TANISHA SRIVATSA By devaluing the work of women of color in the media and
Specifically, Buzzfeed improved their diversity metrics by
simultaneously limiting their avenues for career growth, mass
partnering with diversity organizations, hosting recruiting
media is able to profit off of their struggles and uphold
events, and reaching out to organizations like the
systems of racial inequality.
Multiculturalism Advertising Internship Program, the
More than 34% of women working in the media or entertainment industries reported witnessing sexist behavior
Council of Urban Professionals, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to hire employees.
in the last one year, and almost half believe that women are
This goal can also be achieved by establishing senior
held to higher standards at work compared to men in similar
sponsorship programs for women in entry-level positions.
roles. Women of color in the media industry suffer on
Formal sponsorship programs that connect high-potential
another level through microaggressions and mansplaining at
job candidates to more experienced professionals in a
a higher rate than in other industries, according to analyses
similar line of work can inspire more women and people
from the Pew Research Center.
of color to stay in these industries and improve the
The McKinsey study showed that external hiring ( a business
overall attrition rates for the media and entertainment
looks to fill a vacancy from outside of their existing
industries.
workforce) for executive-level management was skewed
To combat the low rates of female attrition at news
heavily toward male candidates, with only 27% of C-suite
organizations, companies ought to invest in programs that
positions being held by women.
prioritize listening to and valuing women’s perspectives
While current statistics show that progress has been made in achieving a 50-50 gender balance in the media and entertainment industries, much more work must be done to
on issues like gender-based discrimination in the workforce, working as allies for women and people of color, and promoting diversity in hiring.
dismantle the systemic barriers that prevent women from
Despite the favorable metrics that show male vs. female
achieving more in the workplace.
employee percentages as nearly equal in entry-level
To this end, companies can address the lack of minority representation and toxic work environment through several anti-discrimination
measures,
taking
example
from
companies like Buzzfeed, who boasted 61.1% female managers and 50% female executive editors in 2017.
positions, the media and entertainment industries have a lot of work to do before true equality is reached. By committing to more inclusive policies and standards, companies can work towards dismantling sexist barriers that women face in this industry, aiming for a more equitable future without the glass ceiling.
