The News and the Gender Gap
August 20, 2012
While reading the Pittsburgh Post Gazette on Sunday,
by chance I noticed a block on page 4, section B bottom
of the page on the far left side that caught my eye.
I noticed it when I went to refold the paper. This, by the way,
would be easy to miss.
An analysis by www.4thEstate.net concluded that women are
underrepresented in the 2012 election coverage. No real surprise.
One needs to just turn on any news outlet, NPR unfortunately included,
to see that when an issue related to women comes up,
i.e. Abortion, Birth Control, Planned Parenthood or Women’s Rights,
the news outlets frequently go to a man for comment.
It is difficult to give the media any credibility with this disparity in reporting
on issues that affect women.
For instance, the analysis show
s that on the topic of Abortion:
Men are quoted 81%, Women 12% ,
Organizations 7%
On Birth Control:
Men 75%, Women 12%,
Organizations 6%
On Planned Parenthood:
Men 67%, Women 26%,
Organizations, 7%
On Women’s Rights:
Men 52%, Women 31%,
Organizations 17%
This morning the TV was on CBS and when the question was asked about the reprehensible remark
by Republican Congressman Todd Aiken about this statement:
“First of all, from what I understand from a doctor [pregnancy from rape] is really rare…
If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down”
(Todd Akin is on the House Science and Technology Committee and should be removed from Congress.
Someone who believes nonsense like this has no part overseeing science policy)
A man gave his opinion on that CBS show about the absurd remark from Todd Aiken.
I am a woman and there is no doubt in my mind that on issues related to women, the obvious person
to call for a comment is a woman. The media needs to be held accountable for its unbalanced reporting
on the news. I hope you will do that.
Anna Marie
