Women See Modest Gains in World News Media Portrayal, Coverage Still Betrays Significant Gender Bias

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TORONTO, September 29, 2010 - Women are still significantly underrepresented and misrepresented in news
media coverage, according to Global Media Monitoring Project research in 108
countries coordinated by the World Association for Christian Communication,
despite significant change since the project began 15 years ago.

76% of the people heard or read about in the world's news are male. The
world seen in news media remains largely a male one.

The GMMP monitored 1,365 newspapers, television and radio stations and
Internet news sites, 17,795 news stories and 38,253 persons in the news in
108 countries with 82% of the world's people.

The report Who Makes the News? The Global Media Monitoring Project 2010
(www.whomakesthenews.org/gmmp2010/globalreport-en) was released today
in Arabic, English, French and Spanish, along with numerous regional and
national reports.

24% of people in the news are female, compared to 17% in 1995. 44% of
persons providing popular opinion in news stories are female compared to 34%
in 2005.

    - News media show significant gender bias with 46% of news stories
      reinforcing gender stereotypes.
    - 13% of news stories focus centrally on women.
    - Expert commentary is overwhelmingly male with only one female in
      every five experts.
    - The age of women in the news is mentioned twice as often and family
      status almost four times as often as for men.

Today female reporters are responsible for 37% of stories compared to 28%
fifteen years ago, and their stories challenge gender stereotypes twice as
often as stories by male reporters.

Gender bias in Internet news is similar and in some respects even more
intense than that found in the traditional news media.

The 2010 report contains a plan of action for media professionals and
others committed to gender-ethical news media.

The GMMP is the largest and longest running research and advocacy
initiative on fair and balanced gender representation in the news media. It
is coordinated by WACC, a global network of communicators promoting
communication for social change, in collaboration with data analyst Media
Monitoring Africa, and with support from the United Nations Development Fund
for Women.

For further information: For further information:
www.whomakesthenews.org, Contact: GMMP National Coordinators
(www.whomakesthenews.org/gmmp2010/national-coordinators)

Or

gmmp@waccglobal.org, Tel. +1-416-691-1999 (English press 1)

Contact: GMMP National Coordinators Or gmmp at waccglobal.org, Tel. +1-416-691-1999 (English press 1)