Recollections in Hindsight from Women Who Left: The Gendered Newsroom Culture

Abstract

Fifteen women former newspaper journalists were interviewed at length about their experiences in newsrooms with regard to perceptions of gender differences in journalistic practices and content. They confirmed and described a patriarchal newsroom culture where male journalists applied exclusionary strategies, made news decisions on the basis of sex, encouraged assertiveness and toughness, wanted to “rescue” women from journalistic unpleasantries, and where female editors adopted tough male characteristics to the detriment of rank and file female journalists. At the same time, the women interviewed gave voice to the claims of gendered differences in the behind-the-scenes practices and production of news content.