Women making headlines: influences of women editors on newsroom socialisation and the news agenda
Date
2008-02-22T09:06:16Z
Authors
Luimes-Sindane, Wilhelmina Henrietta
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Abstract
Abstract
This study takes a qualitative look at the interplay between women’s leadership and
newsroom socialisation and the news agenda as experienced and understood by women
editors at the Mail & Guardian, through a process of interviews with women editors,
supplemented by a brief look at the publication when referenced during the course of the
interviews.
This study confirms previous research that suggests that an increase of women in the
newsroom is not enough to address issues of gender representation in newsrooms and
news representation. Although at the Mail & Guardian, this study indicates that the
appointment of a woman editor impacted the newsroom positively on gender awareness
issues and the publication itself in its gender representation, there are indications that this
is a result of a number of factors and not gender alone.
In summary, this research found that it is the combination of positioning, power and
influence, with a gender agenda, intention and purpose, in an environment that is
receptive to change, that will significantly contribute to changes both within the
socialisation of the newsroom and translate into a higher level of gender awareness and
sensitivity in newspaper’s gender representation.
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Keywords
women, leadership, news, newsroom, socialisation, agenda