Explaining the Gender Gap in News Access Across Thirty Countries: Resources, Gender-Bias Signals, and Societal Development

Abstract

The gender gap in news access affects the opportunities available for a particular gender to advocate politically, as news consumption contributes to citizens’ understanding of politics and their political participation. Given the significance of the issue, this study uses multilevel modelling and investigates how resources (Internet, education, household income), gender-bias signals (female political representation and economic participation), and societal development (press freedom, political freedom, and economic development) influence the size of the gender news gap. The analysis of multinational cross-sectional survey data ( N = 61,677) shows that greater Internet access predicts a larger gender news gap, while female representation in politics interacts with political freedom and press freedom to influence the size of the gap. This study does not only advance the understanding about the individual and societal factors influencing the gender news gap, but also provides insights into solutions to alleviate the gap.