Source-tracking in newsrooms as a tool towards more diversity
Source tracking in newsrooms promotes diversity by auditing coverage and systematically assessing sources. How digital tools like Google Forms to collect demographic data could be used to amplify underrepresented voices and reflect community diversity.
We recently addressed the problem of the lack of diversity among the sources of much Western journalistic production and suggested a series of resources to broaden the search for new sources. Moreover, newsrooms are increasingly adopting source-tracking practices to ensure their coverage reflects the diversity of their communities.
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The motivations behind these efforts are multifaceted, as a recent case study document published by the Institute for Nonprofit News, an American organization that supports independent news organizations, showed. For instance, for The Beacon, a startup newsroom in Kansas City, diversity was emphasized from its foundation, with the goal of being representative in staffing, board composition, and content. Their approach intensified following the racial justice protests of 2020, recognizing the need to audit their coverage to ensure it reflected community diversity.
WABE News in Atlanta and WFAE in Charlotte, two local public radios, were driven by similar goals of growing their audience, engaging in more inclusive journalism, and deliberately amplifying voices of colour. These newsrooms saw source tracking as a way to move beyond anecdotal evidence and systematically assess who they were talking to and, crucially, who they were not including in their coverage.
Tools and Methods for Source Tracking
The newsrooms featured in this case study primarily relied on Google Forms and Google Sheets to implement their source tracking systems. For instance, The Beacon initially used a Google Form sent to sources after interviews, asking them to self-identify their race, ethnicity, gender, and ZIP code. They later experimented with having reporters ask these questions directly at the end of interviews.
WABE News adopted a Google Form where journalists input data about their sources, including the source's name, type (e.g., elected official, expert, member of the public), gender, and race/ethnicity. WFAE opted for Google Sheets, with producers and reporters asking sources about their identity during pre-screening conversations or at the end of interviews.
All three newsrooms emphasized the importance of making participation voluntary and allowing sources to self-identify. They also developed scripts or explanations to help journalists communicate the purpose of source tracking to their interviewees. These digital tools allowed for easy data collection and analysis, enabling the newsrooms to track their progress over time.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
Implementing source tracking systems came with several challenges. The Beacon faced low response rates when sending surveys to sources after interviews, leading them to experiment with different approaches. Reporters, at times, felt awkward asking demographic questions, highlighting the need for clear scripts and explanations. WABE and WFAE found that consistently reminding staff to input data was crucial to maintaining the system. All newsrooms grappled with how to handle situations where sources declined to provide information or where assumptions about identity might be made.
The process also revealed the need for ongoing conversations about diversity within newsrooms and the importance of aligning tracking efforts with organizational missions and community demographics. Despite these challenges, the newsrooms found that even imperfect tracking systems increased awareness of source diversity among staff. They advised other outlets to start with intention, be willing to pivot and adjust methods, and view source tracking as part of broader diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The newsrooms also recognized that tracking alone is not a complete solution but rather a tool to support more inclusive journalism practices.
Read the full Case Study. The diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) series
