Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Diversity Statement
Nine PBS is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We understand the importance of our role as a trusted, community-licensed public media organization and are dedicated to amplifying voices that reflect the experiences of all people across our region. We believe that in order to do this authentically, our team must also be reflective of our community.
We view diversity as the characteristics and attributes that make each of us unique. Diversity has many dimensions. We believe that the collective identities of our race, gender, disability status, national origin, religion, veteran status, sexual orientation, and age (as well as other characteristics) strengthen us.
Racial equity is a focus of our work. For all individuals in our community to have equitable access to positive health, social, educational, and economic outcomes, we must condemn racism and explore ways to dismantle the structural institutions that continue to further disparities. We believe that to understand each other’s experiences, we must have honest–and sometimes uncomfortable–conversations. Our work increases awareness about racial inequity in our region and provides an opportunity to serve as a convener by bringing our community together to work toward solutions.
As an organization, we are committed to upholding our values. One of Nine PBS’s three key organizational priorities is to have a positive, inclusive, and high-performing culture. The varied identities, experiences, and views of each individual on our Nine PBS team matter. We are committed to fostering a safe and welcoming work environment where staff can be their authentic selves, deserving of and receiving respect and dignity at all times. An inclusive team enables us to engage everyone in our community in meaningful ways.
This work also extends to all aspects of our governing bodies, including our Board of Directors, Community Advisory Board, and program-specific advisory committees whose members intentionally reflect the diverse needs and interests of the communities served by Nine PBS.
As our organizational and community needs evolve, Nine PBS will continue to evaluate our activities and look for ways to improve our efforts. This includes meeting the standards of federal and state law, Nine PBS’s Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Diversity Eligibility Criteria.
Diversity Policy
Purpose
This policy documents KETC-TV’s (“Nine PBS”) compliance with Section 396(k)(11) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, (the “Act”) that sets forth the equal employment opportunity requirements that are applicable to public broadcasting stations (codified at 47 U.S.C. Section 396(k)(11)) and the Diversity Requirement contained in the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s (“CPB’s) Television Community Service Grant General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria (the “General Provisions”).
Background
Section 396(k)(11) of the Act prohibits CPB from distributing its federally appropriated funds to any public broadcasting station with more than five full-time employees that has not filed with CPB an annual statistical report that: (a) identifies by race and sex the number of employees in each of eight full-time and part-time job categories (officials and managers; professionals; technicians; semi-skilled operatives; skilled craft persons; clerical and office personnel; unskilled operatives; and service workers); and (b) states the number of job openings occurring during the course of the year. This Section of the Act also requires that this statistical information be made available to the public at the main business office of the station and at every location where more than five full-time employees are regularly assigned to work.
Additionally, Section 396(k)(11) requires that each public broadcasting station that receives a Community Service Grant (“CSG”) from CPB certify to CPB that the station complies with Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) regulations concerning equal employment opportunity or any successor regulations. Each public broadcast station licensee with more than five full-time employees must also certify that the job openings identified in the statistical reports described above were filled in accordance with such FCC regulations, or provide a statement of the reasons for not filling the positions in accordance with such regulations.
The Diversity Requirement in the General Provisions requires that each CSG grantee station adopt, annually review, and make necessary revisions to a diversity goal for its workforce, management and boards, including community advisory boards and governing boards having governance responsibilities specific to or limited to the public broadcasting station.
Under the Diversity Requirement, each public broadcasting station must also annually review with the station’s governing board or licensee official: the diversity goal and any revisions thereto; and practices designed to fulfill the station’s commitment to diversity and to meet applicable FCC regulations. (47 C.F.R. § 73.2080)
Further, each public broadcasting station must maintain on its website, and annually update, a diversity statement that addresses: the elements of diversity that the station finds important to its public media work; the extent to which station’s staff and governance reflect such diversity; the progress the station has made to increase its diversity in the last two to three years; and the station’s diversity plans for the coming year.
Finally, each CSG recipient station must undertake one of the following initiatives on an annual basis:
1. Include individuals representing the diverse groups served by Grantee for internships or work-study programs, which must be designed to provide meaningful professional-level experience and further public broadcasting’s commitment to education;
2. Include qualified diverse candidates in any slate of individuals considered for positions on elected governing boards that Grantee controls;
3. Provide diversity training for members of Licensee’s governing body or board of directors;
4. Participate in minority or other diversity job fairs; or
5. Provide diversity training for management and appropriate staff.
As the licensee of KETC-TV, St. Louis Regional Public Media, Inc. receives a CSG for the operation of KETC-TV. All CSG grantees, including St. Louis Regional Public Media, Inc., must annually certify at the beginning of CPB’s fiscal year that they are compliant with the public broadcasting provisions of the Act and CPB’s General Provisions in order to receive their CSG.
