The Voices Project is a grassroots
organization that monitors, studies, and promotes diversity in news
media. It was founded in 2002 by law students at the University of
Southern California in response
to the narrow spectrum of voices currently featured in local and national
media outlets. Its guiding objective is to expand the range of
information and commentary disseminated through broadcast and print
media.
The Voices Project researchers
document and examine diversity by quantifying voices with regard to
gender, race, ideology, and other factors. The project works with
the media, public officials and community leaders on ways of
addressing these issues. In connection with its lobbying and
research efforts, the Project will soon host a conference on
diversity in the media.
FACT SHEET
Los
Angeles Times Study Graphs:
Demographics of Opinion Editorial Authors 2000-2002 (bar diagram)
Opinion
Editorial Demographic August 2000-March 2003 (pie chart)
Probability
of Female vs. Male Authorship 2000-2003
Most
Published Authors 2000-2003 (note: Arianna Huffington and
Norah Vincent no longer write for the LA Times)
A
study by The Voices Project shows that Los Angeles leading radio
stations and newspapers shun women talk show hosts and columnists.
ß
The study
found that nearly nine out of ten (88%) of the voices presented by
L.A. radio stations: KABC and
KFI, and the opinion editorial pages of the LA Times belong to men.
Only 12% belong to women.
ß
Of the two
Los Angeles talk show radio
stations, KABCís lineup was the least diverse: 96% of weekly airtime
is allotted to male hosts; 3% to late-night infomercials; and only
1% to women hosts. 100% of airtime Monday != Friday is
allotted to male hosts.
ß
KFI fared
only slightly better, with over 86% of weekly airtime allotted to
male hosts. Over 87% of airtime Monday - Friday allotted to male
hosts. The other 13% of airtime is allotted the woman host, Dr.
Laura.
ß
LA Times
opinion editorial authors != Weekly average is 82% men, 18% women.
There was only one woman among the ten most published LA Times
Opinion Editorial authors.
Other studies currently being
conducted by the Voices Project include reports on diversity in:
regional and National newspapers, talk radio programs, and Broadcast
News.