Campus media must hold each other accountable as vigorously as the other institutions we cover. Recent events in the Canadian media landscape show internal journalistic scrutiny has fallen through institutionalized cracks as campus news outlets are given the luxury of owning up to their mistakes on their own terms. Journalists are actively investigating university policies, workplaces and issues, but until recently have failed to examine their own institutional structures.
The University of British Columbia’s campus newspaper Ubyssey culture editor Danni Olusanya along with other members of the Ubyssey editorial staff wrote an editorial in June holding themselves accountable for the lack of diversity—particularly for Black community members—within their workplace. Only two Black people have ever sat on the paper’s editorial board, including Olusanya who is the first Black woman editorial member. The lack of Black representation is an issue that has plagued that newspaper for over a century.
Ubyssey is not an outlier. The Charlatan editorial staff recently penned an editorial in mid-February about Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes’ previous involvement with the paper as a graphics volunteer. Other institutions affiliated with McInnes, such as Vice Media which he co-founded in 1994 and ultimately left in 2008, have had to distance themselves multiple times over the past few years due to public outcry surrounding McInnes’ involvement. While drawing graphics as a student is not at the same magnitude as co-founding a publication, the Charlatan was afforded the luxury of time with its response because no one was really looking.
Knowing campus media often goes unchecked makes it easier to understand how journalists can become complacent with a lack of internal accountability, which impacts newsrooms beyond those on campuses. Members of the African diaspora recently spoke to the Charlatan about poor cultural and racial representation in the mainstream media stemming from a lack of accountability and knowledge on the part of journalists. If internal biases and structures go unchecked, such as a lack of diversity or transparency in the workplace, eventually these issues will spill into coverage.
Hesitancy to report reflexively on journalistic institutions is understandable as speaking out can result in negative repercussions, but when journalistic institutions are unchecked, they can breed toxic or unsafe environments that make advocating for progress even more difficult. The brunt of this burden should not lie with those most at-risk of retribution—those with privileges must act.
As advocates for fairness, accuracy and balance, journalists have responsibilities to speak truth to power. This duty must encompass our own systems and colleagues to avoid hypocrisy and to encourage others to speak out. Only when we apply pressure and reflexively report will systemic progress towards equity within the industry be made.
Featured graphic from file.
