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That is why it is so alarming that this trend is present in the most technologically advanced and conceptually innovative websites. As start-ups, they have the opportunity to build everything from scratch, without a history of discrimination, without the preferences leading to rejecting the applications of women and representatives of minorities for a specific position. The paradox is that media launch or actively cooperate in anti-discrimination campaigns.

Of course, media owners, editors and human resources departments deny the existence of a purposeful discrimination policy and justify the status quo with the inertia that exists in the industry and with the availability of more and better-qualified men who apply for advertised positions.

After all this we come across Re/Code website, where the ratio between men and women is quite good and the same is true for the representatives of minorities. Moreover, we consider the fact that the majority of the journalists who write on technical topics are white men. It is clear that there are ways to tackle discrimination, as long as desired.

What about the situation on our side of the ocean? It is not different, although it has its own specifics. A study on gender equality conducted by Eurobarometer in 2009 indicates that sexist stereotypes in professional life are imposed mainly by advertising and, note, media.

25% of Eurobarometer respondents believe that media propagate sexist stereotypes

On the other hand, the international journalism conference held in Athens in 2012, did not give a good evaluation of gender equality in the media and reported the same problems, namely that female journalists face discriminatory practices in career advancement and payment. I could not find exact figures, but various sources indicate that the percentage of female journalists outnumber male journalists in Bulgaria. However, the trend that men are still given priority when filling managerial positions is clear too.

Media are required to address these practices and be an example for the rest of society because there can be no objectivity on issues from which they themselves suffer. These processes will be no less painful than the digitization of media but definitely, they are more important from a human and social point of view. We will be following them and keep you informed about the course of their development.