Black Journalists Group Targets CNN

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) said Tuesday that it would place CNN on a "special media monitoring list," citing a lack of black representation among the network's leadership ranks, reports The Hill.

The NABJ said in a statement that its preliminary research showed that CNN has no black employees reporting to CNN President Jeff Zucker. It also showed that the news organization has no black executive producers as well as no black vice presidents or senior vice presidents on the news side.

CNN disputed the group's finding that there are no black vice presidents on the news side, according to NABJ. But the news network did not provide the name or position of the vice president or vice presidents, NABJ said.

The NABJ said a four-person delegation sought to meet with Zucker. "NABJ’s request to meet was and is focused solely on CNN’s diversity efforts, its results and our strategic priorities as an organization," the statement continued.

The group said that it its delegation is engaged in "very positive outreach" with other media companies and has met or scheduled meetings with ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC.

Last year, former CNN morning anchor Soledad O'Brien slammed the network and the cable news industry at large for what she said is a lack of diversity on the senior level.