Producer had to clarify after saying “Diversity is incredibly important to our team and our company so we are looking at only diverse hires at this time.”
This story by CNSNews dives into the radio conglomerate iHeartMedia going full throttle demanding diversity, by saying they only want that in potential new hires.
It's in a similar vein to how late last month Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced she’d only give interviews to black and brown reporters. Likewise the Biden administration tried to only give COVID relief funds to POC restaurant owners, only to have a federal court in Texas declare excluding white people from that is unconstitutional.
In the original email announcement about iHeart’s search for a new editor/engineer to work full-time, executive producer Molly Socha adds the caveat that “Diversity is incredibly important to our team and our company so we are looking at only diverse hires at this time.”
This was sent to a listserv group of enthusiasts within the New York City radio scene. This original statement that uses the phrase only diverse hires contradicts the public listing for the position, which in itself includes a standard “equal opportunity employer” disclaimer that asserts iHeart does not discriminate on the basis of “race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity…” and so on.
In an update after the fact, the iHeart employee involved clarified the language.
“I made an error in language in my last note, so I just want to clarify, ALL are welcome to apply and we will consider ALL qualified candidates. That being said, in our efforts to elevate diverse voices in the predominately white podcast space, we strongly encourage engineers/editors of color––regardless of gender and sexual orientation–– to apply."
Libby’s Desk
Commentary and must-reads from Libby’s desk, straight to your inbox.
TPM Newsletter
The Post Millennial’s top stories, delivered to your inbox.
