zucker steps forward with a new vision for CNN -- which includes a new show featuring former ABC correspondent Jake Tapper and a new morning program built around former ABC anchor Chris Cuomo -- two of the channel's best known non-white on-air staffers are leaving the network," Deggans wrote Wednesday for the Poynter Institute. The other is Soledad O'Brien, whose "Starting Point" morning show is being eliminated. O'Brien is forming a production company and is to continue to supply documentaries to CNN -- and others -- on a nonexclusive basis.

"And it's not just at CNN," Deggans continued. "MSNBC has had its own set of anchor changes in recent weeks, so far centered only on white male anchors. And Fox News Channel, which hasn't substantively changed its primetime lineup in many years, features no people of color as anchors in those timeslots.

"Which raises the question: When big anchor jobs open up in cable news, why are people of color so often left on the sidelines?"

This wasn't always the case. When Bernard Shaw, an esteemed black journalist, stepped down as CNN anchor in 2000, the New York Times' Jim Rutenberg wrote that Shaw's "face is as synonymous with the cable network as that of Larry King or Christiane Amanpour."

But that was long ago. On Wednesday, Deggans added, "More than anything, the lack of diversity in some anchor shuffles may speak to a lack of development for anchors of color in general. Maintaining diversity in the face of shrinking resources and cost-cutting often requires specific effort; if people aren't being groomed for bigger jobs, they may not be ready when those prime positions open up."

The critic also wrote on the topic Tuesday for the Daily Download.

"At MSNBC, when the channel moved Ed Schultz from his 8 p.m. weekday timeslot, online speculation seemed to center on whether star contributor Ezra Klein or weekend host Chris Hayes would get the spot. Hayes got the gig, in an apparent bid to try cribbing young viewers from conservative media star Bill O'Reilly, whose top-rated show on Fox News clobbered Schultz regularly.

"But it is unfortunate to note that few critics thought about [Melissa] Harris-Perry, who has turned her self-titled weekend show into an amusing, thought-provoking program nicknamed (and hashtagged) 'nerdland.'

"Even on MSNBC, a channel which boasts of how its ratings with black viewers rose 60 percent last year, those prime time hours of 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. remain hosted by white anchors.

"And outside of MSNBC, viewers are still waiting for CNN and Fox News to move toward reflecting the diversity of the population and our government in its anchor teams.

"Prime time remains the glass ceiling for all, with no anchor of color hosting a show from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on any of the big three cable news channels.

"And this isn't a problem reserved for cable TV news. The Hollywood Reporter and Politico reported ABC has poached ace correspondent Byron Pitts, who is African American, from CBS News for a job reporting and anchoring, which means venerated newsmagazine 60 Minutes once again has no non-white CBS correspondents contributing to the show (CNN medical correspondent Sanjay Gupta does occasionally offers pieces for the program.)

"And when concerns arose that no non-white moderators had been chosen to lead any presidential debates in 2012, there were few journalists of color with the experience and prominence to take on the job.

"Even as black people and Hispanics are increasingly turning the tide in presidential elections and political issues, the TV news industry is still woefully behind the trends. . . ."

Michael Calderone, Huffington Post: Jake Tapper: Iraq Media Failure 'Incredibly Influential' On Me

Hispanic.com: Dr. Otto Santa Ana: Coverage of Hispanics/Latinos on Network TV News Lacking

Lisa de Moraes, Washington Post: Jake Tapper's CNN show debuts to unimpressive ratings

Two Square Off on Whether It's Time to Leave News Business

An essay by a woman in her late 20s who said she quit the news business in sorrow received plenty of traction on the Internet Wednesday, but by day's end she was challenged by another blog posting from Monica Rhor, a journalist-turned-teacher who has been active in the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

Their debate has particular resonance for journalists of color, whose loss of jobs in newspapers and online newsrooms has outstripped that of other journalists, according to surveys by the American Society of News Editors. "Following a decline of approximately 800 minority newsroom positions in both 2008 and 2009, the total loss over the last two years was 500 jobs," ASNE said last year.

The first essay, by Allyson Bird, was titled "Why I Left News." It said, "I finally came to accept that the vanity of a byline was keeping me in a job that left me physically and emotionally exhausted, yet supremely unsatisfied. . . . " Bird now writes for the fundraising arm of a public hospital.

 Rhor titled her response, "Why I'll Never Leave News."

