Redefining Gender Roles in Modern Journalism

October 16, 2023

Journalism is a space where we are free to express ourselves, so it does beg the question - why does one section of society fail to become a part of this space?

“Powerful women always interpret hostility as unrequited love.” ― Tina Brown

One of the most pressing issues in feminist media study is the role of women in news media. I studied mass communication and media in a classroom with a majority of female students. But, since day one, we have been reminded that when I and my peers join this ‘prestigious’ and ‘opportunistic’ profession, we will be entering a predominantly male workplace.

Journalism has historically always been dominated by men, that is not news.

So perhaps I and my peers do enter the journalism industry and when we do, we might as well expand the pipeline of happenings into celebrity and gossip news, as well as the ‘softer’ news beats. What does that mean for our society as a whole? Without the female perspective in our reporting, who will we be?

A recent study by The International Federation of Journalists report (2001), (IFJ Survey Report 2001) illustrated that even though globally women represent more than a third of working journalists, the percentage of women editors or heads of departments is only 0.6%. The Global Media Monitoring Project findings for their 2020 edition (India GMMP Report) found that the pandemic and resulting economic upheaval have decimated the influence of women in journalism.

Let’s delve a little more into the inherent gender bias that expanded the gender gap. During the pandemic, the increased need for labour and domestic care, a job that has always been relegated to women, caused the majority, mainly mothers, to take a step back. Households were simply unable to afford outside labour so again, who had to step up and take the role? Yup, the women.

Young girls were married off, and working women were forced to abandon their jobs. Men opted to let their daughters and wives forsake their careers due to their cultural resistance to domestic labour, resulting in the patterns we see today.

Throughout generations, men have fought tooth and nail to keep their jobs, and their status but have failed to even understand how their work culture, consisting of their ‘macho’ values has failed women, due to the requirement for continuous availability and numerous last-minute modifications in the work structure. Although this need for availability has been a norm since the beginning of this profession, people have missed the whole point – the entire design of the workplace completely missed the part where it should’ve been modified to fit other genders.

In a country like India, women journalists find it harder to keep up with their male co-workers as not only do they have to balance a crazy and hectic work schedule, but they also have to manage their household work because of traditional gender role beliefs. Somehow, even after all that, a woman’s place in an organisation remains insignificant.

Journalism is a space where we are free to express ourselves, so it does beg the question – why does one section of society fail to become a part of this space?

The Gender of Journalism: The Double Standard of Success

“Women are expected to be impartial and objective, nut when we show emotion, we’re seen as less credible”- Lesley Stahl

Why can’t we accept as women that some things aren’t intended for us? Such questions have plagued us since the dawn of time. Isn’t it past time to start asking smarter questions? Why, for example, is such an ’empowering job’ preventing women from feeling, well, empowered?

Shouldn’t we focus on creating a society where all individuals have equal access to opportunities and are not limited by their gender?

It is important to redefine gender roles in journalism, and that is exactly what we aim to answer with this article. Identifying this problem prompts us to look for a solution. It prompts us as women to stand in solidarity, ask the hard questions, and look men in their eyes, breaking the gender dichotomy.

Gender stereotypes infiltrate newsrooms on multiple levels. To understand gender in a newsroom, one has to trace the shift from the initial understanding that a women’s primary role in any journalistic organisation, was to write women-centric issues, ask questions from a woman’s point of view, handle situations with a ‘woman’s touch’, for the readers who were primarily, women.

The claims became that the issues written by women were only relevant to the ‘female audience’ and their material was insignificant compared to their male counterparts. So essentially, gender was first dichotomised within the newsroom, portraying women’s and men’s interests as diametrically opposed, and then ultimately declared trivial.

Gender Bias and their Consequences

“Women journalists are often criticised for being too emotional, while men are praised for being passionate. It’s a clear example of gender bias in our industry.” – Maria Shriver

When you google the requirements to be an anchor or a reporter, textbooks and articles have repeatedly mentioned the importance of ‘looking good’. Women are scrutinised and then sexualised about their bodies, hairstyles, voices, and clothing.

Women in media, particularly in news and weather forecast channels are looked at for their physical appearance. The sexualization of women in journalism has been a persistent issue that has jeopardised a woman’s reputation and career for a long time. The “weather-girl syndrome” describes this phenomenon which focuses more on how the woman “looks” instead of what her expertise might be. The term itself is pretty derogatory, the “focus” remains on what colour of heels they should put on and whether they have a matching dress to go with it.

