Gamma bias

Whilst male characters were portrayed as being privileged and an oppressor of women. This narrative is constantly being used by the media in the way they present news stories.

It is amplified when a woman has an achievement, for example becoming CEO of Qantas in comparison achievement's by men are minimised in the media if they get a mention.

Perhaps the most striking examples of how the media bias is played out is, is when there is a perpetrator who does harm to others. The harm done by a perpetrator is minimised when the perpetrator is female. However when the perpetrator is male the consequences of his behaviour are amplified.

Exacerbating the issue even further is the Empathy Gap. We live in a society that is much more sensitive to issues affecting women than it is in regards to the issues that men experience.

A recent Ted Talk by Anna Machin a doctor of evolutionary anthropology is another example of how the mainstream media do not cover topics that show the male gender in positive light.

Five years ago Dr Machin presented her talk about how we need to change the conversation about fathers. Yet, in all the news sources I read there has been not been a single mention of her presentation. She talks about the importance of fathers in the lives of children and the significant positive impact a father has on the lives of children.

However, when we read or hear about fathers in the news, it is generally extremely negative and it is the amplification of fathers who harm their children. The minimisation of stories when mothers harm their children is very prevalent in the media. Usually mentioned in only a byline or two.

Dr Machin talks about how the information about fathers is not based on research but is based on myths and story telling. This clearly is another demonstration of the Gamma bias so often repeated in the media.

Yet when alternative information is presented to the Press or Politicians they are deaf.