Is News Failing Women?

Global listeners react to the news that the UK government will be investing £85 million a year towards the BBC World Service. The funds are said to contribute towards new services in North Korea, Russia, Africa and the Middle East – as well as assisting the network with their goal of reaching half a billion people by 2022.

And a research project spanning 20 years and 114 countries has found that only a third of full time journalists are women and nearly 75% of the top management roles are filled by men. As part of the 100 women season, BBC World Service recently took on these findings in a debate and asked - Is News Failing Women? Broadcast live from the BBC Radio Theatre in Central London, news editors from around the world debated the subject in front of an audience of journalists, activists, academics and listeners. The panel included Fran Unsworth, director of the BBC World Service Group, Kate O’Brian, president of Al Jazeera America), Ben de Pear, Editor of UK television network Channel 4 News, and Verashni Pillay, editor of Mail & Guardian in South Africa. Rajan Datar hears thoughts from some of the panel members and audience attendees on both the debate and the representation of women across global media.