"If you're looking for money or fame or easy hours, this was never the right job for you," Rhor wrote. "The current throes of the business are not to blame for that.

"For me, newspaper journalism has always been about telling stories, about giving voice to corners of the community that have long been silenced, about crawling into the lives and shoes of other people and pulling back a curtain so our readers can get a glimpse of the world around them."

Each woman attracted her share of supporters.

Rhor announced in November that after "a very long, very rewarding career as a journalist," she was becoming a high school English teacher. Rhor left teaching for a job as an education reporter at the Houston Chronicle and returned to Atascocita High School in the Humble school district, just outside Houston.

She wrote Wednesday, "I left because I wanted to teach high school students about the business I still love. . . ."

Michael Baisden Show on "Hiatus"; He Claims Lockout

Michael Baisden, whose show claims 72 affiliates for its "hot mix of relationship talk, headline-grabbing guests and the very best Old School and current R&B," announced Wednesday that his radio show is going on "hiatus."

Shortly after the announcement, the radio host posted this note on his Facebook page: "The Michael Baisden Show Staff has been 'Locked Out' of Cumulus Studios...really Cumulus?

"In the words of Rodney King, 'Can't we all get along?' Just because we couldn't come to an agreement is no reason to deprive the listeners, our affiliates, and our advertisers of only 9 days to say goodbye and show our appreciation.

"All their action does is make me more determined than ever to come back! And next time there will be no middlemen between me, my affiliates, and my listeners. Lesson learned."

Baisden "has been hosting a radio show since 2003. He organized a rally for the Jena Six in 2007 and was also a big supporter of Pres. Barack Obama's campaign in 2008," Rodney Ho reported for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In January, when his show was dropped by WDAS-FM in Philadelphia, Baisden had 79 affiliates. He wrote then, "While I am excited about adding Columbus, Ohio last week, and I appreciate my other 78 affiliates, there seems to be a disturbing trend in urban radio to opt to give the black community less information about what's going on in our community, even when my program is competitive, and in some cases, winning in its time slot.”

Baisden said in a farewell message, "No, it was not my intention to leave radio, I had plans for The Michael Baisden Live Tour, my 10-year anniversary party in DC in July, and I was looking forward to being on the air this summer to get justice for Trayvon Martin and his family.

"But sometimes fate, the universe, God, or however you want to label that undeniable force, has [its] own plans. Someone once told me that the greatest experiences in life are unplanned ones. I guess I'm about to test that theory. . . ."

KR, Radio Facts: Michael Baisden Locked Out of Radio Broadcast

Black C-SPAN Viewership Matches Population; Latinos Lag

Though some have surmised from its call-in shows that African Americans watch C-SPAN in disproportionate numbers, black viewership closely matches the African American percentage of the population, a new survey shows. However, Latino viewership lags behind the Hispanic proportion of the national population.

"According to the new Hart Research survey data, 11% of C-SPAN viewers identify themselves as Hispanic ... 13% as African-American ... 5% as Asian," Howard Mortman, spokesman for the public-service cable network, told Journal-isms by email. "(These numbers track closely the fuller survey of cable and satellite television households, with Hispanics and Asians equal to their numbers in the population and African Americans slightly higher than in the surveyed population but not outside the statistical margin of sampling error.)"

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2010 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, 16.4 percent of the nation is Hispanic or Latino; 12.6 percent is black or African American, 5 percent is Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and 0.8 percent is American Indian or Alaska Native.

Overall, C-SPAN said, "Nearly a quarter (24%) of people with cable or satellite subscriptions -- an estimated 47 million adults -- report watching C-SPAN at least once a week [PDF], a four-point increase since Hart Research's last quadrennial survey of the C-SPAN audience. Hart Research lead pollster Allan Rivlin says, 'This growth in C-SPAN viewership, especially among the youngest groups, is surprising in this time of generalized media fragmentation but it is not so mysterious in that C-SPAN offers the emerging group of information free-agents access to the raw uncut coverage of their political heroes, and sometimes perhaps their villains, they can then share on blogs and social networks.' "

Obama Urged to Seek Israeli Return of Broadcast Equipment

"During his trip to the region this week, U.S. President Barack Obama should call on Israeli authorities to return the equipment of an independent broadcaster that was seized more than a year ago," the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.

