American journalist and writer Gloria Steinem was awarded the 2021 Princess of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities in Oviedo on Wednesday. Steinem founded several women’s organizations including National Women’s Political Caucus, Ms. Foundation for Women, Women’s Action Alliance, Women and AIDS Fund and Women’s Media Center.

These numbers are even more discouraging for women of color, who represent less than 8 percent of U.S. print newsroom staff, 12.6 percent of local TV news staff and roughly 6 percent of local radio staff; only 2.62 percent of all journalists are Black women, according to the Women’s Media Center.

The Women's Media Center report shows how many women vs. men are among this year's nominees.

Of the 205 nominations in acting and non-acting categories, only 32% were given to women, a slight increase from last year's 30%.

WMC co-founder Jane Fonda said:

“We celebrate both women nominees for Best Director — what a phenomenal achievement for Emerald Fennell and Chloé Zhao. How wonderful it is to finally see that glass ceiling burst with Chloé Zhao’s history-making nomination as the first Chinese woman and the first woman of color to be nominated for best director. Yet, it’s also a glaring reminder that there’s still a long road ahead on the journey to equality and inclusion in Hollywood and the Oscars.”

These will be critical in an industry where women comprise 42 percent of newsrooms and are paid less than men, according to the Women’s Media Center.

Women’s Media Center Board Chair Janet Dewart Bell, had this to say about the recognition: “Julie Burton’s vision and tenacity to diversify the media landscape are extraordinary and transformative,” she said. “Under her leadership, the Women’s Media Center strives to foster a more inclusive, representative media — one that truly reflects the wonderful stories and voices of a multicultural society.”

According to the Women’s Media Center, in 2019, only 37% of prime-time news broadcasts featured women anchors or correspondents. But times are changing.

The Women’s Media Center announced today a special Women’s History Month event, The Legacy of Jovita Idar, celebrating the launch of WMC IDAR/E, the Women’s Media Center’s English/Spanish channel that spotlights the voices and impact of diverse Latinas on a range of current and emerging issues

The media industry hasn’t always been the most welcoming to Black women. According to Women’s Media Center, women of color make up less than 8% of print newsrooms, 12% of local television stations, and 6% of local radio staff in the U.S.

Journalism is just one of the industries that stubbornly holds on to its lack of diversity and representation. Women of color represent less than 8 percent of U.S. print newsroom staff, 12.6 percent of local TV news staff and roughly 6 percent of local radio staff; of all journalists—leaders and all others—2.62 percent are Black women, according to the Women’s Media Center.

“Global warming makes future pandemics inevitable,” Fonda writes. “Such outbreaks are immediate crises, often causing people to change their habits overnight. The climate crisis is less obvious, allowing the more privileged to believe it is something that will one day — maybe — impact them.”

“Climate change affects us all. However, the lack of diversity in the policy arena and in media can obscure the disproportionate impact on women, indigenous people, and people of color. All must be at the table to address this existential threat to quality of life and the future of all humankind,” said WMC board chair Janet Dewart Bell. “Through the WMC Climate channel, we are positioning the people global warming affects the most front and center for readers.”

Last year, the Women’s Media Center graded sports desks at 75 of the nation’s newspapers and online sites with a “B+” for racial diversity, but a “D+” for gender and racial diversity combined.