Women remain significantly underrepresented in UK news media, with nearly twice as many men appearing in stories as women; a ratio that has barely changed in 30 years, according to a new national report.
The study, which analysed 570 news stories, more than 2,000 sources, and 708 reporters across the UK, found that women make up just 36% of all sources and subjects, an increase of only seven percent since 2020.
It also found that gender-based violence does not receive significant coverage in the news.
The report was co-led by Dr Barbara Mitra, Principal Lecturer in Media & Film Studies at the University of Worcester, (along with Dr Victoria Cann from the University of East Anglia) as part of the Global Media Monitoring Project, which tracks gender representation in news worldwide.
Dr Mitra said: “Gender equality is still treated as a peripheral issue, and women’s voices remain marginalised in hard news areas. Without deliberate interventions, these patterns risk becoming entrenched, perpetuating a media landscape that fails to reflect the diversity and complexity of society.”
The findings reveal that coverage of gender-based violence remains minimal, and women are still most often quoted in ordinary roles, such as eyewitnesses or providers of popular opinion, rather than as experts or authority figures. In sports news, women accounted for just 6% of coverage across print, radio and television.
The report urges media organisations to adopt gender-sensitive editorial policies and for digital platforms to promote serious stories featuring women beyond celebrity and entertainment.
It also calls for targeted regional strategies across the UK, alongside training and awareness programmes for journalists.
In addition, the report recommends the government develop policies to hold media organisations accountable on gender equality and that further research and education initiatives be prioritised to drive systemic change.
Dr Mitra said: “Progress is now happening, but it’s slow. For real change, we need systemic action from media organisations, policymakers and educators.”
To view a copy of the report, visit https://whomakesthenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/GMMP2025-NationalReport-UK.pdf.
