The NAB is launching a Diversity Symposium at the upcoming 2021 NAB Show in Las Vegas. It’s a two-part program that will cover strategies for developing and fostering corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I) in the media industry.
The just-announced Diversity Symposium takes place on Sunday, October 10, and is scheduled from 11am-2:30pm Pacific. It will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center and is open to all NAB Show attendees.
“The value of this new program cannot be overstated,” said Michelle Duke, NAB’s chief diversity officer. “The last year has made it clear that businesses need to take a more active role in creating and developing more inclusive and diverse workplaces, and we are excited for the role NAB has to lead a culture of change.”
The symposium will kick off with a Chief Diversity Officer (CDO) Roundtable, focused on how to develop diversity programs for media organizations. CDOs from The E.W. Scripps Company, iHeartMedia and TEGNA will join the conversation led by Duke.
Other sessions focused on developing a corporate DE&I strategy include:
- Building Effective ERG’s (Employee Resources Groups) and DE&I Committees
- Supplier Diversity: Developing a Strategy that Benefits Your Organization and Your Community
The symposium will then pivot to cover fostering diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and within the media industry at large. Two sessions will explore the impact of diverse leadership on the bottom line, and how intersectional identities can change reporting, news coverage and production.
Diverse leaders from across the industry will participate in the session titled “More Than a Seat at the Table: The Impact of Inclusive Leadership and Sponsorship.” iHeartMedia’s Senior Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Yesenia Bello, Allen Media Group-owned KITV-4/Honolulu President/GM Jason Hagiwara and Cox Media Group Director of Sales Angelina Rosario will discuss leadership as individuals in groups that are underrepresented in media and the positive impact of creating an active culture of inclusion at their organizations.
The Sept. 3 announcement of the Oct. 10 symposium further solidifies a schedule of events designed for a five-night stay in Las Vegas, with events on October 9 for broadcast engineers and IT professionals and the Sales and Management Television Exchange bookended by the Radio Show. NAB Show events largely begin October 10 and conclude October 13.
The NAB Show is the largest convention and expo to be staged since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020.
