In a scathing new report from some of the nation’s most influential feminists, the media is being ripped for largely remaining a boys’ club that doesn’t give women their fair share of jobs and voice.
“When men or women turn on the media, and then fail to see women in our true diversity, there is a sense that all or some women are not part of what matters,” said Gloria Steinem, a co-founder of the Women’s Media Center, which just released its Status of Women in the U.S. Media 2019 report.
While women have gained jobs in the media, they continue to fall short. Some numbers:
- Across all media platforms, men receive 63 percent of bylines and credits; women receive only 37 percent.
- Women comprised 41.7 percent and people of color 22.6 percent of the overall newsroom workforce.
- 69 percent of news wire bylines (AP and Reuters) are snagged by men, 31 percent by women.
- 63 percent of TV prime-time news broadcasts feature male anchors and correspondents, 37 percent feature women.
- 60 percent of online news is written by men, 40 percent by women.
- 59 percent of print news is written by men, 41 percent by women.
The state of women in U.S. media in 2019: Still f’ing abysmal — especially at Reuters and the AP https://t.co/8DxtmnYX5V via @NiemanLab
— Women’s Media Center (@womensmediacntr) February 21, 2019
The 198-page report is a compilation of 94 studies of the media world, including newsrooms, Hollywood, and digital platforms.
Its release comes amid reports that CBS is considering swapping out “Evening News” anchor Jeff Glor for CBS “This Morning” anchor Norah O’Donnell.
.@NorahODonnell would be a fantastic anchor of @CBSEveningNews Our 2019 Status of Women in US Media was released today and WMC research shows that only 37% of the anchors and correspondents in primetime evening news are women. https://t.co/9c4u6YBgjS
— Women’s Media Center (@womensmediacntr) February 21, 2019
Julie Burton, president of the Women’s Media Center, said: “The media is in a state of great disruption, but despite all of the change, one thing remains the same: the role of women is significantly smaller than that of men in every part of news, entertainment and digital media.”
She quoted Steinem in her report suggesting that media consumers are not getting a woman’s perspective on events.
“If women’s voices are not in the media, including women of color, as journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers, media creatives, bloggers, and authoritative sources — and also, if matters that affect women’s lives are not being covered, women are not seen as crucial in the culture. When women are present, in front of and behind the camera, running newsrooms, creating media companies, stories do get told that would not otherwise be known,” said Steinem.
[Related: Men run the news, 2 to 1, despite demands for diversity, equality everywhere else]
