Journalistic Views on Gender and Ethnic Diversity in News Coverage: An Interview Study

• In Event: Diversity in the News

Abstract

This study provides insight into the extent to which gender and ethnic diversity is deliberately taken into consideration in journalistic practice. Based on in-depth interviews with Flemish print journalists, four categories of journalist’s views could be derived. The first two categories consider diversity as relevant. Nevertheless, the Flemish press is not gender or ethnic diverse. The first category claims that the practice of news reporting does not make it possible to pursue a diverse source selection. The second category argues that reality is not gender or ethnic diverse: women and ethnic minorities play a less prominent role in society. The two other categories of journalists consider diversity in news as irrelevant. One argument is that diversity as a selection criterion conflicts with the news making process (category 3), another is that all individuals are equal (category 4), and consequently there should be no emphasis on the differences between people.

Authors

• Hanne Vandenberghe, KU Leuven

• Leen S. J. d'Haenens, Catholic U - Leuven

• Baldwin Van Gorp, KU Leuven