• by Ray Schultz , March 26, 2023

People of color are under-represented in top editorial positions, according to a factsheet released by the Reuters Institute. 

In four of five countries studied, 11% of top editors are people of color, despite comprising 31% of the general population. 

The U.S. ranks above the general average in that group, with 33% of top editorial posts held by people of color. In contrast, the UK’s percentage is only 6%. 

In South Africa, the fifth country studied, 80% of people in top positions are people of color, up from 73% in 2022. And in that country, 91% of internet news users read news from at least one major outlet with a top editor of color, versus 0% in Brazil and Germany.

Editors of color outnumber journalists in South Africa and the U.S., but not in Brazil. 

Reuters analyzed 100 major online and offline news outlets in Brazil, Germany, South Africa, the UK and the U.S.