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NEW YORK (AP) — For the first time in five years, no black reporter was among the top 25 on the network evening news programs in 2001, as measured by the amount of stories they reported, according to a study released Thursday. 

Byron Pitts of CBS and Pierre Thomas of ABC were tied for 28th place with 72 appearances on their news programs, said the study by the Center for Media and Public Affairs. 

Only one other black reporter — Randall Pinkston of CBS — was in the top 50, the center said. A year earlier, two black reporters made the top 10. 

Overall, the study found that the number of stories reported by all minorities and women were up slightly over 2000. Eighty-eight percent of the stories were reported by whites and 75 percent by men, the report said. 

The most visible network news reporter last year was John Roberts on CBS, who reported 177 stories. Robert Hager was the leader at NBC with 159 stories, followed by Terry Moran’s 138 stories on ABC, the center said.