MDA | Race Reporting Handbook 4. Commitment to Diversifying and Centring Community Voices: This involves not only diversity in staffing, but also diversity in the voices and stories platformed, and how they are represented, in the media to ensure that a broad spectrum of society is represented. As discussed earlier in chapter 5, this would require centring the diverse perspectives of communities in collaborative ways. If you don't have lived experience of racism yourself, also consider your own potential biases and take the initiative to self-educate. First Nations and other negatively racialised staff members who voluntarily contribute their knowledge and expertise from their lived experiences should be remunerated. Within the workplace, also showcase First Nations and other negatively racialised employees fully, beyond their diversity alone. 5. Encouraging Diversity of Thought: This involves more than just having a diverse team; it requires active solicitation of input and ideas from all team members, especially those whose voices are traditionally underrepresented. This would require structural support and transparent mechanisms to enable staff with lived experience to contribute safely and with knowledge of how the feedback will be used or incorporated. 6. Accountability to Diverse Audiences: Inclusive leaders hold their teams and themselves accountable to | CHAPTER 06 their audiences, ensuring that media representation is fair, accurate, and respectful of diversity. CREATE INCLUSIVE EDITORIAL POLICIES To create truly inclusive editorial policies, media organisations must undertake deliberate and thoughtful actions: 1. Conduct Regular Bias, First Nations Cultural Safety, and Anti-Racism Trainings: Implement continuous education and training for all editorial staff on bias, First Nations cultural safety, and anti-racism. These programs should be developed and delivered in collaboration with experts and community organisations with lived experience. Training should include specific modules focused on the experiences, strengths, barriers, histories, and current affairs of First Nations and other negatively racialised communities. 2. Diverse Hiring Practices: Commit to diverse hiring that reflects the communities the media serves, which can help to bring a variety of perspectives to editorial decisions and coverage. This would need to be supported by institution-wide initiatives to strengthen First Nations cultural safety, and anti-racism, within the organisation, such as through a review of recruitment policies and procedures. 3. Inclusive Story Selection: Develop guidelines that ensure diverse viewpoints are considered and represented in the storytelling process. 46