Title
Running up Against a Brick Wall: U.S. Metajournalistic Discourse of Gender Equality in Newsrooms
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-19-2022
Publication Title
Journalism Studies
First Page
1758
Last Page
1778
DOI
10.1080/1461670X.2022.2112905
Additional Publication URL
https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2022.2112905
Abstract
Drawing on institutional theory, feminist critiques of three popular stances on gendered workplaces, and previous research about women in newsrooms, this study considers the metajournalistic discourse about gender equality in newsrooms through a discourse analysis of more than 500 online articles and blog posts in American journalism industry publications from January 2002 until September 2019. The findings confirm that the status of women journalists remains problematic. Journalists recognize that women remain underrepresented in terms of numbers and face a pay gap, glass ceiling, and various forms of harassment. Solutions are sometimes presented in terms of women’s individual empowerment. Arguments in support of gender equality in newsrooms include improving journalism, reflecting greater diversity in society, widening audiences, increasing revenue, and benefitting from women’s unique contributions. Journalists used discourse about gender inequality to reposition some institutional norms.
Rights
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journalism Studies on August 19th, 2022, available online: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1461670X.2022.2112905?journalCode=rjos20.
Recommended Citation
Geertsema-Sligh, Margaretha and Vos, Tim P., "Running up Against a Brick Wall: U.S. Metajournalistic Discourse of Gender Equality in Newsrooms" (2022). Scholarship and Professional Work - Communication. 269.
https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/ccom_papers/269
