A Cross-National Study of the Qualities, Causes, and Consequences of Gender Equality in and through the News Media

This book examines the qualities, causes, and consequences of gender equality in and through the news media by employing a cross-national, comparative methodology. It is the product of collaborative work by a group of international scholars aiming to elevate the global discussion about gender equality and the crucial role and responsibilities of the news media, both as an actor and an arena for societal debate. The basic argument pursued in this book is that in order to understand if and why gender equality in the media progresses and whether gender equality
contributes to other positive outcomes in society, we must conduct systematic, comparative analyses of gender and news media. Large-scale comparative studies are required to explain variations in gender equality in the news media as well as understanding the role of the media in shaping social outcomes. This book thus addresses three key questions:

• How has gender equality in news media content and in media organisations developed over time and across different countries and how are the different aspects related?
• How can differences in gender equality in the media be explained from variations in media systems and in economic, political, social, and cultural
  factors in society?
• How is gender equality in the media related to the status of women in society in general and to other aspects of social development, such as democracy, media freedom, economic development, and freedom from corruption?

Editors: Monika Djerf-Pierre & Maria Edström. International research team: Carolyn M. Byerly, Sarah Macharia , Claudia Padovani and Karen Ross.