Skip to:

  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to accessibility
City, University of London
  • Student Hub
  • Staff Hub
Search
Menu
Home
  • Prospective students
    • Courses
      • Undergraduate degrees
      • Foundation courses
      • Postgraduate taught degrees
      • Postgraduate research degrees
      • Short courses
      • Professional development courses
      • City Health courses
    • Apply
      • Entry requirements
      • How to apply
        • Undergraduate
        • Information for teachers
        • Postgraduate taught
        • Postgraduate research
          • Preparing your application
            • Preparing your research proposal
        • Short courses
          • The Novel Studio Published Alumni
      • Prospectus
        • Undergraduate
        • Postgraduate
        • Short courses
      • Visas
        • Student visas
          • Applying from outside the UK
          • Applying from within the UK
          • Applying for a dependant visa
          • Preparing your application
          • Working in the UK
        • Standard Visitor visas
          • How to apply for a Standard Visitor Visa
          • Non-visa nationals
        • ATAS certificates
        • Brexit and European nationals
      • Study abroad programmes
        • Partnership programme
        • Study abroad modules
      • Clearing and Adjustment
        • Applying through Clearing
        • Applying through Adjustment
      • Alternative entry routes
        • Foundation courses
        • Second-year students
        • Work experience
      • Contact Admissions
    • Finance
      • Funding options
      • Earn while you learn
      • How to pay
        • Payment methods
        • Fee schedules
        • Deposit refunds
    • Accommodation and housing
      • Compare residential halls
      • Applying for halls
        • Undergraduate
        • Postgraduate
        • Clearing
      • Paying for halls
      • Private accommodation
        • Finding a place to live
        • Accommodation for families
      • Short-term accommodation
    • Open events and fairs
      • Campus tours
      • Online chats
        • Undergraduate online events
        • Postgraduate online events
        • Ask a student
      • University fairs
    • Student life
      • London experience
      • Local area
      • Sports
        • Sport clubs
        • Non-competitive sport
        • Competitive sport
      • Social activities and groups
      • Religion
      • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer plus
      • Volunteering
      • Student wellbeing
        • Mental health counselling
        • Learning support
        • Young, estranged students
        • Care leavers
        • Young adult carers
        • Personal tutoring programme
      • Learn another language
    • Career development
      • Internships and employment opportunities
        • Micro-placements
      • Career pathways
      • Job prospects and graduate destinations
      • Careers team
    • Subjects
  • Research
    • Research impact
      • Research Excellence Framework
      • Research case studies
    • Research strategy
    • Research support
      • Grants and funding
      • Integrity and ethics
        • Research ethics
          • Principles
          • Approval process
          • Approval outcomes and appeals
          • External ethics approvals
        • Ethics guidance and resources
          • Participant information and consent
          • Recruiting participants from City
          • Records management
          • Research conducted abroad
          • FAQ
        • Research integrity
          • Framework for good practice in research
          • Research misconduct
      • Research data
        • Managing active research data
        • Digital research data and Figshare
      • Researcher development
    • Research centres and groups
  • For businesses
    • Start your business
      • Develop your startup idea
        • One-to-one startup advice
        • The Good Entrepreneur Festival
        • Startup camp
        • Startup seminars
        • Side hustle
        • CitySpark workshops
      • Launch your startup
        • Start-up visa
        • Launch Lab
    • Grow your business
      • Fund your business
      • Hire an academic consultant
      • Purchase our intellectual property
      • Purchase a company
    • Develop your people
      • Bespoke training
    • Business impact case studies
    • Access our student talent
      • Recruit with us
        • Santander employability programme
      • Meet and support our students
        • Become a mentor
        • Employer engagement events
      • Placement partners and trusts
  • Alumni and supporters
    • Alumni benefits
    • Global alumni network
      • Networks and Groups
        • City Alumni LinkedIn groups
      • Alumni ambassadors
      • Special interest groups
    • Contact Alumni Relations
    • Support City
      • Donate to City
      • Volunteering
      • Your impact
  • News and events
    • News
    • Events
    • Social media directory
      • City social accounts
      • School and Departmental accounts
  • About us
    • Schools and Departments
      • School of Arts and Social Sciences
        • About the School
          • Athena SWAN
          • Employability, placements and internships
            • English for academic purposes (EAP)
          • Research and Enterprise
        • Department of Economics
          • Research
            • Discussion pages
        • Department of English
        • Department of International Politics
          • Examples of research projects
          • Research
        • Department of Journalism
          • Where our graduates work
          • James Cameron Memorial Lecture
            • Lectures
            • Special awards
            • Winners
          • Journalism scholarships
          • Stern Bryan Fellowship
        • Department of Music
          • 40th anniversary
          • Composition at City
          • Department ensembles
          • Ensembles in residence
