Double the number of men experts in broadcast news compared to women, but the lived experience of medical patients is finally being recognised

New research from City St George’s, University of London revealed that double the number of expert men appear on air in flagship broadcast news programmes compared to expert women.

Despite the lack in gender parity, this figure is a significant improvement from ten years ago when the project began. In 2014, there were four times as many men experts on air compared to women experts.

The study monitored six weekday episodes from flagship news programmes: Channel 4 News, Sky News Breakfast, ITV News at Ten, BBC Radio 4 Today, BBC News at Ten, and Channel 5 News. Monitoring was carried out Monday to Friday, for one week in every month between November 2023 and April 2024.

Experts were construed as anyone interviewed because of their expertise, influence or authority, including politicians, CEOs, researchers, sportspeople and celebrities.

The study also revealed a radically changing picture on how medical stories are being treated. In an additional survey for the Academy for Medical Sciences, the researchers found 30 per cent more women were featured as patients in medical case studies.

Now, owing to the reporting of stories such as the Blood Infection Scandal and the Covid Enquiry, these patients and people with lived experience (such as family members of patients) are being treated as experts rather than examples. They were interviewed about their influence on policy and events, not just about their experiences.

The research was undertaken by Professor Emerita Lis Howell, Director of the Expert Women Project and Professor Suzanne Franks, Professor of Journalism, ahead of the Expert Women: Ten Years On conference at City St George’s on Tuesday 8 October 2024.

Speaking at the event were a range of editors from the flagship broadcast channels, media regulators, parliamentarians and more. panellists include:

• Cathy Newman, Channel 4 News
• Vikki Cooke, Ofcom
• Rt Hon Baroness Harriet Harman
• Stella Creasy MP
• Monica Dolan, actor in Sherwood and Mr Bates versus the Post Office
• Heather Evans, widow, Infected Blood Enquiry.

Professor Emerita Lis Howell said:

It’s great to see double the number of expert women on air compared to ten years ago.

Positive changes are thanks to initiatives like the Expert Women Project putting pressure on our media, as well as the efforts of broadcasters, improved databases of experts and training days at the BBC.

However, it is unacceptable that men continue to dominate the news and we do not want to see progress stalling. Efforts need to be redoubled to move the needle closer towards gender equity in the news.

We have noticed a step change in how broadcasters are approaching health stories. Patients and people with lived experience are being recognised as experts in their own right and not just examples.

People at the sharp end of scandals – such as those affected by the Infected Blood Scandal and the Post Office Blue Horizon Scandal – are finally finding their voices.

It’s fantastic to see the progress that has been made in the ten years we have been monitoring flagship broadcast news programmes.

Nevertheless, men are still featured as experts on air at twice the rate of women. We must not let up the pressure to achieve gender equity in broadcast media.

Channel 5 stands out as the most equitable channel, featuring 1.5 men for each woman.