PressEthic

A study found that women are not used as sources in the news as often as men. Surprised? I didn’t think so. It’s something so common and obvious that we do not seem to talk about it anymore. Yet, it is a disgrace that the sources used in news reports do not represent the population of this country.

Check out this article by Joan Ryan that discussed the study. Ryan’s point was that women represent 51 percent of the United States’ population, but it is not reflected in the sources used in the news. Why is this important? Ryan wrote:

The more we can see and hear women who have been anointed on television as serious commentators and authorities, the more confidence the public will have in voting women into Congress and someday the White House. And the more we hear from knowledgeable women, the greater the range of ideas and perspectives pouring into the political marketplace -- thus the more likely we are to make inroads on problems that have not responded to traditional solutions.

The push to get more women at the table isn't about fairness. It's about necessity, about strengthening the country.

We have often said in class that we want to be journalists because we want to change the world for the better. Well, here is the perfect opportunity. Simply by being aware of the sources we choose for our stories, we can help change the perception of the public. We do not have to do anything unethical to do it either. We simply need to provide a balance in the sources we use.

It’s safe to say that we can extend Ryan’s point to ethnic minorities as well – and not just as sources, but in the newsroom too. This article from the Seattle Times makes it clear that the perspective of ethnic minorities is still lacking in American newsrooms. And, how about religious perspectives? The list goes on and on.

I do not think that the population of American newsrooms will reflect the population of the United States anytime soon – though I think it should – but we do have the opportunity to use diverse sources now. Obviously it is not easy to have diverse sources for every story, but it is a balance that we could achieve over many stories. And, I wonder, if it would be a step in the right direction for the media that does not represent the public it serves.