I chose a different topic to talk about this week because I was curious in the news demographics. I thoroughly enjoy watching the news because I like to know what’s going on at all times. It wasn’t until I was given this assignment and doing the research that I realized the news industry is biased. It’s biased on what kind of news is being reported and by which gender.
Industry employment/demographics: Men report 74.8% of broadcast news while women report 25.2% and men produce 55% of news while women produce 45%.
Employment demographic: The women’s media center (WMC) made a study on how the diversity of news outlets has dropped since 2015. With ABC, CBS, and NBC combines men report three times as much as women and report more on “manly” concepts such as sports and weather while women report on lifestyle and education.
Market demographics: Men prefer following the news more while women enjoy it some. (69% vs. 50%)
Market demographic summary: There is not much of a difference in men or women who prefer watching the news than to not. It’s the topic that sets the gender audience a part. I pointed out that in the employment demographics that women are more likely to report on education and lifestyle while men report on sports. Not surprisingly enough, women are about 19% more likely to watch things about what women report on while men are 15% more likely to watch the topics men report on.
Overall, the ratio between the two demographics are inefficient. It’s completely and obviously unfair that there is a much less percentage of women in the broadcasting occupation than men and that what they report on is biased. Although it is proven that women like certain topics to men, it does not mean that is how it should be reported.https://www.americanpressinstitute.org/publications/reports/survey-research/social-demographic-differences-news-habits-attitudes/
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