2006.07.23: July 23, 2006: Headlines: COS - Ecuador: Journalism: Diversity: Immigration: The Virginian-Pilot: Ecuador RPCV Gillian Gaynair named diversity beat reporter at the Virginian-Pilot
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2006.07.23: July 23, 2006: Headlines: COS - Ecuador: Journalism: Diversity: Immigration: The Virginian-Pilot: Ecuador RPCV Gillian Gaynair named diversity beat reporter at the Virginian-Pilot
Ecuador RPCV Gillian Gaynair named diversity beat reporter at the Virginian-Pilot
Gaynair said her "primary focus" will be on immigration because " this is a topic of discussion from the halls of Congress to dinner tables in Virginia Beach." "I hope," she said, "to provide readers with context to the current debate over immigration reform -- what it means politically, economically and socially for our area and the state -- as well as take people into the lives of immigrants, old and new, who live here."
Ecuador RPCV Gillian Gaynair named diversity beat reporter at the Virginian-Pilot
Marvin Lake writes: Broadening the scope of diversity coverage
Jul 23, 2006
The Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va.
[Excerpt]
Which is what staff writer Gillian Gaynair, the newly named diversity beat reporter, hopes to do. At The Pilot since September, Gaynair previously reported for three other newspapers, including The Oregonian in Portland. She's fluent in Spanish, and worked in Ecuador with the Peace Corps.
"I think too often diversity is solely defined in terms of race and ethnicity," she said. "But I see it as that and much more. It encompasses class, sexual orientation, physical ability, culture, geography and the like."
Gaynair said she plans to "explore issues along those lines that are relevant to our times, particularly to Hampton Roads and Virginia."
Initially, however, Gaynair said her "primary focus" will be on immigration because " this is a topic of discussion from the halls of Congress to dinner tables in Virginia Beach."
"I hope," she said, "to provide readers with context to the current debate over immigration reform -- what it means politically, economically and socially for our area and the state -- as well as take people into the lives of immigrants, old and new, who live here."
Although Gaynair hasn't officially taken over her new beat, readers have seen some of her diversity-related reporting: a story about efforts of immigrants to learn English, a Daily Break cover feature in June about Viet Bao, reportedly Hampton Roads' first Vietnamese magazine; and one about the presence of two Spanish language interpreters at the Virginia Beach Department of Public Health.
The job description for the beat notes that the reporter will help cover various government agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the FBI, state organizations that represent migrant workers, the governor's office on Hispanic affairs, the state's human rights agency and civic and grass-roots groups.
Gaynair will be on the paper's reconstituted regional team, which, effective next month, will also include reporters covering health, children and elderly issues, religion and higher education.
Some newspapers shy away from having a diversity beat for fear that other reporters will pay less attention to the subject. Indeed, several years back, that was a fear of some Pilot newsroom leaders.
But that fear dissipated as the paper sought increasingly, with sometimes mixed results, to reflect the entire community in stories and photos.
"It doesn't matter what the story is -- education, fashion, health -- all of our reporters and editors are tasked with including diverse groups and viewpoints in their coverage," Elizabeth said. "That will continue to be their charge.
"So why create a diversity reporting position?" she asks. "It's a very visible and practical way to track and report on demographic and social patterns and changes in our community, and a good point of contact for our readers."
As a topic expert, Gaynair will also be a resource for reporters on other beats. Thus, Elizabeth thinks readers will "see even more diversity in stories throughout the newspaper -- more thorough and thoughtful reporting of diverse populations and viewpoints."
-- Mavin Lake is The Pilot's public editor. Reach him at 757-446- 2475 or at marvin.lake@pilotonline.com. other opinions
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Story Source: The Virginian-Pilot
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Ecuador; Journalism; Diversity; Immigration
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