(Photo by Flickr user Esther Vargas)

By Danielle Paquette

In an email to staff on Thursday, Wall Street Journal editor Gerard Baker pledged to close the gender and race gaps in newsroom salaries, after union data revealed that white men make significantly more money than everyone else at publications owned by Dow Jones & Co.

“I am personally committed to eliminating it as a matter of urgency,” Baker wrote in the internal email (read the note in its entirety below). “We have the finest journalists in the world and I am anxious to ensure that we reward them properly and equitably.”

Baker’s words echoed a Wednesday memo from Dow Jones chief executive William Lewis, who said he ordered a review of hiring, development and compensation programs at the company, which includes the Journal, MarketWatch.com and Barron’s.

The efforts will begin with “a deep analysis of recruitment and remuneration practices across all segments, roles and regions of our organization,” Lewis wrote. “Improvements will follow.”

What he means by “improvements” has yet to be unveiled. A Wall Street Journal spokesperson said both Lewis and Baker declined further comment.

The conversation follows the release of an analysis by the Independent Association of Publishers' Employees 1096, which found, on average, full-time women at Dow Jones properties make about 87 cents for every dollar paid to full-time men.