J OURNALISM AS ‘ WOMEN ’ S WORK : Do the numbers add up? Michael Bromley Women on Air Centre for...

JOURNALISM AS ‘WOMEN’S WORK:Do the numbers add up?

Michael Bromley

Women on Air Centre for Law, Justice and Journalism conferenceFriday 4 April 2014

Health warning

The figures in this presentation have been drawn from more than 40 sources and represent probably the most comprehensive single listing of the percentages of women journalists.

The sampling, sample sizes, methodologies, timing and definitions of ‘journalist’ differ from source to source.

In some places, the figures are no more than the ‘best guess’ of in-country specialists.

The figures are used as illustrations only of general trends in the designation of women as journalists around the world.

The material in the presentation is not for general circulation or citation.

© Michael Bromley 2014

‘Independent media’‘professional’ journalism gender equity

= democracy, development, well-being

The figures

• 140 places• highest % of women – 70

(Tajikistan)• lowest % of women – 0.9 (South

Sudan)• range = 69.1• mean = 39.5% (Lebanon)• median = 35.5%

(Chile/Switzerland)

• mode = 50% (Anguilla, Australia, Bermuda, Bosnia,

Brazil, Caymans, Czech Republic, Latvia, Thailand, Serbia)

EU labour force: 45.3%UK: 45.5%

‘Securing worldwide figures is almost a task in futility’- Kumar (2013)

What do they mean?

8% ‘women’s work’ (>56.3% [Russia])10% parity (50%-56.2%)24% aspirational (Global Journalist world average [41.3%]-49%)10% take-off (IWMF global average [37.6%]-41.2%)13% critical mass (30-37.5%)35% below critical mass (<29.9%)

8% ‘women’s work’ (>56.3% [Russia])10% parity (50%-56.2%)24% aspirational (Global Journalist world average [41.3%]-50%)10% take-off (IWMF global average [37.6%]-41.2%)13% critical mass (30-37.5%)35% below critical mass (<29.9%)

‘Women’s work’ – Tajikistan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Georgia, Romania, Ghana, Singapore, Puerto Rico, Palau, Slovakia, Russia, Finland (13)Parity – South Africa, Malaysia, Slovenia, NZ, Anguilla, Australia, Bermuda, Bosnia, Cayman Isles, Czech Rep, Latvia, Thailand, Serbia (13)Aspirational - Sweden, Canada, UK, France, USA, Austria, Greece (33)

What do they mean?Liberal (33-51%)Canada AustraliaIreland NZUK USA

N. European (34-49%) Austria LuxembourgBelgium NetherlandsDenmark NorwayFinland SwedenGermany SwitzerlandIceland

Mediterranean (23-50%) France CyprusGreece MaltaItaly TurkeyPortugal PolandSpain EstoniaLatvia Lithuania

Western media systems/professionalism [Hallin & Mancini (2004) & (eds) (2012)]

FranceGermanyUKSpainJapan

What do they mean?ProfessionalismPlaces favouring neutrality in journalism[Reuters Institute, 2014]

What do they mean?[Emerging economies]

BRICSBrazilRussiaChinaIndiaS. Africa

PINEsPhilippinesIndonesiaNigeriaEthiopia

CIVETSColombiaIndonesiaVietnamEgyptS. Africa

What do they mean?[Emerging democracies]

Former Soviet RepublicsArmenia LithuaniaAzerbaijan MoldovaBelarus RussiaEstonia TajikistanGeorgia TurkmenistanKazahkstan UkraineKyrgyzstan UzbekistanLatvia

Former FYRBosnia-HCroatiaKosovoMacedoniaMontenegroSerbiaSlovenia

What do they mean?[Cultural affinity]

Spanish speaking(5-43%)Argentina GuatemalaBolivia HondurasChile MexicoColombia NicaraguaCosta Rica PanamaCuba Paraguay Dominican Rep PeruEcuador SpainEl Salvador VenezuelaEquatorial Guinea Uruguay

‘Women’s work’?Occupational segregation inindustrialised countries[Jarman, Blackburn & Racko, 2012]

Female secretaries in the UK earn 42% more than male secretaries in the UK

Better pay More attractive jobs Healthier Safer Pleasanter conditions More career

advancement

‘Women’s work’?Occupational segregation inindustrialised countries[Jarman, Blackburn & Racko, 2012]

Top 5Finland 57%Denmark 42% Sweden 48.5Portugal 40.2Poland 48.4

Bottom 5Romania 62Ecuador 42.8Greece 41.3Netherlands 38Japan 16.3

‘Women’s work’?Favourable conditions[Tunstall, 1993; Splical & Sparks, 1994]

‘Professionalism’ NOT craftEducation NOT apprenticeshipFormal (learning) NOT informalHierarchy NOT authority

‘Women’s work’ group

Low payLow statusLess desirable workLack of trainingFewer resources

Men like hiring women- Anon (2014)