According to Julie Burton president of the Women’s Media Center“Women’s “views and voices” are missing in print, television, radio, online and in film.” Women’s voices are systemically underrepresented everywhere not just in media but also in politics, education, business...The proportions for which journalists rely on male commentators rather than women is simply mirroring the landscape that society has propagated.
The numbers speak for themselves. Only nine of the world's 190 major heads of states are women. Only 15 percent of women hold top positions in American corporations. Only 24 percent of full professors in college around the United States are women. These figures have not changed in a decade.
As of 2010, women make up 46% of the workforce but comprise 3% of Fortune 500 chief executive positions and 7.6% of Fortune 500 top earner positions and hold just 15.7% of Fortune 500 board seats.
It should not be surprising therefore that the media uses considerably more men than women as sources on women’s issues. Until there are more women in the “pool” of experts, this trend will continue.
So instead of claiming reporters have “an unconscious bias” or that “men have more authority on a topic than women do,” perhaps we should focus on promoting leadership skills and professional development in the next generation of women whose voices will hopefully match their increasing numbers.
