*Gender Checks are quick examinations of gender representation in individual news articles for the purpose of discovering trends over time. Click here to read more.
Website: The New York Times
On The New York Times, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 7 p.m. EST on Wednesday, March 23 was titled “Tokyo Says Radiation In Water Puts Infants At Risk.” Its subject was the growing anxiety about contamination from Japan’s damaged nuclear power plants.
Here is its gender breakdown:
–Authors: Male and Female (dual byline)
–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):
1. Male – Japanese official
2. Male – Japanese prime minister
3. Male – Japanese official
4. unknown- anonymous Western source
5. Male – clerk in Tokyo store
6. Male – Japanese resident
Notes/analysis: As the disaster in Japan continues to unfold, it is interesting to keep tracking the gender balance of victims portrayed and who is given official voice in the crisis.
Website: ProPublica
On ProPublica, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 7 p.m. EST on Wednesday, March 23 was titled “Aftershock: The Blast That Shook Psycho Platoon.” Its subject was the effects of blast concussions sustained during combat and the psychological treatment options. The story was a co-investigation with a reporter from NPR.
Here is its gender breakdown:
–Authors: Male (dual byline)
–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):
1. Male – Iraqi veteran
2. Female – police officer
3. Male – staff army sergeant
4. Male – staff army sergeant
5. Male – soldier
6. Male – soldier
7. Male – army neuropsychologist
8. Female – doctor
9. Female – professor
10. Female – army doctor
11. Male – army officer
12. Male – father of a soldier
13. Male – friend of a soldier
14. Female – sister of soldier
15. Male – retired colonel
16. Male – director of veteran’s trauma center
17. Male – PTSD expert
18. Female – wife of soldier
19. Female – daughter of soldier
20. Female – wife of soldier
Notes/analysis: In a story focusing on the traumatic effects of war, all the soldiers featured were male, and with the exception of one father, all the family members interviewed were female.
The Gender Report 