"Israeli authorities raided the Ramallah-based private broadcaster Wattan TV in February 2012 and confiscated key equipment, including transmitters, computers, files, and archives. Officials said at the time that Wattan TV was broadcasting illegally and had interfered with aircraft transmissions. Muammar Orabi, the station's general director, told CPJ that the broadcaster had a license granted by the Palestinian Authority, which could not have been issued without Israeli acquiescence.

"The station, founded in 1996, has gained credibility through its probing, independent coverage of both Palestinian and Israeli authorities. The outlet's equipment was funded in large part by U.S. agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Middle East Partnership Initiative. . . . "

Max Blumenthal, the Nation: The Muslim Brotherhood's War on Egyptian Media

Editorial, Los Angeles Times: Low expectations for Obama's Israel visit

David A. Love, the Grio: Does Obama's name alone hurt the Middle East Peace process?

Matthew Weaver, the Guardian, Britain: Obama condemns new Israeli settlements -- live updates [March 21]

Pakistanis Arrest Militant With Ties to Daniel Pearl Killing

"Pakistani authorities arrested a militant who they say is connected with the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002," Tom Wright reported Tuesday for the Journal.

"The Pakistan Rangers, a paramilitary organization, said in a statement it arrested Qari Abdul Hayyee, alias Asad Ullah, in a covert operation just north of Karachi's international airport. Mr. Hayyee, a former leader of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a banned sectarian group, was involved in Mr. Pearl's death, the statement said. A Pakistani security official said the arrest occurred three or four days ago.

"Investigators are unsure whether Mr. Hayyee played a direct role in Mr. Pearl's abduction and beheading, but believe he was linked to the crime as a leader of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi in Sindh province, the official said. . . ."

"Pearl's parents, Ruth and Judea Pearl, issued a statement through the Daniel Pearl Foundation," Alex Rodriguez reported Wednesday for the Los Angeles Times.

"We are gratified by this latest arrest and hope that justice will be served on all of those who were involved in this crime against humanity," they said.

Philadelphia Magazine Takes More Criticism at 2nd Forum

"For the second night in a row, the editor of Philadelphia Magazine and the author of its 'Being White in Philly' cover story willingly endured a barrage of criticism and some harsh accusations about the controversial piece," Robert Moran reported Wednesday for the Philadelphia Inquirer.

"Round Two delivered more punishment for editor Tom McGrath and writer Robert Huber as they faced the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists at a meeting Tuesday at the offices of The Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.

"A vice president of the association accused both men of being racists. They were subjected to mockery from some of the questioners and threatened with a boycott of the magazine's advertisers.

"As they did Monday at the National Constitution Center, McGrath and Huber responded politely to questions and criticisms. Their answers often did not satisfy the audience. . . ."

Being Vibe's Editor: Schmoozing, Fixing, Bartering

"If you think print pubs have had it bad, just look at the R.I.P. list in the music category: Blender (March 2009), Giant (November 2009), Spin (December 2012)," Andrea Williams wrote Wednesday for MediaBistro. "But, thankfully for urban music and entertainment fans, one iconic brand was able to rise from the ashes.

"Within months after folding in 2009, Vibe -- founded by producer, composer and all-around musical genius Quincy Jones -- was re-launched by new owners looking to infuse it with fresh content for the digital age and new editorial blood, namely EIC Jermaine Hall."

Williams asked Hall, "What advice can you give to other editors who are looking to position themselves to become an editor-in-chief during their careers?"

Hall replied, "I think it's just about, whatever position you're at, excelling at that and mastering that position. And then, once you have that down, I think it's just really starting to expand. A lot of things that come with being editor-in-chief aren't necessarily drilled down into the day-to-day tasks. It's a lot of schmoozing; it's a lot of fixing relationships; it's a lot of bartering; it's a lot of people skills, I would say. It's really going out there to be the ambassador of the brand on all levels. And that doesn't necessarily come from being the strongest writer, it just really comes from people skills and the contacts and the relationships there that you've been able to build over your career. So, I think it's knowing that it's more than just writing and more than just editing at this level."

Another challenge, Hall said, is gaining access to celebrities in an era of social media. Williams asked, "What is one of the most challenging aspects of working with musicians who are often notoriously fickle and temperamental?"

