Journalists, Print Media

Gender Divides in Subjects and Writing

The contemporary status of women journalists must be understood in historical context. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, print journalism was a carefully guarded male enclave. Over time, a few “exceptional” women managed to invade news genres otherwise restricted to men and gain front page status. For them, the highest compliment was to be told they were “just like men,” and that they were “newsmen.” Much more often, when women journalists began to enter the field in increasing numbers, it was primarily to write for and about women, covering society, home, and family issues.

The other entry route for women was a genre known as “sob sisters” in the United Kingdom, and they were known for their dramatic, personal, and emotional stories that supposedly brought readers to tears. Stunt journalists, such as the pseudonymous Annie Laurie and Nellie Bly, also attracted attention. These were topics and writing styles men were not interested in.

To attract advertising for department store and products aimed at women, publishers needed female [Page 796]readers. They therefore created “women's pages” and hired women to write women's news, gossip, and advice columns. In any case, the women's pages opened the door for the feminist debates of the 1960s, and provided space for issues such as equal pay, divorce, and abortion. In the wake of the feminist movement, most newspapers abandoned women's pages, per se, although some of these issues reemerged in newly invented “lifestyle” sections.

The notion of a “women's style” in journalism is controversial. On the one hand, feminist critics complain that women are required to produce a particular news “commodity” that, in the name of women's interests, exploits a highly personal, confessional approach. Other scholars say women do and should have a distinct style. Women journalists themselves say that they believe women offer a more human perspective, that “the news is the news,” and that the same ethical standards apply equally to all journalists. Women do appear to be more likely to draw on women as sources, include the voices of ordinary citizens, and focus on social problems and issues associated with women, such as reproductive rights, education, and childcare.

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