The Over-Sexualization in Media

The Naked News, a Canadian news program presents stories while their female anchors are completely naked. Although it has been criticised for the perpetuation of sexism and objectification of women, somehow, they are still doing red-carpet interviews despite all of it. The show constantly exploits women’s bodies for entertainment purposes and quite frankly, it has nothing to do with either news reporting or journalism.

It delivers an unsafe message and has the potential to normalise and maintain a culture of sexual harassment and assault in all aspects of life.

The Naked News feeds into the gender stereotype that women’s bodies are “things” to be sexualised, in the workplace and in society as a whole.

Even your favourite TV series have played into this idea. I love “How I Met Your Mother” but there are some phrases that simply don’t sit right with me. If you’re a watcher of the show, you remember the ‘Coin Flip Bimbo’ Barney mentions. The term is used to describe the girl, who’s ‘hot’ but also very “dumb”. While Robin went on to build a respectable career and even ended up with the love of her life, unfortunately, this is real life, and happy endings don’t come so easily.

The Paper Ceiling of Journalism

Gender bias in journalism can have serious consequences, including the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes and the underrepresentation of diverse voices. It contributes to a lack of trust in the media and hinders progress towards gender equality. Journalists need to be aware of their own biases and strive for balanced and inclusive reporting. Additionally, addressing gender bias in journalism can lead to more accurate and nuanced reporting, as well as increased credibility and audience engagement.

Women’s advancement in decision-making and governance roles in print and broadcast news organisations are hampered by the paper ceiling this profession has become. Women continue to be forced to pursue low-status beats, and human interest stories/features. Men, on the other hand, are urged to dominate high-status areas such as politics and business, as well as the profitable beat of sports.

Economics, Journalism, and Gender: An Exploration of the Intersection

“Women are not a special interest group. They’re more than half the population.” – Hillary Clinton

Economics is another field that has long been dominated by men, with major barriers to entrance and progress for women. Women have always been and remain an important element of the global economy. But, despite their considerable contributions, women’s labour has long gone unappreciated, underestimated, and underpaid.

In recent years, there has been a greater focus on the intersection in the field of journalism and economic disciplines, as well as how gender influences economics and media.

According to a 2019 International Women’s Media Foundation survey (IWMF Report), women in media make 23% less than their male peers. This disparity is even more pronounced in the area of economics, where women make only 84 cents for every dollar made by males, according to a National Women’s Law Center report. (NWLC Report)

This wage gap is not only unjust, but it also has serious consequences for the kinds of stories covered in economic news. According to society, women are more ‘nurturing’ and ‘soft’ and ‘sweet’ and ‘feminine’ so let’s give them tales about societal problems like poverty and inequality, and sob stories whereas men are ‘manly’ and ‘rugged’, so hand them stories about finance and business, you know, something ‘masculine and hardcore’.

Economic concerns and reporting are frequently presented in a masculine or male-centric manner, excluding or discrediting women’s experiences and viewpoints. This can lead to the restricted or biased portrayal of economic issues impacting women, such as the gender wage gap, unpaid care work, and employment discrimination.

Lack of Diversity: The Erasure of Dalit Women and Marginalised Groups

The gendered conduct of journalism and economics may also connect with other kinds of oppression such as racism, classism, and ableism, complicating matters and emphasising the need for greater diversity and inclusion.

Let’s take the case of Dalit women.

I went to Google to look for statistics and reports on the current representation of Dalit women in journalism, and to no one’s surprise, there is none. How are we, as individuals, failing to adequately incorporate a whole segment of society, yet preaching about equality?

The media today has experienced significant transformations and has surely reached many milestones, but it still lacks the voices of the marginalised, the voices of the Dalits.

To date, there hasn't been a single Dalit editor in the mainstream media. Even before they entered the profession, prospective Dalit reporters have been turned down by the media.

It is already a monumental job for women to be heard in an existing gendered environment. This task grows increasingly complicated when it infiltrates the caste hierarchy.

Even though it has been over 100 years since the publication of the first Dalit newspaper, mainstream media today is still headed by upper-caste men side-lining Dalits. Only after the recent critically acclaimed documentary about the first ever all-female Dalit-run newspaper “Khabar Lahariya” came to light, did the story finally gets told through the eyes of these oppressed Dalit women.

