What Are Women Sources Seeking from Interactions with Journalists? Insights to Address the Gender News Gap

News coverage provides an influential platform for sharing and amplifying women’s perspectives and expertise, yet women remain significantly underrepresented as sources in the news. Despite increasing awareness of the gender imbalance in news, progress has been minimal. While quantitative research has documented the dominance of male voices, there is limited understanding of the factors that may encourage or deter women from engaging with the media. The study outlined here addresses this gap by analysing qualitative survey responses from 157 Australian women experts and spokespeople. Guided by the research question, “What are women sources seeking from their initial interactions with journalists?”, this research highlights the importance of journalists’ communication in addressing women’s reservations about media engagement. By centering women’s perspectives, this study offers practical recommendations to promote gender equity in news coverage and enhance the diversity of voices represented.