The lack of diversity in Canadian columnists shouldn’t deter editors from pursuing more diverse candidates. Most major papers hire mostly white males, and many big-name columnists are in their 50s or 60s. Mass immigration from non-white countries is relatively recent, and in 2016, the median age of a non-white Canadian was 33.9 years. Despite the lack of diversity among columnists, there are many reasons to hire more diverse talent. Click here – Marc Kielburger

 

One Reason For This Is That Columnists’ Demographics Reflect The Demographics Of Their Audiences

 

One reason for this is that columnists’ demographics reflect the demographics of their audiences. In 1996, 88.7% of Canadian columnists were white. Today, this figure has dropped to 76.9%. Since that time, non-white Canadians make up about a third of the population. Although the lack of diversity in Canadian columnists isn’t a problem, it should be addressed. Currently, the majority of columnists are white.

The lack of diversity in Canadian columnists’ rosters is troubling. The study that Heartfield referenced revealed that the majority of Canadian columnists are white, and that there are no non-white columnists in Canada. Yet, the same study shows that non-whites are only two per cent of the Canadian population. In fact, they make up less than 2% of the country’s population. It is possible to make an editorial hiring decision that takes into account the demographics of the audience, but it is important that it does.

Interestingly, only four percent of Canadian columnists are not white. This is largely due to the fact that 88.7% of the Canadian population is white. Thus, hiring a non-white Canadian columnist can help the reputation of a newspaper. The only challenge is the lack of diversity among the panel. This is because of the large number of white columnists in Canada. Nonetheless, this is not a reason to avoid diversity in the media.