Gender Issues in News Bulletins: a comparative analysis between Malta, Cyprus and Ireland (2008)

The study explores the construction of news contents, stereotypes and representation of gender issues in the media of three European countries and includes a broad analysis of the content of broadcasted news and the print media.

Key information on EU or National policies/legislation on women's' representation on the Media:

Interesting aspects around working practices in the newsrooms are identified documenting the invisibility of women in both the newsroom and in news prompting the importance of ‘gender’ in the preparation and production of news bulletins, especially with regard to power relations, democracy, and social inclusion.

Key information on EU or National policies/legislation on women's' representation in advertisement:

It also describes how women are presented on television with regard to entertainment, soap operas and advertising; and examines whether women are portrayed in similar ways in all media – be it news, adverts or entertainment while also focusing on the objectification of women’s bodies in media which has been a consistent theme in the analysis of women’s representation.

Key information on trends and challenges on women and the media:

The lack of media policies on women’s portrayal is one of the obstacles for gender discrimination and bias in the media. Advocacy groups should open up a dialogue between journalists and news producers in order to address the imbalance in news content with regard to gender issues.

Key stakeholders mentioned:

women in media