Italian media underrepresents women in news coverage

A review of Italian newspapers shows that women remain largely invisible in the press. In the summer of 2018, writer Michela Murgia launched the #tuttimaschi campaign, counting every front‑page article in La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera. The audit revealed that three out of four articles focused on men, highlighting a gender‑biased editorial line.

Since then, the journalists’ association GiULiA (Giornaliste Unite Libere Autonome) has continued a monthly press review called Sui Generis, analysing fifteen national dailies. Their 2020 monitoring found that women account for roughly a quarter of the people mentioned in news stories and appear in far fewer expert by‑lines, often framed as victims, mothers or “wives of” rather than decision‑makers. The data underline persistent stereotypes and a structural imbalance in Italian media representation.

The findings call for a broader reassessment of how newsrooms select sources and present stories, arguing that a balanced gender perspective is essential for a complete public discourse.