NLGJA Applauds The Associated Press Decision to Offer Same-Sex Domestic Partner Benefits

6/2/2003

From: Steven Petrow or Pamela Strother, 202-588-9888, ext. 11 e-mail: petrow@bluedahlia.net, pstrother@nlgja.org both of the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association; web: http://www.nlgja.org

WASHINGTON, June 2 -- The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) today congratulated The Associated Press and its new CEO Tom Curley for its historic decision to offer domestic partner benefits to its gay and lesbian employees effective June 1, 2003.

(Note to Editors and News Directors: This evening, details of the AP agreement were delivered by the News Media Guild to all members following contract meetings today with The Associated Press management. It's expected that the final agreement with AP will be sent for ratification to Guild members within the next few weeks.)

The far-reaching decision will cover the same-sex unmarried partners of the Associated Press' 3,700 employees working in 242 bureaus in the U.S. and around the world. Founded in 1848 and considered the backbone of the world's information system, The Associated Press (AP) serves as a source of news, photos, graphics, audio and video for more than one billion people a day worldwide. In the U.S. alone, AP serves 5,000 radio and television stations and 1,700 newspapers.

A multi-year education effort by employees of the company, aided vigorously by NLGJA, provided the AP with detailed information and statistics to support its decision to offer equal benefits to partners and families of gay and lesbian employees. "By providing its gay and lesbian employees domestic partner benefits, The Associated Press today joins many of its member news organizations by putting a commitment to fairness into practice," said NLGJA President Steven Petrow. "Earlier this year, we launched a new initiative to bring DP benefits to the last large media holdouts: AP, NBC and MediaNews Group. With AP's decision, NLGJA will now focus more intently on the last two major news organizations," Petrow added.

Pamela Strother, Executive Director of NLGJA said, "AP employees always cited NLGJA reports and research in their efforts to win DP benefits. We're proud to have been a part of this historic effort. Our NLGJA members working within the AP and for its constituent news organizations will join us in saluting this outstanding milestone at our national convention in Los Angeles in September."

"For years, the gay and lesbian employees of The Associated Press have been pressing for equal benefits," said Ross Sneyd, an AP reporter in Montpelier, Vt., and chairman of the NLGJA's domestic partnership task force. "I'm thrilled the AP has recognized that equal treatment of all its employees is the right thing to do." Sneyd made a presentation to the company about domestic partner benefits in October 2002 along with representatives of the NLGJA and the News Media Guild.

With the AP decision, NLGJA now reports that at least 75 U.S. major media companies and unions offer domestic partner benefits to employees at more than 1,400 newspapers, broadcast stations, online news outlets and other operating divisions.

"The Associated Press validates once again that domestic partner benefits are the industry standard in our profession," said Petrow. "Media outlets that do not offer DP benefits are not only behind the times, but regrettably they are well behind their peers and competitors."

The NLGJA directory of media companies providing domestic partner benefits may be found online at http://www.nlgja.org.

The National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association is an organization of journalists, online media professionals, and students that works from within the journalism industry to foster fair and accurate coverage of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. NLGJA opposes workplace bias against all minorities and provides professional development for its members. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NLGJA has more than 1,100 members and 19 chapters in the U.S., with affiliates in Canada and Germany. More information about NLGJA and its 2003 convention is available at http://www.nlgja.org.