Gender Bias in the Media? An Examination of Local Television News Coverage of Male and Female House Candidates

Abstract

Several decades of scholarship suggest that by covering male and female candidates differently, the news media may influence the success of female candidates for higher office. I employ a content analysis to assess gender differences in the local television news coverage of 172 U.S. House candidates in the nation's top 50 media markets in 2002. The results of the study suggest that female candidates for the U.S. House were covered with the same frequency as male candidates, and received equitable issue‐based and personal coverage. Related Articles Related Media Film Clip: Women's Media Center. . “Sexism Sells—But We're Not Buying It.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g‐IrhRSwF9U Datasets: Center for American Women and Politics. . http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/

Perceptions of Partisanship in Local Television News

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Media Discrimination and Gender Differences in Political Ambition in a Laboratory Experiment

“…However, there are studies in both Europe and North America finding that media coverage is not discriminatory (Murphy and Rek 2019; Lavery 2013) or that primarily female candidates from racial minority groups are discriminated against (Gershon 2012). Other research suggests party bias, more than media bias, is responsible for biased coverage (Lühiste and Banducci 2016).…”

A Persistent Gender Bias in Chilean Press: The Influence of Journalist’s Gender and Editor’s Gender

“…On the contrary, the political press has become more egalitarian since the early 1990s. In effect, several books and articles, especially those based on content analyses of newspaper coverage of campaigns in the more recent past, suggest a reduction in media bias affecting female versus men candidates, at least in the United States (Lavery, 2013). In newspapers and television, overall coverage of female candidates appears less gender biased in recent times than in former times (Jalalzai, 2006; Lavery, 2013).…”

“…In effect, several books and articles, especially those based on content analyses of newspaper coverage of campaigns in the more recent past, suggest a reduction in media bias affecting female versus men candidates, at least in the United States (Lavery, 2013). In newspapers and television, overall coverage of female candidates appears less gender biased in recent times than in former times (Jalalzai, 2006; Lavery, 2013). Even more, although specific disparities exist, some differences now actually favor women candidates (Jalalzai, 2006).…”