Across Europe, women are more likely not to be equally represented in media top management and editorial board. Even women have managerial and decision making roles, still this doesn’t guarantee gender equality balanced news. Women are also more likely not to be used as experts in media. These are just a few findings discussed during EIGEs consultation meeting “From practices with potential to good practices in promoting gender equality in the area of women and the media”.

Sofia Branco"There is a saying... If it is not in the media, it does not exist. Therefore, it is fundamental that the media report on gender equality. It is better to be in the agenda than not to be talked about at all. But we have to keep in mind that there is a huge lack of information and knowledge in the media about gender equality, and some people are not even convinced on the importance of promoting it. So, it is also important that gender equality expertise lobbies to find a way to enter the media agenda."

Sofia Branco, journalist

Maria Edstrom

"In many Nordic countries we have a 50 % women on the top levels of the major news media. That does not necessarily mean that the media content becomes gender balanced. For that we need gender awareness from both men and women in media management."

Maria Edstrom, scientific coordinator at Nordicom, a Nordic knowledge center for media research.

The result will be the establishment of a database of methods and tools to promote gender equality in the media as well as 14 good practices, within the study the area of Women and the Media – topic chosen by the Irish Presidency of the Council, that EIGE is running till April 2013. The topic is also a part of the Beijing platform for Action that contains indicators for gender equality in different areas of concern – including media.