PNI Publisher Meeting

forwarded by PABJ VP Print Sarah Glover

Greetings: The following is a recap of the meeting held Jan. 16 with Philadelphia Inquirer company executives regarding diversity. The following persons attended:Brian P. Tierney (Inquirer/Daily News Publisher), Bill Marimow (Inquirer Executive Editor), Michael Days(Daily News Executive Editor), Mark Frisby (LaborRelations), Robert Barron (General Counsel), and Inquirer staffers Melanie Burney, Sandy Clark, Vernon Clark, Sarah Glover, Annette John-Hall, Harold Jackson, Dwight Ott, Acel Moore and Elisa Ung.

The discussion centered around diversity, coverage and staffing, carve-outs/seniority, hiring and retention, and the future. The meeting lasted about 90 minutes.The staff presented a document consisting of diversity observations at the paper. It was signed by 27 staffers. The staff made the following recommendations:
1) to re-establish a Diversity Committee
2) to develop a company mission statement on diversity
3) to reinstitute recruitment officer position
4) to conduct periodic content analysis of thenewspaper
5) provide training
6) enhance internship programs to include moreminorities
7) to continue community outreach with various segments of the community

At the end of the meeting, the company agreed:
1) to create a Diversity Committee to develop company-wide policies for the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News
2) to name someone within a week to oversee theDiversity Committee
3) to make efforts to call back minority staffers if positions become available
4) to meet again in one month to dialogue further.

A news conference was held afterward in the PublicRoom.