Do European media ignore female politicians? A comparative analysis of MP visibility

Abstract

Media attention is an invaluable electoral asset, and structurally less media attention given to female candidates and politicians could be detrimental to women’s representation. While research has found equal amounts of coverage devoted to male and female politicians in the US and Canada, a gender gap persists in European countries. This article examines whether differences in the political position and background of men and women account for this gender gap. A computer-assisted content analysis of national dailies in six European countries during one full legislative cycle is combined with extensive background information of 3039 MPs. The results confirm that even after controlling extensively for individual differences, female parliamentarians in Europe are less visible in the news than their male counterparts. Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at: https://doi.org/10.1080/01402382.2021.1988387.