Open Reflections from J.A.W.N. on Recent Meeting with Inquirer Leadership

May 30, 2023

Earlier this month, organizers of J.A.W.N (Journalism Accountability Watchdog Network)—a coalition designed by the leaders of Free Press, the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists and the Philadelphia chapters of the Asian American Journalism Association and National Association of Hispanic Journalists—met with the Philadelphia Inquirer’s publisher Lisa Hughes and Inquirer Board Member, Keith Leaphart, to discuss several DEI concerns and commitments that the Inquirer has failed to address with our organizations following the paper’s “Buildings Matter Too” fiasco in June 2020.

This meeting came at a time when, over the course of two years, Hughes and Inquirer leadership had refused to meet with J.A.W.N. as a collective to address the ongoing failure of the Inquirer’s DEI initiatives – initiatives that have led to the loss of multiple journalists of color within the newsroom, a continued distrust of its coverage on police and public safety, and lack of accessible opportunities for the public to hold the Inquirer accountable across its newsroom, in its supposed efforts to become an “anti-racist” newsroom. We came to this meeting hoping to have an honest conversation where the Inquirer acknowledged the harm that has come as a result of these actions.

Prior commitments the Inquirer has failed to uphold include:

A partnership between PABJ and the Inquirer to address the newsroom’s failure to fully embrace DEI principles and practices, including creating an external advisory board to hold the company accountable for its DEI initiatives.
Adhering to an MOU with Free Press and community partners to create newsroom policy that addresses crime coverage, policy which has yet to be shared with Free Press or the public.

Ongoing issues the Inquirer has failed to address with us include:

Addressing PABJ, NAHJ Philly and AAJA Philly’s observations on glaring diversity issues within the Inquirer following the publication of Temple University’s landmark diversity report on the Inquirer.
Concerns of retention and clear pathway towards leadership roles for journalists of color.
Lack of local Latinxs across the news desks and the demise of bilingual coverage in El Inquirer.
Lack of consistent support from the editorial leadership to produce inclusive storytelling and reporting with and for excluded communities.

Unfortunately, our recent meeting with Hughes and Leaphart left us feeling disingenuous intent from the Inquirer to work in partnership with J.A.W.N. in meaningful and transformative ways. We were faced with refusal to mutually acknowledge concerns raised by our respective memberships (past and current journalists of color at the Inquirer) and disinterest to honor the formal agreements made with PABJ and Free Press—“let the past stay in the past,” we were told, repeatedly.

As a result, we as the Journalism Accountability Watchdog Network give a vote of “no confidence” in the Inquirer leadership – from its board, to its publisher, to its masthead and problematic managers – until there is a major change in leadership across the company. Given this collective vote of “no confidence,” in good conscience we, as JAWN, cannot actively recommend anyone to opportunities at the Inquirer. This includes fellowship, internship, apprenticeship or hiring initiatives, especially when previous opportunities to partner with members of JAWN on these initiatives have not been upheld by the company. We have no confidence that the Inquirer shares a genuine interest in reaching shared grounds to address ongoing DEI concerns that we, and members of the public, have consistently raised over the years.

We believe that the Inquirer’s toxic company culture, its lack of transparency and accountability, and its unwillingness to fulfill its commitments to the journalism affinity groups who are fighting for a more diverse and equitable media environment will only continue to hinder the newspaper’s mission of trying to become an “anti-racist” newsroom. These actions reflect the company’s unwillingness to change and to truly be a “public benefit” to the city of Philadelphia for all residents.

J.A.W.N. will continue to educate our members, and the public, about the Inquirer’s shortfalls. Until these commitments and concerns are addressed and the leadership at the Inquirer changes, the Inquirer will never truly be an “anti-racist” institution.

Signed,

Ernest Owens
President, Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists