Gender Checks

Gender check: 7/26/11 – 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 8 a.m. (PDT) Tuesday, July 26, was titled “Tunnel debate spills into the streets.” Its subject was a pre-vote debate on a tunnel that’s turned to focus on traffic.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, project administrator
  2. Male, FTA (in comments for EIS)
  3. Male, director of state transportation center
  4. Male, transportation institute
  5. Male, spokesman for anti-tunnel group
  6. Male, state treasurer
  7. Male, retired transportation secretary


Website: Seattle P-I

Seattle P-I, 7/26/2011

On the Seattle P-I, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 8 a.m. (PDT) Tuesday, July 26, was titled “King Co. Council delays vote on $20 car tab fee for transit.” Its subject was a decision to delay a vote on a vehicle license fee.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Female, council member
  2. Male, council member
  3. Male, council member
  4. Male, spokesman (for male executive)

Notes/analysis: The King County Council is a nine-member council, with currently six male members and three female members.

Gender Check 7/22/11 – 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 11 a.m. (EST) on Friday, July 22 was titled “Feds Investigate Congressman David Rivera On Casino Contract.” Its subject was the inquiry into a $1 million consulting contract in Miami.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Authors: Male (shared byline)

–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male – Congressman (as quoted from an email)
  2. Male – attorney

Website: Patch (Seminole Heights)

On Patch of Seminole Heights, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 11 a.m. (EST) on Friday, July 22 was titled “Red Light Cameras Going Up.” Its subject was the addition of cameras to five Tampa intersections.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):

none

Notes/Analysis: Most of this information was being recycled from reporting originally posted on TBO.com. The author credits these other reporters, both male.

Gender check: 7/21/11 – 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 11:10 a.m. (PDT) Thursday, July 21, was titled “5-year-old fatally shot by brother, 10, in Belleville.” Its subject was the death of a 5-year-old boy by gunshots, the third fatal shooting involving a child recently in the area (all accidental).

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, police chief
  2. Male, police captain
  3. Female, grandmother of the boys
  4. Male, neighbor

Notes/analysis: The boys’ mother declined to comment.


Website: St. Louis Beacon

St. Louis Beacon, 7/21/11

On the St. Louis Beacon, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 1:10 a.m. (PDT) Thursday, July 21, was titled “Republican legislators announce deal that could affect China hub effort.” Its subject was a deal reached on economic development that also affects the state’s tax credit programs.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, spokesman (unnamed) for governor
  2. Male, state House speaker
  3. Male, state representative
  4. Male, chief executive of chamber of commerce and industry
  5. Male, chief executive of regional chamber and growth association

Notes/analysis: The article contains two mug shots, both of males. It also has an image from a press conference where the majority visible are male. As we’ve pointed out before, the majority of those in leadership in the Missouri Legislature are male. At last count, the state’s House of Representatives had 23 women and 34 men. Eight of the 34 members of the state’s Senate were female.

Gender Check 7/20/11 – 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 3 p.m. EST on Wednesday, July 20 was titled “British Leader Defends His Actions in Hacking Case.” Its subject was the testimony of Prime Minister David Cameron in the continued investigation into the phone hacking scandal

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male – prime minister
  2. Male – former editor
  3. Male – member of Parliament

Notes/Analysis: Much of this story and its quotes were taken from the testimonies of those involved, not direct interviews.

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 “Justice Department Retracts Court Filings That Undercut FBI’S Anthrax Case.” Its subject was an investigation with the case involving a former Army microbiologist’s involvement in the Anthrax scare of 2001. The story was co-published with Frontline and McClatchy.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Authors:  Male (shared byline)

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male – spokesman
  2. Male – Army technician
  3. Female – Army scientist

Notes/analysis: This story used mostly information from the legal filing for its sources and information.

Gender check: 7/19/11 – 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

“Gates money, best minds put to work ‘reinventing’ toilet” – Seattle Times, 7/19/2011

On the Seattle Times, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 11:10 a.m. (PDT) Tuesday, July 19, was titled “Gates money, best minds put to work ‘reinventing’ toilet.” Its subject was a new program by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation aimed at creating new sanitation innovations for the developing world.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, director of initiative
  2. Female, foundation co-chair
  3. Female, executive director of non-profit

Notes/analysis: The lead of the story only mentions Bill Gates, but the only photo with the story is a mug shot of Melinda Gates. Bill is not quoted, while she is.

Website: Seattle P-I

On the Seattle P-I, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 11:10 a.m. (PDT) Tuesday, July 19, was titled “State worker who stole, sold files sentenced.” Its subject was a less than two-year sentence for a man who pleaded guilty to selling confidential information.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

  1. Male, former worker (subject)
  2. Female, assistant U.S. attorney
  3. Female, defense attorney