Gender check

Gender check: 3/8/11 – 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 2:15 p.m. (MST) Tuesday, March 8, was titled “UW basketball standout Overton charged with furnishing alcohol to minor.” Its subject was a University of Washington basketball player who is facing a misdemeanor charge for allegedly provided alcohol to two teenage girls. He also, according to a police report, had sex with both of them but is not facing charges related to those allegations.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male, detective (in a report)

2. Female, deputy prosecutor (in a memo)

Notes/analysis: I think the explanation of the alleged sex part of the story is particularly noteworthy. The girls were both 16, which is the legal age of consent in Washington. One of the girls said “she felt like she had to have sex with (the player) because of who he was.” Regarding the decision not to press charges related to one of the girl’s claims of being coerced into the sex act, the deputy prosecutor said state law “places the burden on the victim to clearly communicate a lack of consent to the suspect, which she did not do so,” according to witness statements, including the basketball player in question. The deputy prosecutor calls the case “highly problematic” because the girls participated in the sex under “situational pressure.”


Website: Seattle P-I

On the Seattle P-I, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 2:15 p.m. (MST) Tuesday, March 8, was titled “Solved: Guilty plea in slaying of Seattle gang leader.” Its subject was a guilty plea by the male suspect in a 2007 gang-related killing (of a male) on the eve of the trial.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male, defense attorney

2. Male, victim (according to witness)

3. Male, co-defendant (when speaking to investigators)

4. Male, senior deputy prosecutor

5. Male, detective (quotes from video)

Gender Check: 3/4/11 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 4 p.m. (EST) on Friday, March 4 was titled “Scott To Fund Port Of Miami Project ” Its subject was the announcement of $77 million to deep dredge the Port of Miami to allow larger ships to travel there.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male – Governor of Florida (from public announcement)

Notes/analysis: The accompanying multimedia story pictured an interview with the director of the Port of Miami (who is male) by another female staff member from the Herald.

Website: Patch (Seminole Heights)

On Patch of Seminole Heights, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 4 p.m. (EST) on March 4 was titled “Childcare Center Under Investigation For Neglect.” Its subject was a 3-year-old boy who was left for several hours in the center’s van.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Female- Tampa police spokeswoman

2. Male – local law enforcement (mentioned as choosing to not comment)

3. Male – figure connected to one of the childcare center’s employees

4. Female – mother of a child at the center

Notes/analysis:

Gender Check: 2/25/11 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 5 p.m. (EST) on Friday, Feb. 25 was titled “Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez Loses Court Challenge on Recall Election. ” Its subject was the upcoming vote to recall both the mayor and county commissioner’s place in office.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Authors: Male and Female (shared byline)

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Female – circuit judge

2. Male – attorney

3. Male – citizen leading the recall efforts

4. Male- current mayor (as quoted from a press conference)

Notes/analysis: The accompanying photo pictures supporters of the recall. One of the three subjects was female.

Website: Patch (Seminole Heights)

On Patch of Seminole Heights, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 5 p.m. (EST) on Friday, Feb. 25 was titled “Lowry Park Gets Jurassic Park Makeover.” Its subject was a new temporary DinoQuest exhibit at the local zoo.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Female- mother of exhibit participant

2. Female- child participant

3. Female – child participant

Notes/analysis: Two of the three human sources are children, and both female. Dinosaurs are typically associated with male children, so the sources of this story are particularly interesting.

Gender Check: 2/23/11 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 4 p.m. EST on Feb. 23 was titled “U.S., In Shift, Sees Marriage Act as Violation of Gay Rights.” Its subject was the U.S. Justice’s Department announcement that they see discrimination against gay and lesbian people in all cases as presumptively unconstitutional.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Authors: Male and Female (shared byline)

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male – attorney general (as paraphrased from a letter to Congress)

2. Male – law professor

3. Male – president (as paraphrased from previous statements)

Notes/analysis: Most of the story is based on the letter written by the attorney general as well as past court cases and background information.

Website: ProPublica

On ProPublica, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 4:30 p.m. EST on Feb. 23 was titled “Cheat Sheet: What’s Really Going On With Wisconsin’s Budget.” Its subject was the ongoing standoff in the Wisconsin government over budget deficits and the future of union rights.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male – state governor (as quoted from public statements)

2. Male – director of the Fiscal Bureau

Notes/analysis: This story took more of an analysis approach than original reporting, and as such relied on the commentary and reporting of several other news outlets.

Gender Check: 2/16/11 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 Feb. 16 was titled “As the Mainland Shivers, Hawaii Basks in Tourism’s Glow.” Its subject was the increased travel to Hawaii from the continental United States in recent months and potential reasons for the increase.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Male

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. Male – tourist visiting Hawaii

2. Male – tourist visiting Hawaii

3. female – president of marketing for a California-based tour operator

4. male – president of Hawaiian hotel chain

5. male – professor

6. male – vice president of brand management for Hawaii Tourism Authority

7. male – vice president for sales at a national hotel chain

8. male -meteorologist

9. male – president of a hotel consulting firm

10. male -tourist

11. female – tourist

Notes/analysis: The gender imbalance in this story is particularly striking because of the relatively high number of sources for a story of this length. A small accompanying photo appears to picture two women, although the shot does not show their faces.

Website: ProPublica

On ProPublica, one of the lead articles featured on the home page as of 3 p.m. EST on Feb. 16 was titled “The Reform for Disabled Borrowers that the Education Dept Refuses to Adopt.” Its subject was a follow-up to an investigation into the policies surrounding student loan repayments for the disabled.

Here is its gender breakdown:

–Author: Female

–Human sources  (listed in order mentioned):

1. male – spokesman for department of education

2. male – educational consultant

3. female – lawyer

Notes/analysis: Because this story makes several references to previous quotes or stories, I only included the breakdown of newly included sources.