Prospecting
for GOLD
At the centerpiece of this initiative are sound marketing precepts which, when aligned with shifts in America’s tapestry, signal a change in the profile of the newspaper reader.
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uilding the business case
for diversity has taken us down a long and winding road with not a few
stalls along the way. The first trip began in 1995, when under the leadership
of Arthur Sulzberger Jr., the report Diversity: The Business Imperative
was issued. That report defined the issues, helped people to understand
the ramifications of emerging trends, and showcased the efforts of newspapers
trying to respond to the changing landscape.
Though having proven valuable,
it still fell short of its destination—to quantify the profit potential
inherent in diversity. The GOLD—Growth Opportunities by Leveraging
Diversity—project featured in this issue demonstrates the potential
for newspapers’ financial and marketplace success by serving diverse
markets. At the centerpiece of this initiative are sound marketing precepts
which, when aligned with shifts in America’s tapestry, signal a change
in the profile of the newspaper reader.
Two members of the project
team, Dan Sullivan, a journalism professor and former economist for Cowles
Media and the Star Tribune in Minneapolis, and Pam Sveinson, former vice
president human resources for Cowles, outline the approach used to measure
revenue opportunity in diversity. Senior writer Don Williamson conveys
the sense of discovery in two articles detailing GOLD’s strategy
and outcomes.
People spotlights two recent
publications’ attempts to improve diverse community coverage. Success
Story touts the California Chicano News Media Association and the largely
unheralded job they do bringing together young minority journalists and
professional media outlets. And in First Person, Edwina Blackwell Clark,
who has been positing the economic necessity of diversity for years from
her newsroom posts, writes about her move to the business side.
Each of us has a unique, highly individualized response to the word diversity. Rarely do most of those responses break beyond the boundaries of race and gender, and in almost all instances they underestimate the role diversity can play in market growth and profit opportunity. It’s time for a new paradigm about diversity—one that understands that the business case for diversity is the business of good marketing.
Toni Laws
Senior Vice President
NAA Diversity/NAA Foundation
(703) 902-1725
laws@naa.org