Note to News Networks: Where Are the Women?

Note to News Networks: Where Are the Women?

For Tuesday, October 11, 2005 11:00 AM EST

New Resource to End Media Blackout of Women Experts on Major Networks

SheSource.org To Level News Media Playing Field

NEW YORK, Oct. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- A new pilot resource for journalists will be launched on October 11, 2005 to combat the absence of women experts in news programs. A study to be released the same day reports that of the five most important Sunday talk shows, more than half of the episodes -- 56% -- had no women guests at all. To address the problem, The White House Project, Fenton Communications and the Women's Funding Network developed SheSource.org, an online database of women experts for journalists.

During a press teleconference call, the organizations will announce the latest findings of The White House Project's "Who's Talking Now" report, which tracks the number of women experts on influential news programs. They will also discuss how SheSource.org will work and how it will increase the presence of women experts in the news media.

Four years ago, The White House Project first unveiled their groundbreaking report "Who's Talking," which revealed that on news programs including NBC's "Meet the Press," women were outnumbered 9-to-1 by men in guest appearances. After 9/11, The White House Project reported that the women's presence dropped an additional 39 percent. In the last year, media critics have debated the lack of presence of women on op-ed pages, with Susan Estrich criticizing the Los Angeles Times and articles pointing out that less than 17% of the op-eds in the New York Times and Washington Post are written by women.

WHAT: Press teleconference call announcing launch of SheSource.org

WHO: Marie Wilson, President & Founder of The White House Project Lisa Witter, General Manager of Fenton Communications Chris Grumm, President & CEO of the Women's Funding Network

WHEN: October 11, 2005 at 11 AM EST

RSVP: RSVP to kgoff@fenton.com for the teleconference number

CONTACT: Keli Goff, Fenton Communications, 212-584-5000 ext. 318, kgoff@fenton.com

Courtney O'Donnell, Fenton Communications, 212-584-5000 ext. 309, codonnell@fenton.com

Source: SheSource.org

CONTACT: Keli Goff, +1-212-584-5000 ext. 318, kgoff@fenton.com, or Courtney O'Donnell, +1-212-584-5000 ext. 309, codonnell@fenton.com, both of Fenton Communications

Web site: http://www.shesource.org/

------- Profile: Ent