Gender Bias in Story Placement

September 13th. 2006
Sent to but not published in the Boston Globe

Today's Globe has two important stories relegated to the light-weight Living Arts Section. I wonder whether this is because they are both headlined by women?

On your front page of Section C is a story about the upcoming international conference on youth employment to be held in Kenya. This was organized by Poonam Ahulwalia. An issue this important surely deserves placement in the Front section or the Business Section.

On the back page of Section C is a story about the opening of a school in Boston for children who are recovering from alcohol or drug addiction. This story headlined Lietenant Governor Kerry Healey.
Surely the problems of youth
addiction and their potential solutions deserve placement in the Front Section of the newspaper.

You have done a disservice to each of these important initiatives by including them witht the section that deals with gossip about film stars, pop music and movie reviews.