FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: BA Snyder
NAHJ
512.630.6337
BA@VeritasAustin.com
NAHJ National Board condemns Santa Barbara News-Press use of racist editorial cartoon
Washington, D.C., March 1, 2018 – Yesterday, the Santa Barbara News-Press printed the same editorial cartoon used by the Albuquerque Journal in early February. It has been more than 24 hours since we tried reaching out to Editor-in-Chief Scott Steepleton and the S.B. News-Press has not yet responded to our urgent attempts to address how their editorial board approved the racist content.
The Santa Barbara News-Press have failed in accurately representing the Latino community. The board of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists questions the editorial judgment of the newsroom leaders who approved the printing of this racist cartoon after an outcry in Albuquerque.
“I am calling on newsrooms throughout the nation, to look at these recent scenarios as an opportunity to assess their own newsroom process, inclusion and uphold the responsibility as journalists to report with accuracy and fairness,” stated Brandon Benavides, NAHJ President. “This cartoon should have never been considered for another press outlet and it is unacceptable that this issue has to be readdressed.”
On March 5, 2018, Benavides will lead a delegation in New Mexico to address this very same cartoon with the Albuquerque Journal’s Editor-in-Chief Karen Moses and the newsroom leaders.
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About NAHJ The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) is the largest organization of Latino journalists in the United States and dedicated to the recognition and professional advancement of Hispanics in the news industry. The mission of NAHJ is to increase the number of Latinos in the newsrooms and to work toward fair and accurate representation of Latinos in news media. Established in April 1984, NAHJ created a national voice and unified vision for all Hispanic journalists. NAHJ has approximately 2,200 members, including working journalists, journalism students, other media-related professionals and journalism educators. For more information please visit NAHJ.org or follow on Twitter @NAHJ.