WMC Report: Gender and Race Representation on Five Big Sunday Shows January 1 - December 31, 2020 - Full Report

This “WMC Report: Gender and Race Representation on FiveBig Sunday Shows” tells a story about guests on influential, agenda-setting television programs. The study finds that women and people of color are practically invisible — two-thirds of the guest appearances are by men and nearly three-quarters are White. White men comprise the overall majority of all guest appearances on these programs.

The major Sunday news shows set the tone for news coverage on all media platforms. The stories covered and the experts and opinion leaders featured tell us who has power — who and what the shapers of media think we should care about. These programs have a platform that can impact policy, politics, and action.

After years of massive protests, organizing, and news on issues of racial and gender justice, the Women’s Media Center conducted this year long review of the inclusion of women and people of color as guests on five major Sunday news shows to understand whether the media was accurately representing the voices and perspectives of the diverse population in our country.

The shows researched include: ABC’s This Week, CBS’s Face the Nation, CNN’s State of theUnion, Fox News Sunday, and NBC’s Meet the Press.

We found that at this pivotal moment, just as movements for racial and gender justice are pushing powerfully and visibly for change, inclusion of women and people of color came up short on these influential marquee shows. Why is it that women, who are nearly 51% of the population, were only 32% of the guest appearances? Why is it that people of color, who are nearly 40% of the population, were only 27% of the guest appearances? How can we possibly understand the perspectives, concerns, experiences, and lives of women and people of color if there is no equality in representation on these shows?

“The major Sunday news shows set the tone for news coverage on all media platforms. The stories covered and the experts and opinion leaders featured tell us who has power — who and what the shapers of media think we should care about. These programs have a platform that can impact policy, politics, and action,” according to Julie Burton, president and CEO of the Women’s Media Center. "We found that at this pivotal moment, just as movements for racial and gender justice are pushing powerfully and visibly for change, inclusion of women and people of color came up short on these influential marquee shows.”

WMC Report: Gender and Race Representation on Five Big Sunday Shows January 1 - December 31, 2020 - Infographic

White Men Dominate Guest Appearances on Five Big Sunday TV News Shows in 2020 - Women Significantly Underrepresented at 32% of All Guest Appearances - Press Release