When sports editors commit to hiring women, they find women who can move up within organizations and become leaders, write Pamela C. Laucella, of Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, Marie Hardin, of Penn State University, University Park, Steve Bien-Aimé, of Penn State University, University Park, and Dunja Antunovic, of Bradley University.

The authors surveyed sports editors about gender-related issues in hiring and coverage. The sample of the study was the top 200 U.S. daily mainstream newspapers. 128 editors participated in the survey.

The writers argue that the attitudes, values, and beliefs of sports editors have shifted over the past decade in ways that could lead to more opportunities for women as journalists and lead to improvements in coverage of women’s sports.

The article is published online before print by Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly and it can be found here.

Picture: BXP135658 by tableatny, licence: CC BY 2.0