Coalition of women's groups call out 'sexist' coverage of 2020 race

[JaneQPublic]

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/443584-coalition-of-womens-groups-call-out-sexist-coverage-of-2020-race

A coalition of women’s rights and advocacy groups decried what they say is sexist coverage of the 2020 presidential race and called on media outlets to take steps to remedy the issues.

The groups, which include EMILY’s List, She the People, the National Organization for Women, Color of Change and the National Women's Health Network, write that the “historic number of highly qualified women candidates” running in the Democratic primary have received less media attention than their male counterparts, citing a FiveThirtyEight analysis, and that coverage of them has often focused on concerns about “electability,” using standards that have not been applied in coverage of male candidates.

The groups demanded the press ensure at least half of town hall and debate moderators are women and half of moderators are people of color, calling CNN’s recent New Hampshire town halls using only men as moderators “unacceptable.” The letter also calls on the media to ask male candidates about issues affecting women, including sexism, maternal health, reproductive rights and sexual assault.
...
Lastly, the letter calls on the press to cover women candidates “as seriously as you cover men,” citing a recent study indicating coverage of women candidates is often less concerned with policy and substantive issues than coverage of male candidates.

“We recognize the importance of the media in disseminating information to voters. The media has the power to form and shape voter opinion on candidates and to even sway an election,” the letter states. “This is why the media must desist in its sexist coverage of women candidates for president and ensure that the highly-qualified women in the race receive the same coverage as the male candidates in the race.”

MORE...
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/443584-coalition-of-womens-groups-call-out-sexist-coverage-of-2020-race

[napi21]

1. The MEDIA is what elected Trump! Think about all the free coverage he got.

If any of the repubs had gotten the kind and amt. of media coverage he received, he would have NEVER gotten the nomination! I remember, every time he opened his mouth, the media aired it. I realize he was sayings very outrageous things that enticed the media, but many of the other repub candidates refuted what he was saying, but their comments were rarely covered.

Are we going to let the media choose our candidate AGAIN?

[JaneQPublic]

2. Trump didn't even have to open his mouth

During the 2016 race, cable news channels would waste 20-30 minutes of air time with their camera trained on an empty podium, just waiting for Trump to start speaking. They didn't do that for Jeb or Christie, and they sure as hell didn't do it in anticipation of Hillary's speeches.

But, yeah, you're absolutely right: the media has a lot to answer for. That's why these women's groups point out sexism can't be the only ones calling the media out for their election reporting.