In March 2025, Gannett made headlines across the country. Known as the publisher of USA Today and hundreds of local papers, the media giant quietly erased references to DEI—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion—from its website and stopped publishing its annual diversity data. This wasn’t just a routine update. The Gannett DEI Rollback marked a major change in how one of the largest news organizations in the country approaches hiring, reporting, and accountability.
This move comes at a time when readers are increasingly skeptical of bias in media and tired of content shaped by political agendas. Gannett’s decision signals a shift toward a newsroom focused on performance, truth, and trust rather than quotas or activism. If you’ve ever felt that identity politics were being prioritized over skill, you’re not alone. Gannett listened, and they acted.
What Was the Purpose of Gannett’s DEI Program?
After 2020, Gannett adopted a series of DEI initiatives that were meant to reshape both the newsroom and its reporting. These efforts were launched in response to national pressure for more inclusivity across industries. Gannett published detailed reports on staff demographics, set hiring goals tied to race and gender, and pushed new training modules focused on unconscious bias and inclusive language. On top of that, editorial projects often centered on identity-focused topics, with an emphasis on amplifying marginalized voices.
Many inside and outside the organization initially applauded these programs. They were viewed as a moral step forward. But over time, support began to crack. Some employees felt passed over because of identity-based hiring goals. Others argued that stories were being chosen to meet social agendas rather than journalistic standards. The tension between fairness and favoritism started to grow. By 2025, the question wasn’t just whether DEI was working—it was whether it was doing more harm than good.
Why the Gannett DEI Rollback Happened
Gannett didn’t just wake up one day and scrap DEI. This decision was the result of mounting legal, cultural, and financial pressure. The 2023 Supreme Court ruling that ended race-based affirmative action in college admissions sent shockwaves through the corporate world. Companies began reassessing whether DEI initiatives could expose them to lawsuits. Gannett was no exception. Keeping these programs in place could have opened the door to claims of reverse discrimination.
There was also growing backlash from the public. Social media users increasingly called out the perceived imbalance created by DEI. Many felt that newsrooms were more concerned with virtue signaling than delivering credible journalism. One post on X summed it up bluntly: “Gannett’s DEI was pushing narratives, not news.” The complaints were becoming too loud to ignore.
Internally, Gannett was facing serious financial challenges. Advertising revenue was down, subscriber numbers were slipping, and layoffs were becoming common. DEI programs—with their expensive consultants, training sessions, and administrative layers—simply became difficult to justify. In a struggling business, trimming nonessential programs is often the first step toward recovery.
But beyond the legal risks and budget cuts, there was also a values-based decision at play. Gannett’s leadership recognized that fairness means treating people as individuals, not representatives of demographic groups. The rollback of DEI programs marked a shift toward merit-based decisions, giving every employee the chance to be evaluated by their work—not their identity.
What the Gannett DEI Rollback Means for Newsrooms
Inside Gannett’s offices, the ripple effects of the DEI rollback are already being felt. With hiring and promotions no longer tied to identity metrics, decisions now revolve around performance and skill. This shift is helping rebuild trust among employees who felt their talents were being overlooked. Many say morale is improving as expectations become more transparent and standards more consistent.
The editorial impact is also significant. When DEI dominated newsroom priorities, certain topics often took precedence over others. Stories related to race, gender, and activism frequently received special attention. Now, with those mandates gone, journalists are returning to broader community issues. Economic trends, crime, local government, and investigative work are regaining their place at the center of the newsroom. This realignment promises to make Gannett’s coverage more useful, relevant, and trustworthy for a wider audience.
Gannett’s move isn’t without risk. Some progressive readers may walk away. But the company is betting that a return to quality, fair journalism will win more readers than diversity metrics ever did.
Why the Gannett DEI Rollback Matters to You
You may not work in media, but you still have a stake in this. The news you read, the stories you trust, and the standards applied to both all influence how you understand the world. Gannett’s rollback could reshape those standards for the better.
When companies hire based on ability instead of background, everyone benefits. It means more opportunity for people who work hard and less frustration for those who feel held back by surface-level metrics. That’s a principle many Americans want to see in their own industries, not just in media.
The DEI model also had a chilling effect on open discussion. Some reporters admitted to avoiding certain stories or angles because they didn’t want to offend DEI sensibilities. Without those constraints, journalists can now ask tougher questions and tell stories that reflect reality—not just a curated version of it.
Gannett is also setting a precedent. If its readership grows and public trust increases, other media organizations may follow suit. That could lead to a press that is more balanced, more curious, and more willing to report the facts without fear or favoritism.
The Broader Trend: DEI Programs Are Being Rolled Back Across America
Gannett isn’t acting alone. In 2025, several major corporations have reevaluated or removed DEI programs altogether. Walmart shut down its racial equity center and stopped selling certain LGBTQ+ merchandise in late 2024. Target discontinued its diversity surveys earlier this year. Ford ended its DEI hiring targets, and Meta disbanded its DEI team in January.
These decisions aren’t coming from the same place politically, but they share one thing in common. Companies are realizing that DEI programs often come with legal complications, customer complaints, and limited return on investment. In many cases, these initiatives have failed to deliver the fairness they promised.
People are speaking up. They are tired of being categorized by gender, race, or ideology. They want to be treated as individuals. The Gannett DEI Rollback is part of a larger cultural shift toward equal standards and open debate. Whether in business, education, or media, the message is clear: stop dividing, and start delivering.
Conclusion
In a bold move earlier this year, Gannett dropped its DEI programs and removed diversity statistics from public view. The Gannett DEI Rollback is more than a cost-cutting decision. It’s a statement about what matters most in journalism: truth, talent, and trust.
This isn’t just about Gannett’s future. It’s about the kind of media we want to consume. One that puts the story first. One that respects its readers. One that believes fairness means equal standards, not special treatment.
Pick up a copy of your local Gannett paper, or scroll through USA Today, and judge the stories for yourself. Does it feel different? Fairer? More focused? If so, this rollback may be the beginning of a better chapter in American journalism.