This policy will improve the reliability of St. Louis Regional Public Media, Inc.’s certification that KETC-TV complies with the provisions of 47 U.S.C. Section 396(k)(11) and the Diversity Requirement in the General Provisions.
Policy & Procedures to promote DEIB
KETC-TV will comply with the provisions of 47 U.S.C. Section 396(k)(11). KETC-TV will comply with all Federal, state and local laws, as well as FCC regulations and its own human resources policies, concerning equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination.
KETC-TV will file annually with CPB the statistical report described above and will certify that the job openings identified in the statistical report were filled in accordance with FCC regulations or provide a statement of the reasons for not filling the positions in accordance with such regulations.
KETC-TV will make this statistical information available to the public its main offices, located at 3655 Olive Street, St, Louis, MO 63108-3601, and at any other location where more than five full-time employees of KETC-TV are regularly assigned to work. This statistical information is contained in the Station Activities Survey (“SAS”) that KETC-TV submits to CPB each year. As such, KETC-TV will make the employment statistical information contained in KETC-TV’s SAS report available to the public. This same SAS information will remain publicly available for three years after the spending period for the CSG requiring compliance concludes.
A photocopy of the employment statistical information described in the preceding paragraph will be readily available and provided to any member of the public requesting the report. The photocopy will be available for pick up by the person requesting it at the address listed in the previous paragraph.
It is the goal of KETC-TV to have a workforce, management, governing board, and advisory boards that are diverse and reflective of the communities that KETC-TV serves. KETC-TV management will annually review this diversity goal with its governing board and make revisions to the diversity goal that the governing board and management deem to be necessary. KETC-TV management will also annually review with its governing board KETC-TV’s practices that are designed to fulfill the station’s commitment to diversity and to meet the applicable FCC equal employment opportunity regulations.
KETC-TV will post, and annually update, on the ninepbs.org website a diversity statement that meets all of the requirements contained in the General Provisions. KETC-TV will also participate in at least one of the annual initiatives listed in the Diversity Requirement in the General Provisions.
KETC-TV understands that CPB strongly encourages each CSG grantee to interview at least one qualified diversity candidate for each senior leadership position hire. The term “senior leadership position” includes: Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Content Officer, General Manager, and other equivalent positions. KETC-TV will endeavor to include such candidates in its interview process for senior leadership positions.
KETC-TV will maintain documentation evidencing compliance with this policy, including screenshots of the material posted on the Website, for three years after the spending period for the CSG requiring compliance concludes.
DEI Progress
- To center equity in everything we do, Nine PBS identified equity as one of the organization’s Core Values within the 2022 – 2024 Strategic Plan.. For our community to thrive, everyone must thrive. We bring people together to amplify voices and work toward solutions that identify and eliminate barriers for all.
- We formed a Diversity Equity Inclusion Belonging (DEIB) council, that creates, reviews, and guides DEIB activities and plans.
- We implemented 4 Employee Resource Groups (ERGs):
- Nine PBS offers every employee the opportunity to participate in ERGS, which provide a safe space for discussion and exploration of shared life experiences by prioritizing the needs and interests of the respective identity groups. In addition, team members who want to offer support, have concerns about the challenges a particular group is facing, or are interested in learning more are also welcome to participate. ERGs enhance both career and personal development, foster team collaboration and performance, and create an environment where staff feel comfortable to show up authentically. Below is a list of our four ERGs.
- LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual/Ally)
- BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color)
- Young Professionals / Early Career
- Working Parents and Caregivers
- Nine PBS offers every employee the opportunity to participate in ERGS, which provide a safe space for discussion and exploration of shared life experiences by prioritizing the needs and interests of the respective identity groups. In addition, team members who want to offer support, have concerns about the challenges a particular group is facing, or are interested in learning more are also welcome to participate. ERGs enhance both career and personal development, foster team collaboration and performance, and create an environment where staff feel comfortable to show up authentically. Below is a list of our four ERGs.
- We conducted pay equity assessments and content/messaging audits to identify opportunities to advance DEIB.
Diversity Goals
Internal Goals:
Utilize an equity lens when making decisions about content for on-air, online, in print and in the community. This includes examining what content is selected, how stories are told, who is telling the stories, and the impact it will have on various communities (race, ethnicity, class, age, gender, disability, neuro-diversity, LGBTQIA identity, etc.).
Nine PBS will prioritize diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging to create an inclusive culture that enables every member of our team to thrive. In turn, our staff will responsively listen to our community to identify priorities, create resources and content, and convene stakeholders to work toward addressing inequities. This work will enable Nine PBS to continue to build trust and accountability with our staff, partners, and community members by collaboratively working to help our region flourish.
- FOSTER a respectful environment that continues to support psychological safety and retains talent.
