1 Media-driven Men and Media-critical Women? A study of Gender and MPs’ Relationships with the Media Professor Toril Aalberg Department of Sociology and Political Science Norwegian University of Science and Technology

2 Research question How do male and female MPs relate to and perceive their relationships with journalists and the media? Are there still gender differences in a country who top word rankings when it comes to gender equality?

3 Why is this important?  Modern politics is mediated politics (Bennett & Entman, 2001), where the media constitute the most important source of information about politics and society to the public and to voters.  Crucial for politicians to be visible in the media. Members of the UK parliament have expressed that their voters simply do not believe they work for the constituency’s interest unless they have an active and exposed media profile (Ross & Sreberny 2000, p. 9).

4 Data and methods Quantitative opinion survey to all Norwegian MPs during a regular period (not election campaign). NORWAY: Spring of 2007, web survey, response rate: 51% No major bias when it comes to respondents party or gender

5 How often do MPs have personal contact with a journalist? Percent MaleFemale Almost every day5033 A few times a week3227 A few times a month or less1941 Total101 N5427

6 Who usually initiates these personal contacts? Percent MaleFemale Most of the time MP or a staff member1519 About equally divided between the two5944 Most of the time the journalist2637 Total100 N5427

7 Do the MP consider any journalists to be friends? Percent MaleFemale No5659 Yes, one or two3037 Yes, three or more154 Total N5427

8 Did they ever ask a journalist for advice about their work as a politician? Percent MaleFemale Sometimes134 Seldom4830 Never3967 Total N5427

9 How (and how often) do MPs have personal contact with journalists? Means 1= never, 2=montly, 3=weekly, 4= a few times a week, 5= daily

10 Average share of parliamentary initiatives male and female MPs have oriented the press about or that had its origin in media coverage

11 MPs perception of politics media adjustment. Means (on scale from 1 (totally disagree) to 5 (totally agree)

12 MPs perception of media coverage of politics in general and of themselves. Percent

13 Conclusion  The gender equality achieved in Norwegian politics per se have not eliminated all gender differences when it comes to how male and female politicians relate to media  male MPs have adjusted more to the media than what seems to be the case for female MPs, i.e, there is a clear and rather consistent gender gap between how male and female MPs perceive their relationships with the media.