Sarah Glover, president of the National Association of Black Journalists and Syracuse University alumna, spoke Monday night about the importance of preserving journalistic integrity in an increasingly fast-paced media environment.

Glover spoke to about 50 people in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium as part of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications’ Leaders in Communication Lecture Series. She graduated from Newhouse and the College of Arts and Sciences in 1996 with a dual degree in photojournalism and African American studies. She is now a social media editor for NBC Owned Television Stations.

Glover said that social media can make journalists lazy, but getting to a story first should not jeopardize the accuracy of the reporting.

“You’re the gatekeeper of trust,” she said.

Glover said that journalists should not share their opinion on hot button issues, as it could infringe on the impartiality of their work. She implored the room to check facts, look for other angles and cover the whole story.

She cited recent media coverage of the investigation of Jussie Smollett, an “Empire” actor who was charged for allegedly filing a false report of a hate crime, CBS News reported. Glover said too many facts and nonfacts are being circulated by media sources that want to get the scoop first.

Sarah Glover has worked for NBC10 Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Daily News and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Ally Moreo | Photo Editor

Fast journalism can also overlook the importance of individual word choice, Glover said. She said she saw a headline during the Freddie Gray protests, which began after 25-year-old Gray died from injuries sustained while in police custody, The Guardian reported. The headline read: “Woman Beats Boy.”

Using “boy” to describe a young black male has historical implications connected to Jim Crow laws, lynching and slavery, Glover said. She said that she worked with the Associated Press to update their style guide to include an explanation of the problems with using “boy” to describe black males of any age. That update was added to the 2018 AP Stylebook.

Glover also spoke about the importance of diverse newsrooms during her talk. She said diverse newsrooms lead fairer and more balanced reporting, which in turn creates a better media product.

When asked about how to increase diversity in newsrooms, Glover said that imbalances in newsroom diversity result from conscious decisions, not unconscious bias. Hiring decisions are orchestrated and purposeful, she said.

Glover also gave professional advice to students during her talk. She said that students should find people that can help them navigate the media industry.

When Glover asked how many people in the room had a mentor, nearly every hand shot up, but when she asked how many people had a sponsor, only a few people raised their hands. Glover said that mentors provide advice, while sponsors take action. Students need both in order to be successful, she said.

 “You need your own board of directors,” she said.

Published on February 25, 2019 at 11:37 pm

Contact Patrick: pjlineha@syr.edu