          • Industry visitors
          • Placement opportunities
          • Research in the Department of Music
            • The Shahnameh Project: Disseminating Iranian musical culture in Britain
            • Middle East and Central Asia Music Forum
            • Staff Research Interests
        • Department of Psychology
          • Research in the Department of Psychology
            • Staff publications
        • Department of Sociology
          • City Q-Step Centre
        • Centre for Language Studies
      • The Business School (formerly Cass)
      • School of Health Sciences
        • About the School
          • Athena SWAN
          • Community Engagement Committee
          • Enterprise
          • Senior Management Team
          • Selection Day
          • City Health bespoke training
          • Courses
            • Undergraduate and pre-registration courses
            • Postgraduate study
            • Continuing Personal and Professional Development
            • Fees and funding
            • Information for placement partners
            • Occupational Health Checks
            • Contact the School of Health Sciences
            • Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced check (formerly CRB)
            • NHS finance and grants
          • Internationalisation
            • SHS International Excellence Scholarship
          • Optical Appliance Testing Service
          • Ready to mentor
          • Reference request
          • Research
            • Doctoral Studentships
            • Research ethics
          • Student life
            • Placement partners and trusts
            • Why choose a career in the health sector
        • Division of Health Services Research and Management
        • Division of Language and Communication Science
        • Division of Midwifery and Radiography
          • Radiography undergraduate learning contract
          • Midwifery at City
          • Radiography at City
        • Division of Nursing
        • Division of Optometry and Visual Sciences
        • Disability and Social Inclusion Seminars
      • School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering
        • About the school
          • Athena SWAN
          • Our London location
          • Placements and internships
            • About Professional Liaison Unit
            • Awards and Prizes
            • Employer information
            • Placement and internship schemes
            • Professional development
          • Preparing your research proposal
          • Aviation Management at City
          • Business and Information Systems
          • Civil Engineering at City
          • Computer Science at City
          • Energy MSc courses at City
          • Library and Information Science at City
          • Maritime Greece
          • Maritime Management at City
          • European Micro Gas Turbine Forum
          • European Global Product Realisation
            • The EGPR course
            • The EGPR history
            • The universities
          • Wind turbine design challenge
        • Department of Civil Engineering
          • Placements and Internships
        • Department of Computer Science
          • Data Science - an emerging discipline
          • Research Ethics
          • Student projects
          • Video gallery
          • Cyber Security MSc courses at City
          • Technical skills for MSc Data Science
          • Placements and Internships
            • Professional Pathway scheme
            • Postgraduate internships
        • Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
          • Chocoholic Safe
          • Control system for central heating
          • Placements and Internships
        • Department of Library and Information Science
          • Definition of Library and Information Science
          • CityLIS Courses
        • Department of Mathematics
          • Potential PhD projects
          • Placements and Internships
        • Department of Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics
          • City Racing Team
            • Building the car
            • Joining and competing
            • Meet the team
          • Placements and Internships
      • The City Law School
        • Academic programmes
        • Professional programmes
        • About the School
          • Contact the City Law School
          • How to find us
          • Free Legal Advice Clinic
            • The School Exclusion Project
            • Pro-Bono
            • Start-Ed Commercial Law Clinic
          • Legal careers
          • Careers advice
            • Pupillage Advice Service
            • Training Contract Advisory Service
          • Courses
            • Undergraduate
            • Professional courses
            • Master of Laws (LLM)
            • The Solicitor’s Qualifying Exam (SQE)
            • Continuing Professional Development courses
          • International
          • Research
            • Working Paper Series
            • ESRC Project
            • Ethics
            • Global Law@City
            • The Critical Corporation Project
            • Academic Visitor Programme
          • Support
            • Athena SWAN in the Law School
            • Financing your study
      • Doctoral College
        • Funding and scholarships
        • Essential information
        • Meet the Team
        • Research Supervisors
    • History
    • People
      • Academics
      • Research students
      • Students
      • Honorary graduates
      • Past students
      • Professional Services staff
      • International agents and representatives
      • Senior people
    • Facilities
      • Campuses
      • Libraries
      • Gym
      • University of London facilities
      • Specialist facilities
    • Work for us
      • Apply
      • Benefits
      • Career development
    • Vision and Strategy
      • Vision
      • Strategy
        • Better
        • Bigger
        • Partnerships
        • Living the values
      • Performance
      • Academic excellence
