Gender Checks

Gender check: 1/10/12 – 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 10:40 a.m. (PST) Tuesday, Jan. 10, was titled “Higher-ed woes tied to state ‘leadership vacuum’.” Its subject was a new report about higher education in Washington state.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, state representative
  2. Male, professor and president of United Faculty of state
  3. Female (2), researchers for report
  4. Female, public policy analyst for governor
  5. Male, professor
  6. Male, member of Higher Education Coordinating Board


Website: Seattle P-I

Seattle P-I, 1/10/2012

On the Seattle P-I, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 10:40 a.m. (PST) Tuesday, Jan. 10, was titled “Will genealogy crack mystery of Federal Way girl’s slaying?” Its subject was lead in a 1991 case of a girl sexually assaulted and killed near her high school.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Female, sheriff’s office spokeswoman
  2. Female, forensic scientist

Gender check: 1/5/12 – 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 10:10 a.m. (PST) Thursday, Jan. 5, was titled “Quinn signs law to end pension double-dipping in Illinois teacher unions.” Its subject was a pension-reform measure.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):

  1. None.


Website: St. Louis Beacon

St. Louis Beacon, 1/5/2012

On the St. Louis Beacon, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 10:10 a.m. (PST) Thursday, Jan. 5, was titled “Missouri legislature opens, with last session’s issues at top of agenda.” Its subject was the Missouri legislature.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, state Senate appropriations chairman
  2. Male, state Senate president pro tem
  3. Male, state House speaker
  4. Male, state House minority leader
  5. Male, state Senate majority leader
  6. Male, state senator

Notes/analysis: The article includes three photos taken by the male author. The two with identifiable people both feature male subjects.

Gender check: 1/4/12 – Northeast

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: The New York Times

On The New York Times, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 8:40 p.m. (PST) Wednesday, Jan. 4, was titled “Romney Takes a Victory Lap as Santorum Plays Catch-Up.” Its subject was the GOP presidential candidate race.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male (2)

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, GOP candidate
  2. Male, GOP candidate
  3. Male, campaign manager
  4. Male, who runs a super PAC
  5. Male, money manager
  6. Male, GOP candidate
  7. Male, GOP candidate
  8. Male, president of conservative group
  9. Male, president of conservative group


Website: ProPublica

On ProPublica, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 8:40 p.m. (PST) Wednesday, Jan. 4, was titled “Our Guide to the Best Coverage on Rick Santorum and His Record.” Its subject was round-up of coverage on one of the GOP presidential candidates.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author:  Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, GOP candidate

Notes/analysis: The guide mainly quotes and cites other articles and coverage.

Gender check: 1/3/12 – 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

Seattle Times, 1/3/2012

On the Seattle Times, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of noon (PST) Tuesday, Jan. 3, was titled “Suspect in ranger’s slaying found dead in creek.” Its subject was the suspect in the killing of a park ranger.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Staff (5 male reporters contributed to the report, plus a male researcher and the AP)

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, sheriff’s sgt.
  2. Male, FBI special agent
  3. Female, sheriff’s sgt.
  4. Male, major and spokesman for Army joint base
  5. Female, mother of suspect’s daughter
  6. Female, relative of No. 5
  7. Male, park spokesman
  8. Male, spokesman


Website: Seattle P-I

On the Seattle P-I, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of noon (PST) Tuesday, Jan. 3, was titled “FBI: Suspect in Rainier ranger’s killing dead.” Its subject was the same as above.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Female, FBI spokeswoman*
  2. Male, sheriff’s spokesman
  3. Male, park spokesman
  4. Female, special agent-in-charge of the FBI Seattle office
  5. Female, sheriff’s sgt.
  6. Female, U.S. attorney
  7. Male, park superintendent
  8. Male, neighbor of ranger

Notes/analysis: It is unclear whether this FBI spokeswoman who confirmed the body found was that of the suspect is the same as source No. 4.

Gender Check 1/2/12 – South

Joy BaconLeave a comment

Website: The Miami Herald

On the Miami Herald, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 4:30 p.m. (EST) on Monday, Jan. 2 was “Wind Chill Advisory Monday Night, Freeze Watch For Tuesday.“. Its subject was an unusually cold weather forecast for southern Florida.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male – meteorologist
  2. Male – former director of botanical gardens

Website: Patch (Seminole Heights)

On Patch of Seminole Heights, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 4:30 p.m. (EST) on Monday, Jan. 2 was titled “Help Seminole Heights Community Gardens Battle Freeze.” Its subject was the same cold front moving into Miami and how it will effect local gardens.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources (listed in order mentioned)

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