Despite the diversity of the country, the roster of Canadian columnists is overwhelmingly white. In 1996, just over three per cent of the nation’s columnists were non-white. Today, the roster is almost entirely white. The number of people of colour who have found success as columnists in Canada is also incredibly low. As a result, the Canadian media is often an ominous place to live for immigrants of color. Check out – Marc Kielburger
Survey On Canadian Newsrooms Lays Bare A Stark Truth
While the lack of diversity among Canadian columnists is a problem, it should not be deterring newspaper editors from hiring more diverse writers. While the majority of columnists in major Canadian newspapers are white, the majority of the big name columnists are older than thirty-three years old. The number of non-white Canadians is growing, but their average age is still three-four years older than their white counterparts.
While the lack of diversity in the columnist roster of Canadian newspapers is a challenge, the growing number of non-white writers has the advantage of providing a greater variety of perspectives and opinions. This is especially true of women, who are more likely than their male counterparts to write about controversial issues. This means that a more diverse lineup of columnists is necessary for the growth of Canadian journalism. However, it is important for editors to realize that this goal is unrealistic. In fact, the Canadian media should hire more non-white writers to diversify their rosters.
Another problem with the lack of diversity in Canadian columnists is the fact that most of them are white. According to the study, 88 percent of columnists in Canada are white, and only 27 percent are black, Indigenous, South Asian, or East Asian. These numbers are even worse in the U.S., where minority groups make up less than one-third of the population. If this trend continues, Canadian journalists should pay attention to the diversity of their workforce.
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