The article "Why Journalism Has A Gender Problem" by Corinne Segal highlights the significant underrepresentation of women and racial minorities in leadership positions within the journalism industry. According to the data from the American Society of News Editors (ASNE), women only account for about 35.4 percent of supervisors in print journalism, with a slight increase from 1999. Racial minorities are even less represented, making up only 13 percent of overall employees. In broadcast newsrooms, women hold only 31 percent of news director positions.
The article points out that while women enter journalism schools in numbers similar to men, they struggle to advance to higher-level positions, particularly in "hard" news areas that tend to lead to management roles. Cultural attitudes and professional biases also contribute to the challenges women face, as evidenced by the negative language often used in performance reviews for female leaders. Despite some successes, such as women being part of the top leadership in 63 percent of print organizations, the overall trend indicates a systematic imbalance favoring men.
The emergence of digital media presents some hope for change, with women being a significant portion of news consumers on platforms like Facebook. However, men continue to dominate as creators in the media landscape. Overall, the article underscores the persistent challenges women and racial minorities face in achieving leadership roles in journalism.