- BUILD an equitable infrastructure, including continuing to diversify management-level positions.
- INCREASE the rigor around succession planning for roles deeper in the organization.
- DEVELOP a greater focus on preparation and mentorship through targeted development of high potential team members, with a focus on BIPOC staff.
What has been accomplished over the past 2-3 years:
13 Circle Keepers were trained to facilitate circles that hold space for healing, create psychological safety, center multiple perspectives, and uplift experiences of staff from varied identities.
The DEIB Council and BIPOC ERG has been leveraged to finalize organizational talking points that were distributed to all staff to address macro- and microaggressions, and other harmful comments/actions.
Safe spaces have been created that balance foundational learning and personal exploration of DEIB principles for all staff.
DEIB training was provided to volunteers to reinforce alignment with our organization’s Core Purpose and Values.
On staff surveys, feeling of belonging within the organization have increased 23%, for a total of 93% of staff in 2023.
For FY23, Nine PBS has a retention rate of 95% and staff satisfaction is 93%.
Externally
- COMMUNICATE our Core Purpose and Values to our donors, volunteers, board members and broader community in a way that reinforces our commitment to equity.
- ENGAGE in equitable partnerships, collaborations and community relationships.
- PURSUE practices that advance equity in our digital spaces and content.
- DIVERSIFY our donor base to include funders who align with us around our values and the priorities of our work.
- Commit financial resources toward partnerships that address educational and social inequities. This can include the digital divide, educational disparities, mental health services, and gun violence, among others.
- Amplify voices and stories of individuals and partners who are making progress toward dismantling racism, division and exclusion in our communities, as well as stories that otherwise might not be celebrated.
We will work toward these goals by listening to our stakeholders most impacted by inequity through ongoing survey feedback and community conversations, responding with concrete goals and actions (i.e., creating policies, practices, and content), and measuring impact using an iterative process by reprioritizing milestones and activities, as needed.
What has been accomplished over the past 2-3 years:
Our trust rating in the community has remained at approximately 85%, compared to the national PBS trust rating of 73%.
Numerous listening sessions within the community to identify priorities that influence content creation, programs and resources.
Continuation of trusted partnerships with community organizations to do work that supports community needs and advances equity.
Diversity Summary
Nine PBS (KETC-TV) primary broadcast signal area encompasses the bi-state St. Louis MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes 7 Missouri counties (St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Warren and Washington), the City of St. Louis, and 8 Illinois counties (Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Macoupin, Madison, Monroe and St. Clair). The MSA has a resident population of approximately 2.8 million according to population estimates from the U.S Census Bureau. While the Nine PBS's reach through its broadcast signal, cable and satellite extends beyond the MSA to span approximately 100 predominately rural counties in Missouri and Illinois, the MSA represents the primary center of population, the majority of Nine’s viewership, and the only source of Nine Network staff and board.
Following are the statistics that gauge our community’s diversity as compared to the diversity of the Nine PBS workforce.
2022 Race/Ethnicity: | MO-IL MSA | Nine PBS
White | 71% | 70%
BIPOC I 29% I 30%
2022: Gender: | MO-IL MSA | Nine PBS
Female | 51% | 71%
Male | 49% | 29%
Following are the statistics that gauge our community’s diversity as compared to the diversity of the Nine PBS Board of Directors.
2022: Ethnicity: | MO-IL MSA | 2022: Nine PBS
White | 71% | 73%
BIPOC I 29% I 27%
2022: Gender: | MO-IL MSA | 2022 Nine PBS
Female | 51% | 43%
Male | 49% | 57%
Nine PBS staff are slightly more racially diverse than the surrounding MO-IL MSA statistics. Specifically, 30% of our staff, as of 2022, are BIPOC compared to 29% within the community. From 2019, there was a 10% increase in BIPOC employee representation at Nine PBS.
We have made advances within our executive team as well. For the past three years, Nine PBS was identified by the Women’s Foundation of Greater St. Louis as a top place for women to work as a result of policies and practices that support gender equity. Direct structural changes can be seen in the gender makeup of the staff and executive team over time. Specifically, in 2019, 86% of our executive team was male, and only 14% were women. Of most recent, in year 2022, our executive team is 75% male and 25%. Thus, a 11% increase in female representation. Additionally, Nine PBS staff has more gender diversity than the surrounding MO-IL MSA statistics. With 71% of staff being female and 29% male. Diversity at the executive level promotes an array of valuable perspectives, experiences, and decisions that make an organization more successful.
In reference to our board of directors, and the diversity of the community, we saw a 7% increase in BIPOC members from the year 2019 to 2022. Specifically, 27% of our board is made up of BIPOC individuals, which is nearly the same distribution compared to the diversity of the community. We saw larger increases within gender, as females went from representing 28% of our board of directors to 43%.