Are students of color getting the inside scoop on what it takes to become news editors and producers?

Chasing the breaking news story. Writing the thoughtful, definitive piece that will effect the course of history. Getting that byline and the name-recognition that could lead to fame and fortune. These are just a few of the lures that attract students to journalism schools and careers as reporters.

As enticing as these may appear, the real power in journalism is in editing -- and according to the numbers, too few people of color currently sit on these thrones of power.

"The critical thing is that editors are the folks who make the decision on what stories are assigned, how they are covered, what the play will be in the newspaper, and what the priorities of the newspapers are," says Veronica Jennings, diversity director of the American Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE). "So certainly, you want as much diversity as possible from the people who are making those decisions.

"It's hard to convince people that the real power [in television news] is in producing and not in front of the camera," she says. "But if you want to be wielding significant power in this business, you need to be thinking about editing."

According to ASNE's 1998 Newsroom Census, 9 percent of newsroom supervisors are minorities, up from 1 percent in 1978. Minorities also comprise 10.2 percent of copy and layout editors, up from 3 percent in 1978. (see Incredible Whiteness, page 40, for more newsroom demographics).

"The numbers are disappointing," says Todd Beamon, senior editor of BET Weekend Magazine. "And there is no particular excuse for that, when you have so many [minority] journalists who have good educations -- who have excellent educations -- and who are well-experienced. There is simply no excuse. They are there, and they are available."

Getting On Track

While the current number of African American, Latino, Asian, and Native American editors may be small, most experts agree the future health of the news industry requires a more diverse management demographic. Achieving this goal may very well require concomitant change in the way the nation's schools of journalism prepare students of color.