If you're a woman, chances are journalists are going to ask you more about children and family violence than ASX and tax reform, a new study has revealed.
Women made up just 21 per cent of quoted sources in Australia's major newspapers, analysis by the Women's Leadership Institute Australia found.
The Women for Media Report 2016 scrutinised more than 6000 articles across six News Corp and Fairfax Media mastheads over three weeks in February.
The largest differences were in business, finance, politics and sport stories, where men were quoted 78 per cent to 87 per cent of the time.
The report notes women were more likely to be quoted in "stereotypical 'female' issues" like parenting, childcare, parental leave, gender discrimination and family violence.
Female journalists were also more likely to quote women sources compared to their male colleagues.
The report was launched in the Victorian parliament by Small Business Minister Philip Dalidakis, who used the event to pledge to get more female leaders on the state's public industry panels and conferences.
The Institute's founding chair, Carol Schwartz, said newspapers and media needed to reflect the diversity of Australian society.
Representatives from Fairfax and News Corp told AAP their reporters actively seek diverse comments and are aware of the importance of gender balance.
PROPORTION OF WOMEN QUOTED BY MASTHEAD:
- The Australian Financial Review 15%
- The Australian 16%
- The Sydney Morning Herald 23%
- The Age had 24%
- The Herald Sun 28%
- The Daily Telegraph 30%.
(Source: Women for Media Report 2016)
