Louise North

Bio: Louise North is an academic researcher from Deakin University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Journalism & News media. The author has an hindex of 13, co-authored 28 publications receiving 436 citations. Previous affiliations of Louise North include Monash University.

The Gender of “soft” and “hard” news

Abstract: Research from around the globe has long emphasised the problem of vertical segregation in the news media where women remain largely absent from key editorial decision-making roles. Horizontal segregation, however, where there are gendered divisions of tasks associated with reporting, is also an ongoing issue and has been highlighted in a recent large-scale survey of female journalists in Australia. To date, just one other small industry survey in 1996 has asked female journalists in Australia about the types of stories that they cover and raised the implications of gendered inequity. This current survey finds that while more female reporters appear be covering hard news rounds like politics and business, the majority are still assigned to cover the bulk of the soft news areas of features, the arts, education and health—and most perceive that female reporters remain pigeon-holed in those traditionally female story areas. Respondents understand soft news as less important within the organisation in comparis...

Damaging and daunting: female journalists’ experiences of sexual harassment in the newsroom

Abstract: Female journalists’ experiences of sexual harassment are barely documented in the literature about Australian news journalism despite evidence of its ongoing prevalence. There have been some stories of harassment detailed in autobiographies by female journalists and the occasional article in the mainstream media about individual incidents, but it wasn’t until 1996 that a union survey provided statistical evidence of an industry-wide problem. That Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance survey found that more than half of the 368 female participants had experienced sexual harassment at work. In 2012, I conducted the largest survey of female journalists in Australia finding that there was an increased number of respondents who had experienced sexual harassment in their workplaces. In a bid to better understand female journalists’ experiences of sexual harassment, this paper analyses written comments made by survey participants in relation to key questions about harassment. It finds that most downplay...

Still a 'Blokes Club': The Motherhood Dilemma in Journalism

Abstract: The largest survey of female journalists working in the Australian news media was undertaken in 2012 and asked participants to respond to questions about perceived gender discrimination in working conditions. This article focuses on participant responses in relation to promotional opportunities. The keys themes that arose centred on the impact of childcare responsibilities and a masculine newsroom culture that worked to exclude them. A total of 577 female journalists working in broadcast, print and online platforms from all states and territories and in regional/rural, metropolitan and suburban news publications responded to the online survey. Most respondents articulated a perception of gender bias around the issue of promotional opportunities but often blamed themselves and/or their child-rearing responsibilities for their lack of opportunity. The responses indicate an ongoing and systemic gender bias that disadvantages women, particularly mothers, and has been largely left unacknowledged in Australian media debates.

Still a ‘blokes club’: The motherhood dilemma in journalism

Abstract: The largest survey of female journalists working in the Australian news media was undertaken in 2012 and asked participants to respond to questions about perceived gender discrimination in working ...

Gendered experiences of industry change and the effects of neoliberalism

Abstract: In a time of dramatic and rapid change in the global media industry and when technological advances and media concentration are shaping the way news is produced and consumed, little research has focused on how the producers of news are affected by such change. This paper explores narratives of confidence and cynicism as told to me by Australian print news media journalists. I am interested in journalists’ memories and experiences of personal change that arise from an intensified workplace and how neoliberal discourses affect newsroom culture. How do the journalists I interview experience and speak of changes in the newsroom? In what ways is being a journalist different now to when they entered the industry? In effect, how have journalists changed as a result of journalism's changes? The interviews with 17 print media journalists contain rich narratives with which to explore how participants remember and make sense of industry changes. This paper finds that the intensification of work practices, ethical co...

What About Us

Abstract: Established in 2006, TATA Africa Services (Nigeria) Limited operates as the nodal point for Tata businesses in West Africa. TATA Africa Services (Nigeria) Limited has a strong presence in Nigeria with investments exceeding USD 10 million. The company was established in Lagos, Nigeria as a subsidiary of TATA Africa Holdings (SA) (Pty) Limited, South Africa and serves as the hub of Tata’s operations in Nigeria and the rest of West Africa.

Women and news: A long and winding road

Abstract: Feminist news researchers have long argued that in the macho culture of most newsrooms, journalists’ daily decisions about what is newsworthy remain firmly based on masculine news values. As such, issues and topics traditionally seen to be particularly relevant to women tend to be pushed to the margins of the news where the implicit assumption is that they are less important than those which interest men. In so doing, men’s views and voices are privileged over women’s, thereby contributing to the ongoing secondary status of women’s participation as citizens. In this article, we draw upon data we collected from the UK and the Republic of Ireland as part of the larger, 108-country study, which comprised the 2010 Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP). We argue that while there have been some positive improvements in women’s representation as news actors, sources and journalists in the British and Irish news media since the first GMMP day of monitoring in 1995, women’s voices, experiences and expertise continue to be regarded by news industries as less important than those of men. Such a situation undermines and under-reports women’s contribution to social, economic and cultural life and in so doing, diminishes democracy.

Gender and education

Abstract: 11. Azizi, S. L. An Analysis of the Social Action Program and Education of women in Pakistan 1999 UNESCO 12. Brouwers, R., Zafar, F. Gender Equity in Education in Pakistan: Evaluation of the education component of Social Action Program (SAPP I) 1999 The World Bank 13. Chaudhri, S. Incidence of Child Labor, Free Education Policy, and Economic Liberalization in a Developing Economy 2004 The Pakistan Development Review