San Francisco, CA (EGCM) The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association
announced that NLGJA will help to plan and execute a historic survey of
broadcast journalists working in the mainstream media. The survey, to be
conducted jointly by the Radio and Television News Directors Foundation and
NLGJA, will query both gay and lesbian journalists and some 2,500 news
directors at radio and television stations around the country.

The survey of gays and lesbians will seek participation from anyone involved
in the production of news, including reporters, writers, producers, camera
people, graphic artists, researchers, editors, and field producers. The survey
will examine workplace conditions for lesbian and gay journalists, and
coverage of lesbian and gay issues in television and radio news. It
complements a similar survey of gay and lesbian newspaper journalists in
1989-90.

The survey responses will be completely confidential, but all participants
will have the option of being quoted if they wish.

"The broadcast survey is already evoking a tremendous response," said Leroy
Aarons, NLGJA President and former executive editor of the Oakland Tribune.

Eric Swanson, Director of RTNDF, said, "the foundation is thrilled and excited
to be part of this effort. This is an important part of the work we are doing
in the area of news room diversity."

The Chelsea Research Group, a market research firm in New York City, will
design and analyze the survey. Mara Shelby, Chelsea president, offered to take
this on an expenses-only basis.

NLGJA members will help design and administer the survey over the next few
months. NLGJA is an organization of more than 700 gay and lesbian journalists
in broadcast and print. Barbara Raab, a writer/producer for CBS station
WBBM-TV in Chicago, will coordinate NLGJA's involvement. Survey coordinators
hope to have results ready for presentation at the NLGJA conference in
September in New York, and the RTNDA national conference in October in Miami.

Critical to the survey's success is a large pool of gay and lesbian
participants. Anyone interested in receiving a survey should call the NLGJA
hotline at (415) 905-4690.

For more information contact:  The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists
Association; Post Office Box 423048; San Francisco, CA  94142-3048;
415-905-4690 voice.  Please mention that you heard about the survey through
The Electronic Gay Community Magazine.

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