Abstract
This research examines gender performance expectations of television journalists in the era of social media. A qualitative survey found little to no progress in reducing discourse critical of broadcasters’ appearance in the 20 years since Engstrom and Ferri’s (2000) study, with social media adding another avenue to “correct” rather than challenge gender norms. Nearly all journalist respondents believe viewer criticism has increased with the rise of social media and believe their organizations should provide training and policies addressing this concern. However, 90% of respondents said their organizations provide neither, suggesting news outlets should enhance social media policies.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Teri Finneman
Teri Finneman (Ph.D., University of Missouri) is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Kansas. Her research interests include press coverage of women in politics, journalism history, ethics, and oral history.
Joy Jenkins
Joy Jenkins (Ph.D., University of Missouri) is a post-doctoral research fellow in digital news at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on the role of local media in facilitating social change, changing roles of journalists in newsrooms, and magazine journalism from sociology of news, critical, and feminist perspectives.