Global Media Monitoring Project 2015

The Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) is the world’s longest-running and most extensive research and advocacy initiative for gender equality in the media. It began in 1995 and since then it’s repeated every five years. In GMMP (2015) there was enthusiastic participation of 114 countries from all around the world. MIGS is honoured to be part of this global effort that is GMMP for the second time as a national coordinator for Cyprus. 

People in the news globally

The Global Media Monitoring Project has shown that women are still significantly underrepresented and misrepresented in news media coverage worldwide. Despite significant change since the project began 20 years ago, the world seen in news media remains largely a male one. Women make up only 24% of the persons heard, read about or seen in newspapers, television and radio news, exactly as they did in 2010. In political news stories that dominate the news women make only 16%. The gender gap is narrowest in stories on science and health where women make 36% however this agenda occupies only the 8% of news. There also is gender imbalance among reporters and presenters since only 37% of stories in newspapers, television and radio newscasts are reported by women. The overall proportion of stories focusing on women has held steady at 10% since 2000. GMMP report has reported once again news stories that reinforce gender stereotypes. Only 4% of stories clearly challenge gender stereotypes in news stories.

To view the highlights of the Global GMMP results click here

To view the full Global GMMP Report 2015 click here.

People in the news in Cyprus

On the 25th of March 2015 MIGS monitored 375 news stories in the television, radio, print media, internet news and social media. The GMMP survey in Cyprus demonstrated that women continue to be severely underrepresented in the media. Women’s overall presence in the media only reaches 19% on radio, TV and newspaper news, while on twitter and internet, women’s presence is accounted for less than 7%. The previous GMMP survey (conducted in 2010) revealed that women’s presence in the media reached 15%. Thus, the results for 2015 demonstrate less than a 1% annual increase.

Women are highly underrepresented in topics seen as ‘hard’ and ‘serious’ issues, such as economy and politics. Women are almost invisible in news stories that discuss economy with their presence making up to only 10%, which is even lower than the percentage we had five years ago which was 13%. On the topic of politics and government, women’s presence reaches 30%. All in all, we have seen a significant increase of women as news subjects of news stories on politics compared to the previous GMMP where their presence reached only 15%. The media still link women to the private sphere as women continue to dominate stories related to the household (as housemakers and parents) with a rate of 100%.

The overall percentage of women in positions, such as reporters and presenters, in the news is 33%. Newspapers are a male dominated news source, with 88% of their journalists being men. In television, the survey shows that 46% of the presenters are women compared to 54% men. All radio news stories are announced by women. Women usually report ‘softer’ issues. More than half of women reporters (56%) report social and legal news. Only 19% present news on economy and 11% present politics and government, while men report more frequently news on economy, crime and violence, politics and government, and science and health.

Download:

GMMP report Cyprus 2015

Full global, regional and national reports/more information: www.whomakesthenews.org