"I would say access," the editor replied. "Because of social media and because these artists now have their own voice, it's like 'I'm an artist and I want to get a message out. I don't need to wait for a magazine to interview me, I don't need to wait to go on radio, I don't need to wait to go on a television program -- I can just say it right now. I can say it on my Twitter account; if there's a picture that I want to put out there, I'll go to Instagram and do it right away.' So, I'd say one of the challenges that we face is getting the amount of time that we need to really craft a good story or put together a fantastic package. . . ."

Short Takes

The first-ever National Summit on Plagiarism and Fabrication is planned for April 5 in St. Louis, the Radio Television Digital News Association reported Wednesday. The summit is to be part of the American Copy Editors Society national conference. Journalism organizations "will gather to recount recent incidents and address the problems affecting traditional and new media," RTDNA said.

"When Roger Ailes saw his words in print, the stark accusation that President Obama is lazy, he was momentarily taken aback," Howard Kurtz wrote in the Daily Beast. The Fox News chairman and CEO made disparaging comments about Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. "Anybody who knows me knows that half the time I'm saying things with a somewhat humorous overtone,' Ailes says," Kurtz continued. "So is he backing away from the incendiary comments? Not a chance. 'Are every one of those statements true? Yes,' Ailes says. 'Should I have said them? Well, that's a debate.' . . . "

"Pierre Thomas, ABC News Senior Justice Correspondent, has been elected as secretary-treasurer of the Executive Committee of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press," the committee reported Tuesday. "Thomas succeeds Saundra Torry, editorial writer at USA Today, who became vice chairman upon the resignation of Jim Rubin, who recently retired from journalism. . . ."

In Detroit, "WJBK-TV (Channel 2) reporter Charlie LeDuff told police that he and his brother feared for their lives during a brawl at Corktown's St. Patrick's Parade earlier this month, according to a police report," Gina Damron reported Wednesday for the Detroit Free Press. "LeDuff filed the report a few days after the March 10 parade, where a security guard accused the reporter of biting him during a fight. The 46-year-old reporter told police that he was 'choked and nearly blacked out' after being thrown out of a private party at the parade and denied the allegations against him 'as reported in the media,' according to the police report, which he filed March 14. . . ."

"In an effort to continue the national conversation about how to help prepare America's students for success, NBC News is bringing 'Education Nation On-The-Road' to Detroit beginning March 22," the network announced Tuesday. "The NBC News team will spend a week in the city, partnering with its affiliate station, WDIV, to ignite a public dialogue about new efforts in the region and across the state to improve student outcomes. . . ."  NBC added, "The Summit will be hosted by NBC News Special Correspondent Chelsea Clinton, NBC News Chief Education Correspondent Rehema Ellis and WDIV Anchors Devin Scillian and Rhonda Walker."

As of Monday, the South Asian Journalists Association had collected $9,630 in its SAJA Broadcast Challenge, according to its website. Current and former broadcast journalists were to match all donations made, up to a total of $10,000. The original end date of Feb. 1 was extended until March 15.

Malian newspaper editor Boukary Daou, who was arrested two weeks ago after publishing a letter criticizing the salary of Capt. Amadou Haya Sanogo, leader of the coup in Mali, has been charged with "inciting disobedience" and "publishing falsehoods," according to Reporters Without Borders, the Associated Press reported Monday. Daou, editor-in-chief of the Republican newspaper, was charged Monday and imprisoned, AP said.

In Honduras, "Reporters Without Borders is very worried about Julio Ernesto Alvarado, the producer of the current affairs programmes 'Medianoche' on Tegucigalpa-based Radio Globo and 'Mi Nación' on its sister TV station, Globo TV, because of a recent increase in the threats and acts of intimidations against him that began a year ago," the press-freedom group said. "Alvarado, 60, who is vice-president of the Organization of Ibero-American Journalists, told the Honduran Committee for the Families of Disappeared Detainees (COFADEH) on 5 March that he has suspended 'Medianoche' as a result of the threats. . . ."

"Bloomberg Media Group, a division [of] Bloomberg L.P., and El Financiero, the media branch of Grupo Lauman, announced Wednesday a long-term agreement to launch a new multi-platform Spanish-language business news service," Chris Roush reported Wednesday for Talking Biz News. "The companies will create a high-definition television channel that combines Bloomberg's global business and financial insight with locally-produced content. The service will be offered in Mexico and Central America. The companies also plan to offer content online, on mobile sites and in print with a co-branded section in El Financiero newspaper. . . . "

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Journal-isms is published on the site of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education (mije.org). Reprinted on The Root by permission.