Press release from UNC Asheville:
Keith Woods, who leads the development of National Public Radio’s vision and strategy for diversity, and writes regularly on race and the media, will give a free public talk on Dog Whistles, Diversity and Election 2016 at 7 p.m. in UNC Asheville’s Humanities Lecture Hall on Thursday, Oct. 6. This event is presented in partnership by UNC Asheville’s Center for Diversity Education, the university’s Department of Mass Communication, and WCQS – Western North Carolina Public Radio.
Woods’ visit to Asheville, at the invitation of WCQS, comes just one month before the election and he will discuss campaign coverage, including how matters of “difference” have been amplified, as well as how NPR and its stations attempt to address issues in a serious and innovative fashion. As vice president for diversity for news and operations, Woods focuses on helping the network and its member stations strengthen the breadth and depth of diversity in content, staff, audience and the work environment.
“Keith Woods has taught us that as public radio journalists, we should constantly confront questions around how we handle matters of race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and identity, class, faith, and ideology. With Keith’s help, at WCQS we’re going to push ourselves to think harder and more clearly about the choices we’re making around some of the more difficult issues we cover in Western North Carolina,” said WCQS General Manager and CEO David Feingold.
Woods joined NPR in February 2010 after 15 years at the Poynter Institute, a nonprofit school of journalism owned by The Tampa Bay Times. He spent his last five years at Poynter as its dean of faculty and has taught writing and reporting on race relations, ethics and diversity, and was previously the institute’s director of diversity. He regularly writes and speaks on race and media and is the co-author of The Authentic Voice: The Best Reporting on Race and Ethnicity published by Columbia University Press in 2006. Before joining Poynter, Woods spent 16 years at The Times-Picayune as a sportswriter, news reporter, city editor, editorial writer, and columnist.
He has consulted with most of the leading U.S. news organizations, and worked with faculty at journalism schools across the country to better incorporate diversity in their teaching. During his visit to Asheville, Woods will meet with UNC Asheville faculty and administrators, and with students and faculty in the university’s Department of Mass Communication.
“Keith Woods is a leader in some of the most important conversations happening in our country today. Issues of diversity, inclusion and tolerance are currently present everywhere from our city streets to our courts to the current presidential election, and it’s important for our students and our community to hear from, and engage with, thought leaders like Keith Woods. I thank WCQS for helping to make this visit possible,” said UNC Asheville Chancellor Mary K. Grant.
To read a recent column by Woods on his work to address diversity challenges at NPR, visit http://current.org/2016/07/ focus-on-sources-race-wont-be- enough-to-close-public-radios- diversity-deficit/
For more information, contact Deborah Miles, director of UNC Asheville’s Center for Diversity Education, at 828.232.5024 or dmiles@unca.edu.
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