Gender as a multi-layered issue in journalism : a qualitative study of gender inequality in newsrooms

The numerical inequality between male and female journalists is increasingly eliminated. However, the field of journalism remains divided along gender lines. Female journalists are underrepresented in older age groups and in media sectors, news areas and positions that are associated with high levels of prestige. The goal of our research was to study whether and how female journalists experience gender-related obstacles in their professional life. We examined this by means of in-depth interviews with 19 female journalists in Flanders (Belgium). The analysis confirms the existence of all ‘traditional’ barriers that women experience in journalism. The added value of this study is that we registered several additional difficulties, and that we gained insight into the strategies that our respondents use to deal with these gender-related barriers, and prevent them from having a negative impact on their job satisfaction (support of a partner, part-time or freelance work, use of digital technology, …).The numerical inequality between male and female journalists is increasingly eliminated. However, the field of journalism remains divided along gender lines. Female journalists are underrepresented in older age groups and in media sectors, news areas and positions that are associated with high levels of prestige. The goal of our research was to study whether and how female journalists experience gender-related obstacles in their professional life. We examined this by means of in-depth interviews with 19 female journalists in Flanders (Belgium). The analysis confirms the existence of all ‘traditional’ barriers that women experience in journalism. The added value of this study is that we registered several additional difficulties, and that we gained insight into the strategies that our respondents use to deal with these gender-related barriers, and prevent them from having a negative impact on their job satisfaction (support of a partner, part-time or freelance work, use of digital technology, …).C