The business imperative of newsroom diversity: how identities influence Indonesian women media leaders' perceptions and implementation of newsroom changes and innovation

Abstract

News organizations tend to preserve male-dominated organizational culture and have been historically oriented to serve the male reader market. This, however, stifles innovation and fails to respond to rapid changes in the journalism industry. The situation called for change through newsroom diversity initiatives as it is essential for business success and fulfilling journalism's moral obligation of representing diverse perspectives and realities. Women and minority leaders are arguably seen as better positioned to lead newsroom diversity initiatives and thus remedy the situation. This study challenges such assumptions through in-depth interviews with 31 Indonesian women media leaders, focusing on their perspectives and experiences with diversity initiatives in the newsroom ecosystem and how such initiatives impact business and innovation. It finds that newsroom diversity cannot be accomplished solely by increasing the number of women sitting in top management positions. Only a woman leader who has a solid conviction in diversity can add value to business success. The dissertation explains how women's intersected identities and their flexibility in accessing their professional and social roles shape their various understandings of diversity. It also highlights how women with a diversity mindset could create a democratic working environment that allows the company to adapt and change during disruptive times and obtain and explore distinct and new ideas to produce innovation.