Controversy At Sun-Sentinel Over Hiring White Over Minority For Editorial Board
BY BUDDY NEVINS
When I started out at the Sun-Sentinel in the very early 1970s, the only blacks I remember in the newsroom were janitors.
One loudmouth reporter would regularly yell ethnic slurs aimed at women, Hispanics, Jews, blacks and gays. Shouted across the newsroom.
The editors did nothing.
When I approached an editor with a story of a black man who was murdered, I was told, “We don’t do N…. murders.”
The Sun-Sentinel was a place for Whites and Whites only.
The newspaper changed less than a decade later. A major effort was made to hire black, Hispanic and female journalists. Openly gay journalists were accepted in the newsroom. It was not enough, but a welcome change.
Which may be why several sources complained to me when Rosemary O’Hara last week picked a white writer to fill openings on her Editorial Board. The hiring of Andrew Abramson follows the departure of Doug Lyons, an African American, and Daniel Vasquez, a Hispanic.
Rosemary O’Hara
“The Editorial Board is all-White now and Broward County isn’t,” complained one caller to Browardbeat.com. “I find it hard to believe they couldn’t find a qualified African American or Hispanic.”
I’m a believer in picking the best candidate for the job. There is also a strong argument to be made that an editorial board should reflect the community.
Those two positions are the crux of the Equal Opportunities debate that has been part of the political discourse for years.
It is not unique to a newsroom.
Companies and government everywhere has faced questions about the lack of diversity in board rooms. It has been an issue in the Broward County Courthouse as many came to recognize that there are far too few minority judges. Litigation concerning affirmative action has reached the U. S. Supreme Court.
It was that sticky issue that faced O’Hara –how much weight to give an applicant’s ethnic background in a hiring decision.
In picking Abramson, she said this in e-mail to the staff:
“I’m happy to announce that Andrew Abramson, The Palm Beach Post’s Miami Dolphins reporter/columnist for the past three years, will soon be joining the Sun Sentinel Editorial Board.
Andrew started at the Post 10 years ago, first as a high school sports reporter, then covering the city of West Palm Beach, then on the enterprise team, then back to sports. He “put the dog in watchdog with his aggressive reporting while covering West Palm Beach,” Post Sports Editor Mark Bradley wrote today in announcing Andrew’s departure.
Andrew, who lives in Davie with his wife and new baby, sees this job as a chance to make an impact in his hometown. He’s a high-energy guy with a strong multimedia portfolio and more than 16,000 Twitter followers, probably because of tweets like this from the first night of the Republican convention: “Bob Dole’s pants are almost at his nipples. I don’t understand why the pants get so high in old age?”
I’m excited to welcome Andrew to the editorial board. I believe he can help us make a difference – and help create an exciting future – for our community and our business.
Rosemary
Rosemary O’Hara, Editorial Page Editor”
Okay.
Except can Abramson feel the pulse of the African American and Caribbean American community without being black? Without having a similar background?
Does Abramson understand Broward’s growing Hispanic community without being part of it? First hand?
I was the Sun-Sentinel’s Miami bureau chief for almost eight years. I could never understand the Cuban, Haitian and Nicaraguan communities like my very able reporters who grew up among those people.
So what’s the answer? What is O’Hara telling those disappointed with her choice?
Here how she explains the hiring to Browardbeat.com:
“We cast a wide net for this position, committed to finding and considering a diverse slate of candidates, which we did. But diversity isn’t wholly about race or ethnicity. It’s also about age, and gender, and political philosophy, and religion, and sexual orientation, and life’s experiences. It’s also about a person’s proven ability to succeed in the digital world, given today’s business realities. We picked an unconventional candidate to join the editorial board — a smart young sports columnist. Given his track record, I believe Andrew will help us better engage our community, and the many wonderfully diverse communities within.”
Those of you who read the Sun-Sentinel can decide for yourselves.
The other ones may not care less. They should.
When O’Hara’s came to the Sun-Sentinel, she faced intense financial pressures from her bosses to cut the editorial staff by roughly 75 percent while remaining relevant. She largely succeeded. The Sun-Sentinel remains an important voice in any debate about South Florida’s future.
Me? What do I think of the controversy?
The jury is still out. But I’m very glad I didn’t have to make the decision.
July 26th, 2016 at 10:44 am
Excuse me Mr Nevins BUT A YOUNG SPORTS WRITER FOR WHAT IS SUPPOSEDTO BE A CAREFULLY DEEP THINKING SERIOUS GROUP? Do you really think a SPORTS REPORTER has the right skills for an EDITORIAL Board?…..
FROM BUDDY:
I took no position on his hiring. I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.
July 26th, 2016 at 12:06 pm
It is hypocritical that the Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board asks candidates how they are going to further diversity and then this.
July 26th, 2016 at 1:54 pm
If you pick a Hispanic you make blacks annoyed. If you pick a black Hispanics are upset, too. She can’t win.
July 26th, 2016 at 2:14 pm
Sun-Sentinel, please fix this and be inclusive not exclusive.
