Jill Abramson's Reported Pay Gap Is Part of a Larger Pattern

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Former Executive Editor of The New York Times Jill Abramson attends the WIRED Business Conference: Think Bigger at the Museum of Jewish Heritage on May 7, 2013 in New York City.

Image: Brad Barket/Getty Images

By Jason Abbruzzese2014-05-16 15:59:25 UTC

The firing of Jill Abramason and the ensuing discussion of pay discrepancies and institutional sexism at the New York Times has reignited debate about larger issues surrounding women in media.

Abramson had been lauded for her efforts as the first female executive editor of the Times; her appointment in 2011 was a sign that women had gained a greater role in broader media.

See also: 6 Digital Challenges for The New York Times' New Editor

Data compiled by the Pew Research Center indicates otherwise, though. Women's share of the newsroom remains almost unchanged in the past 15 years, as has the percentage of women in supervisor positions, according to the Pew data.

As executive editor, Abramson was reportedly paid less than her predecessor Bill Keller; she was also reportedly paid less in other previous roles at the Times.

Image: Pew Research Center

On Wednesday, Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. announced to a stunned newsroom that Abramson would be replaced by managing editor Dean Baquet.

A Sulzberger spokesperson said the move was spurred by a desire to change the management of the newsroom. Subsequent reporting by Ken Auletta of The New Yorker pointed to the salary discrepancy as an important element of an already strained relationship among Abramson, Sulzberger and president and CEO Mark Thompson.

The accusation of pay discrepancy — a charge that the Times has denied — echoes the larger issue of a compensation gap between men and women in the media. An Indiana University survey from 2012, referenced by Pew, showed that the median income for female newspaper employees was about $5,000 less than that of their male counterparts.

This problem is not unique to the media world. In April, Democrats in Congress attempted to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, a bill that advocates claimed would help alleviate pay differences. Senate Republicans blocked the bill.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid referenced Abramson on the Senate floor on Thursday, citing the reported pay discrepancy as an example of why legislation is needed to address the issue.

"Look what happened, it appears, in the New York Times," Reid said. "It's now in the press that because [Abramson] complained she was doing the same work as men in two different jobs and made a lot less money than they did. That's why we need this legislation."

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Topics: Business, jill abramson, Media, The New York Times