Sheila Mysorekar is the former chairperson of the independent media organization 'Neue deutsche Medienmacher' (New German Media Professionals), an organization of ethnic minority journalists that campaigns for more diversity in German media. Currently, she is the chairperson of the ‘Neue Deutsche Organisationen’ (New German Organisations), a network of 140 post-migrant organizations. Sheila Mysorekar is an Indo-German journalist and lives in Cologne, Germany. Presently, she works for Deutsche Welle Akademie, Germany’s biggest media development organization, as a trainer for conflict-sensitive journalism and consultant for media in post-conflict states, mostly in Libya and South Sudan.

Roundtable “Media Trouble” Diversity in the Newsroom and Beyond

28th May 06.00 - 07.30 pm | Sheila Mysorekar, Iva Krtalić Muiesan, Alexandra Borchardt, Nour Khelifi, Introduction: Margreth Lünenborg, Moderation: Débora Medeiros

While journalism worldwide faces challenges such as the need to adapt to digital technologies and economic pressures, discussions about how to attract an increasingly fragmented audience have become louder. One of the reasons for a possible disconnect between legacy media and parts of the public may be the fact that many newsrooms do not reflect the current diversity present in society: their staff tends to be whiter, older and more middle class than most of their (potential) audiences. This panel features journalists and researchers’ perspectives on the question of diversity in the journalistic context, particularly in Germany.