Key Points
- Research has found women account for just 30 per cent of quoted sources in news stories.
- About 59 per cent of bylines are men’s.
- In sport, politics and finance reporting, there are even less women.
Women in media are still vastly under-represented as men continue to dominate newsrooms across Australia.
Men account for 70 per cent of quoted sources and 66 per cent of experts in all news stories while female voices are still taking a backseat, according to The Women in Media Gender Scorecard released on Monday.
It comes weeks after a landmark study that found more than 75 per cent of reporters on Australian television were of an Anglo-Celtic background, despite Australia being a majority migrant nation.
The Women in Media Gender Scorecard found women accounted for just 30 per cent of quoted sources and 34 per cent of quoted experts in news stories.
Most byline authors are also men, particularly when it comes to prolific areas of the media such as sport, which has 82 per cent male authors and a measly 18 per cent women.
When it comes to covering politics, which is also a male-dominated industry, most coverage and storytelling is by men.
About 59 per cent of authors are male, while 41 per cent are women and in finance the statistics are similar, with male authors accounting for 63 per cent and 37 per cent being women.
Research partner Isentia analysed 18,346 press, radio and TV news reports over a 14-day period from 18 July to 31 July last year as part of the study.
While efforts to achieve gender parity among media organisations has improved, with a 10 per cent upswing in byline share towards women since 2016, male voices are still prioritised.
‘Too long to wait’
Women in Media strategic adviser Petra Buchanan said gender inequality was prevalent across the industry.
“This report proves that a gender divide still exists,” Ms Buchanan said.
“The research shows that the inclusion, portrayal and projection of women in Australian media has a way to go.”
She added that based on its current trajectory, the Women in Media Gender Scorecard would not achieve media gender parity for at least a decade, which is unacceptable.
“That is far too long to wait for equal representation of women as authors, sources and experts in the media. Steps need to be taken now to speed up change,” Ms Buchanan said.
In November, Media Diversity Australia released figures on the cultural diversity of those in television news.
Only six per cent of TV reporters were from an Indigenous or non-European background.
This is despite last year’s census data revealing for the first time that more than 50 per cent of Australian residents were born overseas or had an immigrant parent.
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