This is an excerpt from an article originally published in the Louisiana Weekly. Read the rest here.

(NNPA Newswire) — With observances planned throughout March to commemorate Women’s History Month, a new report revealed that women are still mostly absent from newsrooms.

The Women’s Media Center’s 2019 report on the status of women in U.S. media shows that despite some gains, men still dominate in every part of news, entertainment and digital media.

“The media is in a state of great disruption, but despite all of the change, one thing remains the same: The role of women is significantly smaller than that of men in every part of news, entertainment and digital media,” Julie Burton, president of the Women’s Media Center (WMC), said in a news release.

The report titled, "The Status of Women in the U.S. Media 2019," is comprised of 94 studies, including original research by WMC and aggregated research from academia, industry and professional groups, labor unions, media watchdogs, newsrooms and other sources.

Burton said the data in the report paints a stark picture.

“It is clear that a cultural, systemic shift is necessary if all parts of the U.S. media are to achieve gender and racial parity and move toward a world where stories fully represent the voices and perspectives of diverse women,” she said.

“Research spotlighted in this report shows that diversity boosts corporate profits. When boardrooms, newsrooms, studios and tech companies fully reflect the faces, genders and myriad talents of our society, we’re all exceedingly better served,” Burton said…

The report noted that across all media platforms, men receive 63 percent of bylines and credits; women receive only 37 percent.

“Women have been fighting for greater parity and equality in the news media for decades,” said one of WMC’s co-chairs Maya Harris.

“This report shows that more work needs to be done to level the playing field. Women and our male allies will not rest until we see wholesale change,” Harris said….

…The report is inclusive and also features WMC’s “The Status of Women of Color in the U.S. News Media 2019,” which offers a rare look at where women journalists of color are – and aren’t – in legacy print, radio, TV, and digital news.

That report revealed that women of color represent just 7.95 percent of U.S. print newsroom staff, 12.6 percent of local TV news staff, and 6.2 percent of local radio staff.

“Missing women of color in the newsrooms of this country is an injustice in itself, and an injustice to every American reader and viewer who is deprived of great stories and a full range of facts,” said WMC co-founder Gloria Steinem.

This article was originally published in the March 11, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.

This is an excerpt from an article originally published in The Louisiana Weekly. Read the rest here.

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