Sara de Vuyst
The first two videos on this week’s topic de Vuyst begins by clarifying central aspects such as her analytical framework she combined of Studies on Feminist Media, Journalism as well as Technology. These linked perspectives reveal for instance that gender representation of women in media declines towards higher age groups.
Additionally, she discusses the still ongoing digitalisation of media which has led to considerable changes of working conditions in the media industry bringing new challenges as well as possibilities for women.
Sara de Vuyst
The first two videos on this week’s topic de Vuyst begins by clarifying central aspects such as her analytical framework she combined of Studies on Feminist Media, Journalism as well as Technology. These linked perspectives reveal for instance that gender representation of women in media declines towards higher age groups.
Additionally, she discusses the still ongoing digitalisation of media which has led to considerable changes of working conditions in the media industry bringing new challenges as well as possibilities for women.
Sara de Vuyst
Sara de Vuyst shows how the new working conditions have created new job profiles combining traditional journalist skills with modern ones like computer expertise for example. These “unicorn” journalists are highly demanded in the industry while the supply is rather small due to those profiles being basically unrealistic. Because of different patterns of educational pathways, these new profiles contribute to the under-representation of women in media.
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Sara de Vuyst shows how the new working conditions have created new job profiles combining traditional journalist skills with modern ones like computer expertise for example. These “unicorn” journalists are highly demanded in the industry while the supply is rather small due to those profiles being basically unrealistic. Because of different patterns of educational pathways, these new profiles contribute to the under-representation of women in media.
Watch VideoSara de Vuyst
Now de Vuyst turns to aspects of the changed working conditions due to digitalisation which brought new opportunities for women in journalism – but also shows how these opportunities fall short in combination with “hard news” coverage and into the field of “Beta Journalism”.
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The leading question of this video is, in how far new digital media skills can help equalizing gender representation in journalism. De Vuyst explains three different approaches that are discussed in contemporary academia.
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Karen Ross
Karen Ross introduces to the world of media industry and it’s representation of women. On the basis of statistical numbers she shows significant inequalities like paygaps and the number of women in high ranking positions. Further on, Ross explores possible outcomes of gender-wise more equalized media industries.
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In this video Ross turns to the rather odd phenomenon of women’s careers in media being paid less and having less influence on the coverage – while the numbers of men and women starting those careers are balanced. Ross also shows how in parts of the media industry initiatives are forming and policies are put in place, to counter this development.
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The video digs deeper into the field of research of gender representation within the media industries themselves. Based on that Ross describes various aspects and systematics that build up to the fact of very few work environments in journalism, which actually treat women’s careers as equal as those of men.
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Ross turns away from academic and towards NGOs and professional associations, whose findings vary only little from the studies of the former. With the aid of those studies, Ross explains a number of both structural and cultural features which can function to restrict women’s professional ambitions.
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As in the previous video different structural reasons for women’s under-representation are analysed in great detail. A crucial aspect here is the narrative about family time women tend to take more likely than men, which gets discussed by Ross – and shown, that having children has surprisingly low influence on the issue.
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Karen Ross highlights that there are also particularly positive developments. She showcases different progressive approaches, informed by research and policy recommendations produced by academic researchers, women’s media associations, media unions and political institutions. The video then draws a conclusion on the issues discussed this week.
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Karen Ross introduces the topic of gender representation in the news by first exploring the history of research on the field of “symbolic annihilation” of women. She shows how the marginalisation of women in media is a global phenomenon and how some outlets started to react by supporting diversity. Based on that Ross also explains the more recent approach of intersectionality.
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Karen Ross guides through the international structure of research on gender inequality, starting from the World Conferences on Women. A central aspect is the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP), which findings are surprisingly similar for the whole globe. Ross explains the central aspect of women being much more objectified content of news stories rather than producing them themselves.
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In this video Karen Ross addresses the correlation between the under-representation of women and the predominant position of men in regard to being interviewed or asked for personal opinions. By examining this unequal distribution of privileges, she explains why news are rather “constructed” than “just happening”.
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While further exploring the differing patterns of representation Karen Ross turns to the aspect of how news stories are told and what aspects they focus on. She shows how content correlates with stereotypes and how they are used to perpetuate sexist ideas about concepts of women, how they should look or behave.
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In this last video Karen Ross draws a preliminary conclusion, after which some aspects like visibility of women in media have improved, while the basic problems still remain – as manifested for instance in the fact that female journalists tend to be reporting on lifestyle or fashion rather than politics, economy or sports, which are traditional subject to male news coverage.
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