Year: 2011

Women’s presence higher in June after low showing in May’s New Media Index count

Jasmine R. LinabaryLeave a comment

The number of female authors and sources in the top articles in the blogosphere climbed again in June after a low showing in May.

Here at the Gender Report we’ve been monitoring the top articles based on links provided in the Project for Excellence in Journalism‘s weekly New Media Index roundups, which chronicle the top five linked to and discussed news stories and opinion pieces around the web in a Monday to Friday week based on commentary on blogs and social media sites. We focus on the main top five in the blogosphere. When more than one link was provided on the topic, we’ve monitored the first mentioned or the one that appears based on the writing to be more dominant, unless it is specifically mentioned that two articles shared the attention for that particular subject.

In May, we saw a new low with women as only 13.3 percent of sources and even fewer authors in the 12 articles that could be monitored that month. Women were more present in June’s count, particularly among bylines. Here’s what we found:

June 2011

PEJ New Media Index: June 13-17, 2011

Between May 30 and July 1, the New Media Index included 29 articles could be checked — more than double the amount from last month. For five topics this month, two articles shared the attention, contributing to the higher overall article count. Only one story did not have a link provided this month — Obama’s Afghanistan plan — when instead a special report was done.

Here’s what was uncovered:

  • Women were 20.2 percent of sources in this month’s articles. The articles contained 83 male sources and 21 female sources.
  • This month 16 articles were written or produced by a man and nine articles were written by a woman (or in one case, two). Three were by both a man or two and a woman and one was not bylined.
  • Like last month, two top linked-to articles in blogs were opinion pieces. Both were by male authors.

Again, links this month predominately came from the LA Times, with a few for the BBC and individual articles from four other news sources.

For past months’ findings as well as other findings on gender and the online news, visit our findings and statistics page.

Coming soon: Check back on The Gender Report for a look at the overall findings from the first six months of our monitoring of the New Media Index articles.

Gender Check 7/15/11 – South

Joy BaconLeave a comment
*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 Miami Herald

On the Miami Herald, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 10:30 a.m. (EST) on Friday, July 15 was titled “MDC Not Likely To Lose Accreditation, Say Experts.” Its subject was the possibility of part-time faculty numbers jeopardizing Miami Dade College’s status as a higher-ed institution.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male -college president (from a previously released letter)
  2. Male – spokesman
  3. Female – spokeswoman
  4. Female – policy analyst

Notes/analysis: Some key sources for this story declined comment.

Website: Patch (Seminole Heights)

On Patch of Seminole Heights, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 10:30 a.m. (EST) on Friday, July 15 was titled “Looking for a Gas Bargain? Try These Pumps.” Its subject was a listing of local gas stations and their current prices.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):

none

Gender Check: 7/14/11 – Midwest

Jasmine R. LinabaryLeave a comment

*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 8 a.m. (PST) Thursday, July 14, was titled “Federal agents seize 2,300 pounds of pot from truck near Pacific.” Its subject was marijuana in a secret compartment of a tractor trailer parked on the side of the interstate.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, spokesman with U.S. Immigration and Customs agency

Notes/analysis: This was a developing story.

Website: St. Louis Beacon

On the St. Louis Beacon, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 8 a.m. (PST) Thursday, July 14, was titled “Crack cocaine offenders may get early release; neighborhoods hope to avoid reentry problems.” Its subject was a plan to ease sentences of some inmates with crack cocaine sentences.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, professor
  2. Female, district judge
  3. Male, chief probation officer
  4. Female, associate professor
  5. Male, resident
  6. Male, alderman
  7. Female, resident
  8. Male, federal parole officer

Notes/analysis: The article also contains several of mug shots of sources — two of women and one of a man.

Gender Check 7/13/11 – Northeast

Joy BaconLeave a comment
*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 10:30 a.m. EST on Wednesday, July 13 was titled “In Retreat, Murdoch Drops TV Takeover.” Its subject was the continued developments in the British news outlets’ missteps.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Authors: Male (shared byline)

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male – company deputy chairman (as quoted from press release)
  2. Male – prime minister (as quoted from statement)
  3. Male – political party leader
  4. Male – member of Parliament
  5. Male – committee member (as quoted from public statement)
  6. Male – committee member (as quoted from public statement)
  7. Male – former prime minister

Notes/Analysis: Much of this story and its quotes were taken from publicly released statements or debates in open committees.

Website: ProPublica

On ProPublica, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 10:30 a.m. EST on Wednesday, July 13 was titled “FDIC Chairwoman: Mortgage Industry ‘Didn’t Think Borrowers Were Worth Helping’ “. Its subject was an interview given by Sheila Bair to the New York Times.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author:  Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Female – former chairwoman
  2. Male – New York Times reporter (from his own writing)

Notes/analysis: This story used mostly a previous New York Times article that provided the interview. Other information came from previous ProPublica reporting on similar topics.

Gender check: 7/12/11 – West

Jasmine R. LinabaryLeave a comment

*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: Seattle Times

On the Seattle Times, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 10:45 a.m. (PST) Tuesday, July 12, was titled “Lava-lamp idea for Soap Lake is refueled.” Its subject was plans for a small town to erect a 60-foot lava lamp..

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, architect (new idea)
  2. Female, marketing manager for lava lamp company
  3. Male, mayor
  4. Male, artist who runs museum (original idea)
  5. Male, local farmer
  6. Male, owns local liquor store
  7. Female, longtime resident
  8. Male, local Realtor

Website: Seattle P-I

Seattle P-I, 7/12/11

On the Seattle P-I, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 10:45 a.m. (PST) Tuesday, July 12, was titled “Local soldier who lost hand receives Medal of Honor” Its subject was a man who will be the second living person to receive the Medal of Honor for action from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, sgt.
  2. Male, sgt. (who is receiving the medal)

Notes/analysis: Though the images with the story are mostly of the man who will be receiving the medal and generated images of the scene, two also include his wife.