Gendered use of experts in the media: – Analysis of the gender gap in Finnish news journalism




Analysis of the gender gap in Finnish news journalism

Mari K. Niemi, Ville Pitkänen

PublisherSage Publications Ltd.

2017

Public Understanding of Science

26

1

355

368

14

0963-6625

1361-6609

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1177/0963662515621470



Several studies conducted in Western democracies have indicated that men continue to be overrepresented and women underrepresented as experts in the media. This article explores the situation in Finland, a progressive and ‘female-friendly’ Nordic country with highly educated women who are widely present in the job market. The analysis is based on three sets of research data featuring a wide set of media data, a survey and interviews. This study reveals that public expertise continues to be male dominated in Finland: less than 30% of the experts interviewed in the news media are women. While the distribution of work and power in the labour market may explain some of the observed gender gap, journalistic practices and a masculine tradition of public expertise are likely to play a role as well.



Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 15:30