        • Rankings
        • Education
          • Flexible learning spaces
          • Active and collaborative learning
          • Term dates
        • Student statistics
      • Equality, diversity and inclusion
        • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy
        • Data and objectives
        • Staff networks
      • Sustainable development
        • Energy management
        • Waste management
        • Biodiversity conservation
        • Green travel
        • Education
        • Sustainable food
        • Get involved
      • Civic engagement
    • Governance and legal
      • Charter and Statutes
      • Rector
      • Council
        • Audit and Risk Committee
        • Corporate Governance and Nominations Committee
        • Remuneration Committee
        • Strategy, Implementation and Performance Committee
      • Senate
        • Board of Studies
        • Collaborative Provision Committee
        • Educational Quality Committee
        • Research and Enterprise Committee
        • Senate Research Ethics Committee
      • Executive leadership
        • President
          • Mansion House speeches
      • Financial statements
        • Financial Summary
      • Legal documents and policies
      • Committees
    • Global City
      • Global engagement
    • Contact us and find us
      • Find us
      • Contact us
      • Staff directory
    • Guidance on Coronavirus
      • Coronavirus guidance for research
      • Admissions advice during coronavirus
        • Coronavirus accommodation information
        • Visa and Immigration advice during coronavirus
      • Student and staff coronavirus statistics
  • Student Hub
  • Staff Hub
  • Prospective students
    Prospective students
    • Courses
      • Undergraduate degrees
      • Foundation courses
      • Postgraduate taught degrees
      • Postgraduate research degrees
      • Short courses
      • Professional development courses
      • City Health courses
    • Apply
      • Entry requirements
      • How to apply
      • Prospectus
      • Visas
      • Study abroad programmes
      • Clearing and Adjustment
      • Alternative entry routes
      • Contact Admissions
    • Finance
      • Funding options
      • Earn while you learn
      • How to pay
    • Accommodation and housing
      • Compare residential halls
      • Applying for halls
      • Paying for halls
      • Private accommodation
      • Short-term accommodation
    • Open events and fairs
      • Campus tours
      • Online chats
      • University fairs
    • Student life
      • London experience
      • Local area
      • Sports
      • Social activities and groups
      • Religion
      • Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer plus
      • Volunteering
      • Student wellbeing
      • Learn another language
    • Career development
      • Internships and employment opportunities
      • Career pathways
      • Job prospects and graduate destinations
      • Careers team
    • Subjects
  • Research
    Research
    • Research impact
      • Research Excellence Framework
      • Research case studies
    • Research strategy
    • Research support
      • Grants and funding
      • Integrity and ethics
      • Research data
      • Researcher development
    • Research centres and groups
  • For businesses
    For businesses
    • Start your business
      • Develop your startup idea
      • Launch your startup
    • Grow your business
      • Fund your business
      • Hire an academic consultant
      • Purchase our intellectual property
      • Purchase a company
    • Develop your people
      • Bespoke training
    • Business impact case studies
    • Access our student talent
      • Recruit with us
      • Meet and support our students
      • Placement partners and trusts
  • Alumni and supporters
    Alumni and supporters
    • Alumni benefits
    • Global alumni network
      • Networks and Groups
      • Alumni ambassadors
      • Special interest groups
    • Contact Alumni Relations
    • Support City
      • Donate to City
      • Volunteering
      • Your impact
  • News and events
    News and events
    • News
    • Events
    • Social media directory
      • City social accounts
      • School and Departmental accounts
  • About us
    About us
    • Schools and Departments
      • School of Arts and Social Sciences
      • The Business School (formerly Cass)
      • School of Health Sciences
      • School of Mathematics, Computer Science and Engineering
      • The City Law School
      • Doctoral College
    • History
    • People
      • Academics
      • Research students
      • Students
      • Honorary graduates
      • Past students
      • Professional Services staff
      • International agents and representatives
      • Senior people
    • Facilities
      • Campuses
      • Libraries
      • Gym
      • University of London facilities
      • Specialist facilities
    • Work for us
      • Apply
      • Benefits
      • Career development
    • Vision and Strategy
      • Vision
      • Strategy
      • Performance
      • Academic excellence
      • Equality, diversity and inclusion
      • Sustainable development
      • Civic engagement
    • Governance and legal
      • Charter and Statutes
      • Rector
      • Council
      • Senate
      • Executive leadership
      • Financial statements
      • Legal documents and policies
      • Committees
    • Global City
      • Global engagement
    • Contact us and find us
      • Find us
      • Contact us
      • Staff directory
    • Guidance on Coronavirus
      • Coronavirus guidance for research
      • Admissions advice during coronavirus
      • Student and staff coronavirus statistics
Coronavirus, latest information for staff and students.
  1. Home
  2. …
  3. Research impact
  4. Research case studies
  5. Spotlighting inequalities in the media
Research impact
  • Research Excellence Framework
  • Research case studies
A camera recording a female and a male in a TV studio
Research case study

