Gender Checks

Gender check: 6/7/11 – 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 7:30 a.m. (PST) Tuesday, June 7, was titled “Financial aid may not keep pace with fast-rising tuition.” Its subject was challenges with students who qualify for need-based aid not receiving it because the state runs out of money.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author:
Female

–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male, executive director, student association

2. Male, state representative

3. Female, undergraduate student

4. Male, master’s student

5. Female, director of financial aid


Website: Seattle P-I

On the Seattle P-I, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 7:30 a.m. (PST) Tuesday, June 7, was titled “Extra beat cops assigned to nightlife areas.” Its subject was plans for stationing extra officers over the summer in “nightlife zones.”

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author:
Male

–Human sources (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male, police chief

2. Male, assistant chief

Notes/analysis:
 The photo included with the story features three males — the two sources and the mayor.

Gender check: 6/2/11 – 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 1:45 p.m. (PST) Thursday, June 2, was titled “Nixon: Missouri economy is gaining momentum.” Its subject was the governor speaking on the economy.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male, governor

2. Female, state budget director (reported)

Notes/analysis: The article was mostly about the governor’s statements along with statistics.


Website: St. Louis Beacon

On the St. Louis Beacon, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 1:45 p.m. (PST) Thursday, June 2, was titled “Are charter schools illegal in St. Louis? The law works in mysterious ways.” Its subject was the legality of charter schools being questioned after the population dips below a threshold.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male, school board member (via email)

2. Male, general counsel from state department

3. Male, spokesman (unnamed, for the attorney general’s office)

Notes/analysis: The article also cites from different laws and codes applicable to the situation.

Gender Check 6/1/11 – 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 8:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday, June 1 was titled “Employment Data May Be Key To the President’s Job.” Its subject was an analysis of the latest unemployment numbers and their impact on the country’s economy in coming months.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male – congressman

2. Male – policy adviser

3. Male – president of Boston federal reserve

4. Female – economist

5. Male – policy adviser

6. Female – policy adviser

Notes/analysis: This is one of the few stories we’ve seen at the Gender Report that uses both male and female sources in stories dealing with the economy. However, the female sources are still referenced later than male sources with the same credibility for the story.

Website: ProPublica

On ProPublica, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 8:30 p.m. EST on Wednesday, June 1 was titled “For One Whistle-Blower, No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.” Its subject was an analysis of the financial crisis of 2008 and the bankers involved in providing inside information.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male – pharmaceutical analyst

Notes/analysis: This story interviewed one source as the feature of the story. The corporation the man worked for was also quoted as a corporate statement.

Gender check: 5/31/11 – 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, May 31, was titled “Developers cash in on tax breaks in vogue neighborhoods.” Its subject was concerns with a city program to encourage affordable housing.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Female, city council member

2. Male, executive director of organization

3. Male, city council member

4. Female, state senator

5. Male, city council member

6. Female, city’s program manager

7. Male, housing director

Notes/analysis: Three of the nine Seattle City Council members are female.


Website: Seattle P-I

On the Seattle P-I, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 10:45 a.m. (PST) Tuesday, May 31, was titled “Home prices tick up in Seattle from February low.” Its subject was a slight increase in home prices in Seattle from earlier this year.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male, chairman in report

2. Male, senior economist at bank

3. Male, U.S. economist

4. Female, analyst

Gender check: 5/26/11 – 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 the Stltoday.com, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 12:15 p.m. (PST) Thursday, May 26, was titled “St. Louis to hand out $43.5 million in development funds.” Its subject was a development agency handing out funds from tax credits to projects in the city.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male, runs the program

Notes/analysis: The article mostly listed out the projects that will receive the funds.


Website: St. Louis Beacon

On the St. Louis Beacon, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 12:15 p.m. (PST) Thursday, May 26, was titled “Bright spots in the rubble: St. Louis volunteer finds small joys that ease Joplin’s bigger pains.” Its subject was [subject].

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Female, Americorps, field and operations coordinator

2. Male, promotional director with circus