February 10, 2006

LONDON – The results of a global media study to be released next week chart the representation of men and women in the news and newsrooms of the world.

The Global Media Monitoring Project, conducted in 1995 and again in 2000 and 2005 by WACC and its international affiliates, reveals the trend of imbalance in who makes the news-and who doesn't-in the areas of news content, news subjects and who reports on these stories around the world in its report entitled "WHO MAKES THE NEWS?"

Using an extensive international network of hundreds of volunteers-from journalism students and professors to journalists' associations and grassroots communications groups and alternative media networks-this pioneering effort in global research into news media focuses on newspapers, television and radio news coverage for one day in countries around the world. The qualitative and quantitative data gathered from the volunteers is tabulated and analyzed, and is the basis of each "WHO MAKES THE NEWS?" report.

The report, to be released 15 February, is the result of the analysis of almost 13,000 news items from one day in 76 countries around the world.

A press conference and media roundtable will be held 15 February at the Foreign Press Association, 11 Carlton House Terrace, London, and will launch "WHO MAKES THE NEWS? Three Weeks of Global Action" (16 February – 8 March). Endorsed by UNIFEM, UNESCO and a coalition of partner organizations, the campaign will feature awareness raising activities taking place in more than 70 countries.

World Association for Christian Communication