July 26th, 2016 at 2:58 pm
The only people concerned with the race of the editors are racists. Isn’t that the definition? How about putting a real minority on the editorial board – a consevative. If you say there already is a conservative, you certainly could not prove it by the content of the paper.
July 26th, 2016 at 4:53 pm
#3 That’s nonsense, they used to have Tony Fins and Doug Lyons on it. If they have no diversity at all then it isn’t a community newspaper. I mean? It is embarrassing we’re even talking about this. What were they thinking?
July 26th, 2016 at 8:59 pm
I remember when Mike Mayo only did sports. I guess an editorial board of a local newspaper should reflect it’s coverage area’s demographics. Who are the other folks on the editorial board?
FROM BUDDY:
In addition to O’Hara, who has a long career as a Florida journalist, there is Gary Stein. Stein is a former sports writer who was a Sun-Sentinel general news columnist for 15 years and was then the paper’s West Broward editor. Sun-Sentinel Publisher Howard Saltz is also on the Editorial Board, although I would guess he doesn’t involve himself in the day-to-day decisions.
July 27th, 2016 at 8:31 am
that’s why I only read Cahoots
July 27th, 2016 at 10:07 am
Politicians spend too much time worrying about what the Sun-Sentinel board will think and do. Look at the track record and they’ll realize the paper picks as many losers for endorsement. People don’t care.
July 27th, 2016 at 10:07 am
So, O’Hara, Stein, and Saltz are career types… Many years of experience.
Then care to explain to me how that twit Vasquez got on the board? What? Wasn’t Perez Hilton hiring?
Might it have been, you think, something to do with his wife’s hire?
FROM BUDDY:
Daniel Vasquez was at newspapers for years before coming to the Sun-Sentinel.
July 27th, 2016 at 10:11 am
FROM BUDDY:
Daniel Vasquez at newspapers for years before coming to the Sun-Sentinel.
And it seems, both you and he employ the same spellchecker and level of grammatical care.
July 27th, 2016 at 3:47 pm
How can they claim there is an editorial board when the only people who sit in on the screenings are Rosemary and her husband who is not on the ed board? These others listed may be fine additions, it is clear Rosemary is writing everything.
July 27th, 2016 at 5:20 pm
The SS endorsements should be featured on the who gives a shit channel.
July 27th, 2016 at 5:31 pm
1. If you believe is composed of DIFFERENT kinds of people shouldnt interviews of candidates be by a DIVERSE group of people irregardless of who is formally on the Editorial Board for day to day editorials?
2. I have never been clear at the qualifications for a columnist. When I was a columnist I wrote on my specific fields of expertise not science and Heaven help me NOT fashion sports or food – the special field of one columnist here in South Florida who also wrote political n social columns I felt in total ignorance of these subjects.
3. And Mr Sam the Sham (where are the Phaorahs today?) IS RIGHT but I’d add that conservatives cover several varieties – an fact that us too often trivialized as racist this n racist that in academia and the media
July 27th, 2016 at 9:55 pm
I like Rosemary’s explanation and I respect her opinion. While I don’t agree with all the SS editorials I at least started reading them again after she took over. I say give the guy a chance but get rid of Dilbert.
July 28th, 2016 at 7:57 am
At this point, what difference does it make? The SS is an extremely biased newspaper. Chances are very high that the new hire will fit the political profile of the editorial board so it can remain in lock step.
July 28th, 2016 at 1:13 pm
Ironic, because so many of her endorsements include a line about needing more women or minorities on the bench. It’s as if they endorsed based on that rather than qualifications which is probably why I disagree with 75% of their judicial endorsements this year.
July 30th, 2016 at 9:32 am
I have just re-read the new employees twitter comment about a disabled US War Hero n former US Senate Minority Leader and Republican candidate for President that Miss O’Hara found so compelling
THAT SHE WOULD THINK A NASTY TASTELESS COMMENT ABOUT A 90 SOMETHING YEAR OLD WAR HERO – Wounded in action no less – SHOWS EXACTLY WHAT JOURNALISTS N TWITTER FOLLOWERS ARE LIKE.
I LEAVE IT TO EVERYONE TO RE-READ THE DOLE TWEET AND DARE SAY THIS IS THE LEVEL YOU WANT ON AN EDITORIAL BOARD AND YES I AM SAYING EXACTLY WHAT YOU THINK I SAYING ABOUT ROSEMARY O’HARA. THE SUN SENTINEL THE PALM BEACH POST AND JOURNALISM THAT FALSELY BILLS ITSELF AS”Class”.
July 31st, 2016 at 9:47 am
It is absolute racism to have an attitude like this. Hire the most qualified person for the job, don’t gloss over a white person in favor of a less qualified black person or vice versa.
July 31st, 2016 at 11:45 am
@19 that you assume a Black or minority isn’t qualified says more about YOUR RACISM than anything you have complained about
August 1st, 2016 at 11:16 am
How abut the qualification being who can spot and ask why in today’s (8-2-16) Sun Sentinel they neglected to include the puzzle solution box for Jumbles on page 9B ????
I don’t think the editors or employees even bother to read this paper anymore.