How do women cope with the rival demands of their careers and children – and how do newspaper bosses treat them?

A new research project by Women In Journalism aims to find the answer.

Journalist Anne Perkins is launching the project and will be asking HoldTheFrontPage readers for help.

She believes there could be a link between the lack of women – and mothers in particular – in the upper reaches of journalism and the way they are represented in the media.

She said research had shown that pictures of women to illustrate the news were rare.

“But when they were used they were always buxom blondes or it was when the picture itself was the story, for example when Camilla was biting into a cream cake.

“On the basis of that, I thought it would be interesting to know how many mothers with children manage to stay on in journalism, and in particular news journalism.

“What we would like to find out is what practical help is offered.

“I know of one mother, on a contract, who said she did not want to work for the six weeks after her baby was born and the paper said they weren’t going to pay her for that. They didn’t have to, as she was paid for her articles, but although some places have a good reputation nominally, there’s peer pressure for not having time off, and lying when you have to take a child to the doctors and so on.”

Anne, a writer/broadcaster who works for The Guardian and the BBC, is hoping to start collating information soon and we will be publishing her contact details in the near future.

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