The practice of journalism has been and will continue to be an integral aspect of our society because of its ability to keep the public informed on everything happening in our world, even when people try to keep information in the dark. Journalism in all of its mediums–print, radio, and television–are all effective methods to accomplish the goals of journalism; however, I’ve found the television medium to be an especially effective source for both me and so many other people. The first interaction I remember having with journalism didn’t occur from picking up the Chicago Tribune or listening to NPR on the radio. It happened when I was seven years old, leaving ballet class, and I stumbled across my mom watching the news, so I decided to join her. I was in awe of the reporter’s power to bring me and my mom into the reality of the car crash that was happening just across the street through expressive storytelling and live footage. After that first moment, I became a dedicated fan to Chicago local television news. I never noticed that I wasn’t seeing very many black news anchors or reporters until I saw a black male reporter for the first time and wondered why I hadn’t seen someone who looked like him until that moment. It took even longer for me to see my first black female journalist on television, but when I did it ignited a sense of passion and drive in me to pursue a career in broadcast journalism, because I felt that if she could do it, so could I. As I continued to watch the news growing up, I eventually saw more black broadcast journalists, and broadcast journalists who were people of color in general; however, I never saw an amount of black broadcast journalists that measured up to the number of white broadcast journalists I was seeing whenever I turned on the T.V. There are so many qualified, talented, and intelligent black journalists in the world who deserve to be hired because of the change they can bring to the world. Aside from that fact, having more representation of black journalists and all journalists of color is so important because it will instill hope and confidence in the future generation of journalists that people who look like them can make it in the world of journalism, too. Although there is still so much work that needs to be done in bringing more black broadcast journalists and more specifically female black broadcast journalists to television, it’s important to point out some of the women who have been trailblazers to this effort.
1. Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey was the first black news anchor for the Nashville news station WTVF-TV.
2. Tamron Hall
Tamron Hall was the first black co-host of The Today Show.
3. Robin Roberts
Good Morning America co-anchor for 2005-Present.