Top management diversity: A survey of Lebanese journalists in top media teams

Abstract

The media community in Lebanon has currently recognized the importance of women journalists’ role; few papers, however, have sought to discuss why they are still underrepresented in governance positions. Despite making up a majority and being active in the media field, Lebanese women journalists are still excluded from top management positions. This paper studies the factors that hinder them from climbing the ladder to top levels. It examines the status of women journalists in leadership positions in the media field, studies the obstacles and the barriers, and explores the glass ceiling they face. It highlights the religious, the political beliefs, the social issues and the binary division between the soft and the hard news that affect women’s leadership positions in the media sector. It is a blend of qualitative and quantitative approaches, as we looked for consistency among knowledgeable informants, to ensure comprehensive explanations and in-depth understanding of the related issues. The findings of the paper investigate media journalists’ points-of-view in terms of gender diversity and gender discrimination. They shed the light on the main obstacles, women and men journalists interviewees felt about women lack of progress as well as their inability to assume a place in decision-making processes and policy-setting positions. However, this study is not without its limitations; therefore, it recommends further research in order to explicitly explore strategies that promote the active participation of women in decision making structures in media in Lebanon. It creates value not only for the media sector but benefits as well the Lebanese society at large.