Mary Kelli Palka: Times-Union newsroom continues to grow more diverse

As our newsroom continues to grow in size, we continue to make progress on our efforts to ensure the diversity of our newsroom reflects the diversity of our community.

USA TODAY Network newspapers are sharing their latest diversity census data this week.

In 2020, when our parent company Gannett first began publishing diversity studies, the Times-Union newsroom had gone through a lot of departures in the previous years. At that time, our newsroom was 76 percent male and 93 percent white. 

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Since then, we’ve had numerous changes, including seeing some journalists depart and others join us.

As of July 1, our newsroom had 28 people in it and was 70 percent male, 86 percent white. 

The Jacksonville area is about 48 percent male and 63 percent white.

The latest survey shows we are making progress on our commitment for our newsroom reflects the communities we cover by 2025.

Times-Union newsroom continues to change

Like most other companies, the Times-Union continues to change as we hire new people and others leave. That’s why as a company, we provide updates on our census numbers based on data from the same day each year, July 1.

In Jacksonville, for instance, our numbers changed two weeks later as a new government reporter Hanna Holthaus started and Jaguars reporter John Reid left to go into teaching. And now we're looking for a new Jaguars reporter. 

Still, even as our newsroom changes, our commitment is the same.

We continue to strive to tell stories important to all parts of Northeast Florida. To do that, everyone in our newsroom works hard to make sure they are engaging with people throughout the community, hearing different perspectives. 

Our efforts make it possible for us to tell stories unique to the Times-Union including our investigation into the rough conditions at a local affordable housing community, thoughtful analysis about the people who put up Confederate monuments and moving storytelling about people who helped shaped our community. 

None of this would be possible with your support, so thank you for subscribing. 

Mary Kelli Palka became the first female editor of the Times-Union in 2017. A native of Jacksonville Beach, Palka is also the market leader in Jacksonville and a deputy regional editor in Florida. Here's how you can subscribe to the Times-Union.