A study spearheaded by scholars at the City University of London unveils the detrimental effects on job satisfaction caused by perceived gender inequities and the widespread issue of workplace sexual harassment within newsrooms globally. Despite being a common issue across various professions, newsrooms are not spared from this troubling trend.

The investigation into job satisfaction within the media field has covered several factors, including organizational size, wages, types of employment contracts, the balance between professional and personal life, and the demographic characteristics of employees like gender, ethnicity, and the political orientation of their employers. Notably, in many parts of the globe, women are significantly underrepresented in media roles and tend to have shorter career spans than their male counterparts, often as a result of societal and cultural hurdles, including discrimination, wage disparities, and entrenched gender stereotypes.

This new research, carried out by Dr Lindsey Blumell, Senior Lecturer, Dr Rana Arafat, Lecturer in Journalism at City, and Dinfin Mulupi from the University of Maryland, examines how media personnel from Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Arab world assess their job satisfaction in light of gender equality and experiences of sexual harassment.

The study focused on regions known for their gender wage gaps, fleeting careers for women in media, and monopolization of leadership positions by men. The findings indicate that men across these regions report significantly higher levels of job satisfaction than women. Still, this disparity does not extend to individuals who do not conform to traditional gender norms. Moreover, men have a more positive perception of gender equality within newsrooms, often accessing more opportunities and senior positions than their female colleagues. This trend again does not significantly differ for gender non-conforming individuals.

Female journalists were found to be more susceptible to both verbal and physical harassment, whether in the newsroom or while on assignment than their male counterparts across all regions studied. Physical harassment was notably more common in Sub-Saharan Africa compared to Southeast Asia and the Arab region, which did not significantly differ from each other. However, the frequency of verbal harassment did vary, with Sub-Saharan Africa recording the highest incidents, followed by the Arab region and Southeast Asia. The study underscored that experiences of sexual harassment, both verbal and physical, considerably diminish job satisfaction.

The survey, conducted between July 2020 and April 2021 across the three regions, comprised 33 structured questions and one open-ended question. It garnered responses from 1,583 participants, including males, females, and gender non-conforming individuals.

Dr. Blumell emphasized the pressing need for a cultural transformation within the global news industry to address these findings. She pointed out the industry’s predominant male dominance, often institutionalized by societal norms that discourage or even prevent women from pursuing long-term careers in media post-marriage or childbirth due to domestic responsibilities or qualifications barriers, leaving most senior and decision-making roles to men. This imbalance fosters a culture where stereotypes and male power dominance prevail, paving the way for sexual harassment and deteriorating working conditions for women.

The study calls for structural and organizational reforms to mitigate these gender-based inequalities, urging media organizations to adopt comprehensive policies against all forms of sexual harassment and to implement ethical codes that clearly define and address gender discrimination.

Dr Arafat highlighted the need for a greater understanding among employers regarding the impact of these gender-biased attitudes on job satisfaction. She criticized the common misperception that sexual harassment is merely a rare occurrence of flirtation or banter, underlining that what might seem harmless can be profoundly damaging and constitute verbal sexual harassment. The researchers advocate for enhanced awareness and training within news organizations and among employers to recognize the severe psychological and performance-related consequences of sexual harassment, thereby encouraging more proactive measures to counteract it.

More information: Lindsey E. Blumell et al, The Impact of Sexual Harassment on Job Satisfaction in Newsrooms, Journalism Practice. DOI: 10.1080/17512786.2023.2227613

Journal information: Journalism Practice Provided by City, University of London