Spotlighting inequalities in the media

Highlighting the imbalance of female experts compared to male featured on Britain’s biggest broadcasters.

The researchers:

  • Professor Lis Howell (Principal Investigator)
  • Professor Jane Singer (Co-Investigator)
  • Professor Suzanne Franks (Co-Investigator)

In summary

Over the last eight years, researchers from City, University of London have tracked the proportion of women experts, reporters and presenters on the UK’s top broadcast news programmes.

Using preliminary data from 2010, their research revealed significant under-representation of women experts compared to men. The first key finding published in 2013 revealed that men outnumbered women by a ratio of 4.4 to one.

Since then, these figures have inspired a catalyst for change, fuelling a campaign for better representation of women experts on air, which involved the BBC Academy and included expert women training, conferences and multi-national media coverage.

What did we explore and how?

The research which was led by City’s Department of Journalism as part of the Expert Women Project, used multiple datasets to explore how women feature as on-air experts in broadcast news reports.

From 2013, the researchers began collecting monthly data from four leading UK news programmes that reach total audiences of approximately 6 million per day. Two additional broadcasters were added to the sample in 2014 and further work was done in surveying women experts themselves and the production staff that booked them.

The study findings were presented at City’s three Women on Air Conferences, which invited senior editors from the UK’s biggest national broadcasters and interested politicians.

Benefits and influence of this research

Research from the survey has highlighted and addressed huge inequalities in the media and increased gender representation. Almost twice as many women now feature in broadcast and radio interviews compared to the number in 2014.

Influences from the research were also be highlighted during the Women on Air conferences, where in April 2014 the figures showed 4.4 men to every woman interviewed across leading UK news programmes. By the second conference in 2016, this ratio was just over 3:1 and by 2018 it was 2:1 male to female experts – much more reflective of the prevalence of women experts in UK society. However, according to more recent monitoring during the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020 media coverage of the virus saw a three-year high of 2.7 men for every one woman expert.

The BBC’s training arm, the BBC Academy, also introduced ‘Expert Women’ days, which recruited 500 women subject specialists, providing them with a full day’s worth of media training. The broadcaster also committed to achieving a 50/50 ratio of male to female experts in its news, current affairs and topical programmes by April 2019.

Share this case study

Details of this research

Principal Investigator: Professor Lis Howell

  • Professor Jane Singer (Co-Investigator)
  • Professor Suzanne Franks (Co-Investigator)
  • Research status: Ongoing

    Topic: Media; Broadcast; Gender; Women

    Industry/sector: Media, Broadcast, Journalism, Television

    Project partners/stakeholders:

    School of Arts and Social Sciences

    Department of Journalism

    Expert Women project

    Help us to improve this page

    City, University of London

    • Library Services
    • Moodle
    • Email
    • Staff directory
    • Term dates
    • Book a room
    • Schools and departments

    Back to top

    Contact us

    +44 (0)20 7040 5060
    Make an enquiry

    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Weibo
    • Youku
    Social media directory

    Find us

    City, University of London
    Northampton Square
    London EC1V 0HB
    United Kingdom

    Campus map

    Our global campuses

    • London
    • Dubai
    • Teaching Excellence Framework: Silver Award
    • Athena SWAN: Bronze Award

    Useful links

    • Accessibility
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies
    • City Store
    • Support City
    • Work for City

    © 2021 City, University of London

    University of London