Striving for gender equality in the media

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Despite progress towards gender equality, women's voices remain underrepresented in the mainstream media, where male domination has been the norm for decades. But the tide is turning, and in this episode, we explore why fair gender representation in the media is vital for a more equitable society. We'll look at inspiring examples of how countries are addressing the imbalance and discuss how diverse newsrooms can enhance reporting and coverage of social issues. Join us as we examine the challenges, opportunities, and potential impact of achieving true gender parity in the media.

This episode comes from a Nordic Talks event at the University of Creativity in Tokyo, hosted by the Nordic Innovation House and the Nordic embassies in Japan.

“I have realized just how important the media is because it does not just reflect society, it also shapes it.”

Thora Arnorsdottir, Managing Editor of the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service – RÚV.

This podcast episode features the following speakers

Thora Arnorsdottir (Iceland)

Thora Arnorsdottir was until recently a managing editor in TV News and Current Affairs at the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service - RÚV. She is a renowned national media personality and documentary film producer and ran as a candidate in the 2012 Icelandic presidential elections. Thora has more than 20 years of experience in journalism and communication. She is the editor of Kveikur, RÚV's award-winning investigative journalism TV program. She is also the founder and owner of Hugveitan, a documentary film production company.

Keiko Yamamoto (Japan)

Keiko Yamamoto is a senior commentator and Senior Manager of the News Division of Nagoya Station at Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK). She has covered social issues with a focus on gender equality and the empowerment of women, such as the #MeToo movement, children’s rights, and education. She is in charge of gender equality as a senior commentator. In 2001, she founded a network for female journalists to change the social norm and promote new social values in Japan. Today the association has about 1,000 members from various professional fields.

Anu Ubaud (Finland)

Anu Ubaud is the Chief Operating Officer and founder of United Imaginations, a brand and communications agency focusing on sustainability issues and companies' social impact. Anu has 15 years of experience in the Finnish media industry, including as Editor-in-Chief of Helsingin Sanomat – a major national newspaper. During her time in the leadership team of Helsingin Sanomat, the media company achieved internationally recognized success in digitalization and launched a 50-50 project to increase the percentage of women in news content.