Women in the Media – A Force to be Reckoned With
This post was written by a student. It has not been fact checked or edited.
The key question of gender representation in the media has become a more pressing issue recently, due to an emergence of more outspoken equality activists, but what really is the truth behind the discrepancy in gender representation in media outlets?
Journalism is one of the most worldwide forms of informative media, whether via television broadcasts, online articles or newspapers, and inclusivity is crucial in providing accurate and unbiased information for consumers. Conducted in 2022, a study conducted at the Reuters Institute of Oxford, found that of the 240 major news outlets only 21% of the top 179 editors were female, and in 11 out of the 12 sectors analysed, most top editors were male. Does this suggest that women experience an unfair disadvantage within journalism? Some may argue not, as in many major news outlets, this difference is far less apparent: for example, nearly half (47.5%) of journalists in the BBC are female, and 46% are female within CNN.
But of course, journalism is not the only form of media that we are exposed to regularly: the sporting industry is currently bigger than ever, and while it is important to recognise the recent increase in televised women’s sport, we still have a long way to go. This is especially visible within the money that is generated in men’s sports, versus women’s sports, apparent in the winnings for sports teams, which varies from $440 million in men’s sports, to only a quarter of this in women’s sports, which itself is only a symptom of the disparity in sponsorships from corporations. Sponsorship inherently leads to promotion of sports events, so while this difference may seem irrelevant, it does highlight the continues perception of male sports as more significant.
So again, what is the truth behind the discrepancy in gender representation in media outlets? It is clear that we are making huge strides towards a world all are equally represented in the entertainment and informative outlets that we see every day. Gaining equality in all its forms is important, not to help women, but also to bring our whole outlook as a society forward. To leave you with a message that I believe embodies the message of the fight for women’s representation, by a woman who equally embodies the cause, Malala Yousef: “We cannot all succeed if half of us are held back.”
Comments (2)
It’s so unfair how women don’t have a chance at any specific profession just because of their gender. I hope to have a career in journalism or at least writing and to hear that most senior journalists are men frustrates me. Why should women have more obstacles to face than a man in the same field? I rarely hear when people talk about football about the womens team even though they deserve recognition. Did you know that male footballers in England get paid nearly 17,000% more than female footballers. I think this is because mens football is televised more and I think if woman’s football was shown more, more people would talk about it. I do agree gender equality is slowly improving but it is obvious we have a long way to go.
Hello everyone ,
In my opinion, the voice of women on social media has become effective and clear to many authorities, as many of the issues that women suffer from have been raised in recent years, including harassment, rape, loss of the right to hold positions in society, early marriage for females, and female genital mutilation. Human rights organizations have also paid attention. Women and people throughout the world support this voice, strive to reach it, take into account its activation, and make an effective decision with it.
Thanks for reading my opinion.
I agree, social media has given women a platform to display how they truly feel about any situation. As you have said the media allows not only women but everyone to make a change and stand up to any negative situations.