As one of the women from the documentary said, I quote: “When Dalit women succeed, it redefines what it means to be powerful”.

Care Feminism in Journalism

The traditional method in these fields frequently overlooks the significance of care labour and women’s perspectives. Care feminism, which prioritises the experiences of women and caretakers, questions the conventional approach to economics and media.

Care feminism is a feminist theory emphasising the need for a more caring and compassionate society. This approach recognises that the economy is about more than just money and markets, but also about unpaid career work, which women frequently do. It challenges the notion that the main objectives of the economy are economic development and financial profit. Instead, it talks about the worth of care labour, which is frequently undervalued and overlooked in economic models. It advocates for economic policies that prioritise the needs of caretakers, such as paid family leave and cheap daycare.

It calls into question the notion that ‘hard news is the most essential form of news’. Instead, it emphasises the significance of discussing social problems such as caregiver work and the difficulties that caregivers experience. This includes reporting on the gender wage disparity, daycare costs, and the effect of policies affecting caretakers, such as healthcare and family leave policies. Care feminism advocates for journalism that gives way to sensitivity and understanding, as well as the importance of women’s and caregivers’ views.

Conclusion

We have established how unfair and how rigid this system is. No matter how easy and fun news reporting and journalism looks on tv shows, the dark truth behind it always looms around like a black cloud.

It is now time to consider why female journalists are shifting more towards new media. Perhaps they’ve grown quite sick just never having any space in the never-changing patriarchal setup.

There is a strong connection between gender and journalism, and the world of media needs to be made more inclusive and equitable by addressing these gender discrepancies. This entails tackling problems including equal pay, representation, and reporting gender bias.

The substantial pay disparity between women and other marginalised groups frequently leads to fewer prospects for career growth and can make it difficult for them to sustain themselves and their families.

I can write about endless accounts and incidents that I have been through or experienced, but there is no point in dwelling on what is done.

Including different voices and viewpoints in journalism is crucial for assuring their representation. The voices of marginalised groups, such as people of colour, LGBTQ+ people, and people with disabilities, must be actively sought out and amplified in order to achieve this.

What’s important is the question – What Next? Yes, there are plenty of problems regarding underrepresentation and sexual harassment, and whatnot. But, there are also so many examples of several inspirational instances of female journalists who have surpassed these obstacles to make substantial contributions to the industry and played an important role in influencing public conversation and holding authorities accountable.

Barkha Dutt, a well-known Indian journalist, is noted for her daring reporting and coverage of sensitive themes such as combat zones and social justice concerns. Karuna Nundy, A human rights lawyer and journalist noted for her work on gender equality, free expression, and justice reform. Rana Ayyub has won awards for her investigative reporting on corruption and human rights violations in India.

When I think of some of the specialists I usually turn to for comments and assistance, the first person on my to-call list is nearly always a man. Not to say it’s wrong, but that needs to change.

I’m not sure what an “acceptable aim” for female representation in the media is. But I am aware that the next time I look at statistics, I need to see considerable progress. I also understand that it is ultimately up to me to make it happen.

All I have to say is that when I and my female peers graduate, we walk into an environment open to growth, open to hearing our voices. We have a lot to say, all we need is the world to finally be ready to listen.

References

Survey report on women in journalists’ unions in Europe. Accessed May 27, 2023. https://www.ifj.org/fileadmin/images/Gender/Gender_documents/IFJEFJ_Survey_Report_on_Women_in_Unions_in_Europe.pdf.

WMTN. Accessed May 27, 2023.

https://whomakesthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/India-GMMP-Report.pdf.

Home – IWMF. Accessed May 27, 2023.

https://www.iwmf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IWMF-Global-Report.pdf.

“Equal Pay & the Wage Gap Archives.” National Women’s Law Center, January 10, 2023. https://nwlc.org/issue/equal-pay-and-the-wage-gap/.

Nishtha Roy is a 21-year-old journalism and mass communications student. She is a highly socially active person who is enthusiastic about social problems such as gender equality, equal representation, mental health awareness, and so on. Growing up in a family of readers, she never knew a time when she wasn’t reading or making up stories. That love of writing naturally led to her becoming deeply involved in writing about social events and helping the voiceless in finding a voice.

Nishtha Roy