Gender and Media Viability: Making a Business Case for Diversity

"Making up half of the world's population, women and girls are an important, yet often underserved, demographic offering a potential market for audience growth and a valuable consumer group for businesses and brands which want to market to them."

This article discusses the relationship between gender and media business performance, highlighting media innovations from around the world that champion women and improve media viability. The intention of the article is not to justify media initiatives that are geared towards women simply on the basis of financial benefits but, rather, to strengthen the message that putting women in focus is important for building viable news organisations that are sustainable over the long term. In particular, it looks at the benefits of a women-focused approach in areas such as content strategy, audience engagement, revenue management, and product design. The article is based on the Media Development Investment Fund (MDIF)'s 25 years of experience in supporting independent media, including its work in Ethiopia as a part of the Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development (PRIMED) initiative.

The article begins by making the point that it is important to consider women as a potential audience for news. Research has shown that women are less likely to be interested in news, with one highly cited reason being the fact that women and their unique perspectives are missing from media coverage. In relation to encouraging more media to service the needs and interests of women, the article cites a number of examples from South Africa, Indonesia, and India. For example, in South Africa, it highlights the online platform gsport4girls, which provides 24/7 coverage of women's sports, seeking to address the gender gap in sports media.

A number of innovations related to editorial products and initiatives intended to serve the interests of women are also discussed. For instance, in the Philippines, podcast production company PumaPodcast started "Go Hard Girls", a podcast dedicated to the stories of Filipina athletes. There has also been a growing effort to produce more diverse content that better reflects society and ensures representation of women in the news. For example, the BBC 50:50 Equality Project seeks to ensure a fair balance of male and female voices.

Based on experience in working with numerous women-owned and women-run news businesses, including Kosovo's independent broadcaster RTV21 and Peru's regional news outlet El Búho, the article points out that inclusivity within organisational structure and within leadership can boost innovation and team performance, as well as improve decision-making and employee satisfaction.

Innovations related to how media have responded to gender-based harassment, which is particularly prevalent online, are also discussed. The article cites the example of Rappler in the Philippines, which had to innovate in order to escape increasing online harassment. The news outlet refocused its audience engagement efforts away from social media to more of a focus on community building, including through its platform Lighthouse, its civic engagement arm MovePH, and activism campaigns such as #HoldtheLine.

In terms of gender and increased revenue, the article states that "Gender balance can improve successful conversions, increase audience engagement, particularly among women, and anecdotally has led to growth in the number of subscribers, listeners or open rates for newsletters." Gender can also play an important role in building partnerships and institutional revenue. Grant funding, sponsored content, and partnerships with foundations and other non-profit organisations can have a focus on gender, such as by promoting equality, women's rights, and the empowerment of women and girls. For example, Peruvian regional outlet El Búho was able to deliver extensive reporting with the support of the IWMF Howard G. Buffett Fund, which was focused on female political participation in 2021 general elections, disappeared girls and women, and other women-focused reporting. In addition, sponsored and branded content is becoming an important revenue stream for many media businesses, whether it is marketing with a social cause, including around the topic of diversity and inclusion, or marketing products directed at women. For example, in India, the women-only social network SHEROES offers brand solutions for companies looking to engage with its online community of women through its accredited brand profile known as a Champion profile.

Events, an important tool in engaging communities and facilitating critical conversations around gender and women's issues, are another important revenue source for media companies. For example, in Indonesia, Katadata, a digital media outlet focused on economic and business news and data analysis, organised a conference focused on gender equality and women's economic empowerment with the support of Investing in Women (IW), an initiative of the Australian Government.

The final innovation discussed in the article is around collaborative projects organised around different topics, including gender and diversity issues. For example, Ecuador's GK, along with six other media outlets, was part of a collaboration "Ser Niña en América Latina" ("Being a Girl in Latin America"), a regional effort to expose and denounce inequality and gender violence across the continent through insightful reporting.