On Social Justice in Media: Eleanor Roosevelt's Influence for Women in Journalism

Personally, I find the progressive growth and integration of women journalists to be one of the most impressive feats achieved for womankind. As an Advertising and Public Relations major, I always heard about the world of journalism/advertising/public relations to be a “man’s world,” so to read about the changes women have brought to this sphere is something I am immensely proud of.

It wasn’t - and still isn’t - easy for women to be one-hundred percent accepted in individual states and/or countries - considering that “women generated only 37.7 percent of news at 20 of the nation’s top news outlets in 2016” (Media Ethics, 293). Some individuals - women included - see the world of journalism as something men should tackle. However, we wouldn’t be here today without the help of previous strong and fearless women in journalism throughout history.

"Eleanor Roosevelt with female reporters at her first White House press conference on March 6, 1933." - womenshistory.org

Women such as Eleanor Roosevelt, who held the “first White House press conference for women reporters, held on March 6, 1933, a mere two days after FDR’s inauguration as president.” Roosevelt’s actions revolutionized the women’s world of journalism - saving the jobs of hundreds of women journalists while ensuring their ability to gain first-access to intriguing news.

By understanding Roosevelt’s strategic decision to hold all-women journalist press conferences, she also developed the spread of byline diversity. This led to improvements in women’s access to news coverage. In fact, a woman’s thoughts, experiences, and feelings are not “monolithic,” meaning that more women in the newsroom may ensure more diversity, leading to various women’s perspectives. This, in turn, supports the ethical necessity for social justice in the newsroom - understanding how to inform the truth to a just society.

This concept is something that an advocate of Communitarianism, which values truth and social justice, would agree with. What’s more, one would argue that Roosevelt’s actions not only promoted diversity through truth and social justice but also acknowledged and emphasized the need to balance one woman journalist’s rights - with the interests of the entire community for the present and future of womankind.

As Roosevelt understood the potential power that a woman’s voice in the newsroom could have, she saw the necessity for a sense of social justice in the newsroom - but for all women, in order for them to become advocates for all politically homeless men and women. As media ethicist Clifford Christians suggests, “justice for the powerless stands at the centerpiece of a socially responsible press.” Clifford’s statement notes the AP Statement of Ethical Principles, explicitly highlighting the “Responsibility” code, which states that “The organization should serve as a constructive critic of all segments of society. It should reasonably reflect, in staffing and coverage, its diverse constituencies.”

Roosevelt’s actions pioneered how the world of journalism has approached diversity and should approach it in the future. She knew it was a responsibility of the public to include woman reporters in society - highlighting a woman’s social justice rights in a time when so few thought this way. She brought forth the AP’s codes - vouching to protect women’s right to report on the news - cultivating a society that would have diversity in the newsroom.

With great power comes great responsibility… And Eleanor Roosevelt used her influence to convey a sense of ethical responsibility to all of humankind.

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What do you make of Eleanor Roosevelt's all-woman press conference? Do you have another example of an influence in women's journalism? Let me know in the comments below!