Send or Print this page    |  Shop Amazon

More Women Owners, Decision-Makers, Opinion-Shapers Needed in Media

The impact of media consolidation on diversity is such an important topic, because the media affect our lives so much, and both women and minorities have relatively little power in most aspects of mainstream media.

First, we are under-represented at the top of most any business or industry in the U.S. and that's true in the media as well.

Women have spent decades trying to undo centuries of sanctioned discrimination, and we continue to face deeply entrenched forms of prejudice.

Yet the affirmative hiring efforts that used to be required of broadcasters, thanks to the Supreme Court, are mostly a thing of the past.

Women own just 6 percent of radio stations and 5 percent of TV stations in this country. As more and more huge conglomerates buy up all the stations, less and less is left for potential female or minority owners.

We simply don't have the same access to capital as white men. And as you see in any business, having women owners does make a difference in women-friendly workplace policies, in increasing the number of women in management, and more women in management increases the bottom line for stockholders.

Open up the News Media Yellow Book and you'll see . . . The prestige positions, the jobs where someone can really make a difference in the work environment and an imprint on the product transmitted across the air -- those positions are predominantly held by men.

Here's a great example: Earlier this year during the Don Imus controversy, the Wall Street Journal ran a lengthy piece quoting or referring to a total of 35 media executives, radio hosts, politicians, journalists, civil rights leaders and business chiefs.

Just two of those people were women -- a lousy six percent in a story that was partly about sexism! And the story was pretty much the same in the television and talk-show coverage.

Further media consolidation is only going to narrow the focus even more. Let's face it -- the men behind the curtain -- in this case the white men behind the curtain -- are most comfortable hiring people who look, and talk, and think just like them. And that's not good for the rest of us.

Diversity in media ownership leads to diversity in employment in front of and behind the camera and microphone. This in turn leads to a diversity of voices, viewpoints and perspectives on the air. And we are sorely in need of more diverse viewpoints on the public airwaves.

Now, each point along the way -- having more women owners, executives, news directors and so on -- is its own reward for the women you are employing and for their families and for society as a whole.

But the icing on the cake is that, in the end, employing more women in the media creates a more vibrant public marketplace of ideas.

Women and girls deserve and need to see and hear themselves reflected in the media. Men and boys need to see and hear us there, too.

And not just as the victims of sex crimes or the targets of ridicule. But as experts in their fields, as authors and athletes, and as business and political leaders.

The media isn't just "any business." Broadly considered, the media connect communities, impart knowledge and foster democracy.

It is the solemn responsibility of broadcasters to serve the public interest because they're using our airwaves, but also because, when done right, the work that TV and radio stations and newspapers do empowers people to make practical decisions about their lives, realize their potential, participate in the life of their community, and contribute to society.

When NOW was formed in 1966, we recognized the importance of media in women's lives, and set about to make changes.

I would not be here if I didn't believe with every ounce of my being that women will not win full equality until we are on equal footing as owners and decision-makers in the media and until the majority of media content presents the full scope of our humanity, dignity and worth.

Send or Print this page

NOW Foundation

NOW PACs

NOW on Campus