Check out this Washington Post article on race and reporting on the White House. It does a good job of framing the issue in a respectful but provocative manner. I think the same questions can apply to Canada’s Parliament Hill, where a majority of the reporters are white males.

Here’s an excerpt:

Condon, a journalist in Washington for 31 years, offers a mixed assessment of whether race makes a difference in how the presidency and the issues surrounding it are portrayed: “You don’t have to be Protestant to write about a Catholic president or Polish to cover Lech Walesa and Solidarity. People here are awfully good reporters. They cover lots of things that aren’t in their backgrounds.”
But at the same time, Condon acknowledges that a reporter’s racial heritage can influence his or her priorities and perspectives and the kinds of questions that get asked at the White House. He notes that April Ryan — an African American who reports for the American Urban Radio Networks — is “often asking questions that someone else would not ask.”

Yes, the facts remain the facts and the person relaying the message is relatively irrelevant, but at the same time, it is helpful if reporters understand the implications of the system that privileges white skin. Different experiences and perspectives help to drive and shape alternative points of views and agendas. We need more of that, not less. Have a great day!