Recent Journalism, Communication Grads
Face Depressed Job Market, Static Salaries

The 2003 Annual Survey of Journalism and Mass Communication Graduates, released Aug. 5, 2004, paints a largely gloomy picture for job-seekers. While it shows women continuing to have slightly more success than men in finding full-time employment, not all of these jobs are in the field for which they prepared.

Some highlights:

• The level of full-time employment for journalism and mass communication bachelor's degree recipients remained low in 2003. The actual figure was at a level that has not been seen since the early depression of the 1990s. Only half the degree recipients found work within the broad field of communication by May 2004.

• This level of unemployment was higher than the level of unemployment in the U. S. labor force in general and for those 20-24 years old

Since 1997, this annual survey has been conducted at the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia.

For further details, visit www.grady.uga.edu/annualsurveys/

Still Failing the 'Fair and Balanced' Test"
Fox's 'Special Report' Skews Male, White

Though Fox News Channel wraps itself in slogans of journalistic evenhandedness, the latest study by Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) of Fox's "Special Report with Brit Hume" finds the networks flagship news show still listing sharply right.

In one-on-one interviews, conservatives accounted for 72% of ideological guests, and Republicans outnumbered Democrats 5 to 1.

And according to the study, "Special Report" rarely features women or non-white guests in these prominent newsmaker interview spots: 83% of guests were white males.

The complete report can be accessed online at www.fair.org/extra/0407/special-report.html

Asia Media Summit Strong on Ideas,
Weak on Female Representation

Award-winning journalist Ammu Joseph filed this report on the premiere conference of Asian media professionals for Network of Women in Media, India (www.nwmindia.org).

"Women in Media: What is Right and What is Wrong?" That was the title of one of the 15 sessions at the first ever Asia Media Summit, held in Kuala Lumpur in April 2004. Here is one thing that was conspicuously wrong: of the close to 90 persons (speakers and chairpersons) who occupied the dais during the three-day event, only a dozen were women, and half of them were confined to the session on women in media! In other words, without this session, female representation on AMS 04 panels would drop to just over five per cent, though their representation among the audience was considerably higher.

Commentary: Reporting on U. S. First Ladies, Candidates' Wives Overreliant on Dated Stereotypes

Reporters introducing readers, viewers and listeners to the women married to presidential and vice presidential candidates generally conduct respectful interviews that acknowledge their subjects' interests and achievements. But some recent reportage has echoes of the 1950s rather than the realities of 2004, with some journalists advancing outdated notions about the role of first ladies.

Research in Depth:

Framing the Internet in Gendered Spaces: An Analysis of iVillage and AskMen

Analysis of Television Media Commentary of the 2000 Olympic Games

Plus News Briefs, People and Book Reviews

Media Report to Women has hard copies of back issues dating to its founding in 1972. Indispensable for research!