Running up Against a Brick Wall: U.S. Metajournalistic Discourse of Gender Equality in Newsrooms

Abstract

Drawing on institutional theory, feminist critiques of three popular stances on gendered workplaces, and previous research about women in newsrooms, this study considers the metajournalistic discourse about gender equality in newsrooms through a discourse analysis of more than 500 online articles and blog posts in American journalism industry publications from January 2002 until September 2019. The findings confirm that the status of women journalists remains problematic. Journalists recognize that women remain underrepresented in terms of numbers and face a pay gap, a glass ceiling, and various forms of harassment. Solutions are sometimes presented in terms of women’s individual empowerment. Arguments in support of gender equality in newsrooms include improving journalism, reflecting greater diversity in society, widening audiences, increasing revenue, and audiences benefitting from women’s unique contributions. Journalists used discourse about gender inequality to reposition some institutional norms.