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Launch: free dataset for gender equality in the media

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The Department of Journalism, Media and Communication

Three questions to media researcher Mathias Färdigh, who has developed a dataset, free for anyone to use who are interested in media and gender equality.
The GEM dataset is compiled within the project “Comparing Gender and Media Equality Across the Globe” and is being launched at the same time as a book about the five-year project at the Department of Journalism, Media and Communication (JMG).

1. Why a dataset on gender equality in the media?

Statistics on gender equality in the media that can be compared between different countries and years are in short supply. At the same time, research shows that the gender distribution in the media and media companies has major and significant consequences for society. What makes this data set completely unique is that it contains compiled and quality-reviewed global media content data that can be compared between countries and over time, and that it is available to anyone who wants to download for free!

2. Who should use it and why?

My hope is that our data will be used to increase knowledge about gender equality in the media and in the long run contribute to making this world more equal! Free for anyone who wants to, whether it is researchers, teachers, journalists or the general public. Yes, anyone who wants to should be able to get really good data with high quality. It is also the case that it is always better the more people who use the data set - the more users and perspectives on media equality, the more developed and multifaceted state of knowledge. Perhaps our data set can also contribute to more people realizing that there is in fact a lack of reliable data in this area and that more continuous data collection on media equality is therefore needed.

3. What happens now?

The future plan is for the amount of data to live on by being able to be updated and continuously replenished with new data in the future. I have worked quite a lot with developing routines for quality review of new data and to develop a structure that will also work in the future. There is an application submitted for funding to be able to continue working with just this. At the same time, we are working to also be able to increase accessibility and possibly make "tutorials" and thus make it easier for teachers to use the data sets in, for example, teaching contexts.

Read more

  • and download the GEM dataset here
  • and download the GEM book on Nordicom's web
  • about the GEM project here
  • about Mathias Färdigh and his research here

Contact

Mathias Färdigh, mathias.fardigh@jmg.gu.se, +46 31 786 42 33

Facts

The GEM dataset is compiled within the research project of the same name, Comparing Gender and Media Across the Globe.

At the same time as the GEM dataset is released for use by everyone, a book about the project is launched by Nordicom at the University of Gothenburg. The book describes, among other things, a new and simpler way of measuring gender equality in news media in all countries of the world, something that has been developed by the Swedish research group and four international partners within the project.

Read more in the pressrelease from Nordicom.

 

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Society and economy
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