"Challenging it softly": a feminist inquiry into gender in the news media context. Issue 1 (2nd January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Santos, Anabela; Cerqueira, Carla; Cabecinhas, Rosa
• Is Part Of: Feminist media studies. Volume 22:Issue 1(2022)
• Page Start: 66
• Page End: 82
• Publication Date: 2022-01-02
• Subjects: Feminist media studies -- gender -- media professionals -- publics -- journalism; Feminism -- Periodicals; Women in mass media -- Periodicals; Mass media and women -- Periodicals; Feminist criticism -- Periodicals; Mass media and sex -- Periodicals; 302.23082
• DOI: 10.1080/14680777.2018.1465445
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1468-0777

Abstract

ABSTRACT: As they are a privileged site for the (re)construction of the dominant gender order, media often contribute to naturalizing inequalities. This paper aims to critically discuss the way in which hegemonic meanings of gender have been accepted, resisted, and/or challenged in the Portuguese media context, both by professionals working in news magazines and by publics. This discussion revolves around three different topics: access, distribution, and participation in the media industries; reporting practices and media contents; and gender equality policies. The research is based on 11 focus-group discussions with 101 undergraduate students, as well as on semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 15 media professionals. The collected data were subsequently submitted to a thematic analysis. The findings show that hegemonic meanings of gender were mostly (re)produced: gender asymmetries in the media industry were either taken as a non-issue, or attributed to individual-level factors. Additionally, gendered media representations, and the relationships between the male-biased news-making process and the neoliberal trends in political economy of communication were largely disregarded, as far as their impact is concerned; gender equality policies were dismissed as actions required to achieve equality, diversity, and social justice. Critical gender perspectives have rarely been endorsed by media professionals and publics.