*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: St. Louis Post-Dispatch (stltoday.com)
On Stltoday.com, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 1:15 p.m. (MST) Thursday, March 31, was titled “Judge declares Missouri ethics law unconstitutional.” Its subject was a county judge declaring an ethics law passed by the state legislature the prior year unconstitutional because it covers multiple subjects.
Here is its gender breakdown:
–Author: Female
–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):
1. Unknown, official for ethics commission (unnamed)
2. Male, circuit judge
3. Male, county attorney
Website: St. Louis Beacon
On the St. Louis Beacon, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 1:15 p.m. (MST) Thursday, March 31, was titled “Earnings tax backers stage big effort to get out the vote.” Its subject was efforts to get people out to vote for Prop E, to keep a 1 percent earnings tax as a part of the city’s budget. It currently accounts for one-third of the budget, or $140 million.
Here is its gender breakdown:
–Author: Male
–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):
1. Male, spokesman for campaign for Prop E
2. Male, spokesman for group against
3. Male, spokesman for campaign for Prop A (unnamed)
4. Female, spokeswoman for male businessman (unnamed)
5. Female, spokeswoman for male mayor (unnamed)
6. Male, spokesman for female comptroller
Notes/analysis: This article was heavily reliant on spokespeople for organizations or individuals. It’s interesting to note that those who spoke for individuals were always of the opposite gender of the person they spoke on behalf. Both spokeswomen were unnamed, as was one of four spokesmen.
The Gender Report 