Why women still consume less news – and how to change that

A new multi-country study by Deutsche Welle examines why women continue to consume less news than men – and what media organizations can do to change that. The Women and Youth Studies (WAYS) report, shortlisted for an ESOMAR Outstanding Contribution to Consumer Insights - Global, finds that reaching more women will require rethinking everything from storytelling to platform strategy. 

Its findings offer a closer look at how women around the world engage with the news – and what drives or deters their participation. 

No one 'female audience' 

The report finds there is no single, uniform female audience. Women's news consumption habits vary significantly depending on cultural context, life stage, education, and digital access. A young professional in Mexico City may have similar media habits to her male peers, while a mother in rural Kenya may face practical barriers such as limited time, expensive data plans or poor internet connectivity.  

The key, the study argues, is to design strategies around inclusivity rather than gender alone. Reframing the question from "How do we reach more women?" to "How do we reach young audiences?" allows content to be better targeted and more relevant across groups.  

DW's Editor-in-Chief Manuela Kasper-Claridge said: "This research is a valuable waypoint in showing media organizations how to make sure women get access to the news they need. It's pleasing to see that many DW formats are moving in the right direction, but obviously there is more we can do. We see clearly that women are drawn to stories with a human core - stories that show how events and decisions affect individuals' lives." 

Representation drives engagement

Patterns in audience engagement suggest that representation matters. Female audiences are more likely to engage when women appear in central roles, whether as experts, protagonists, or decision-makers. Inspirational stories of women overcoming obstacles – from a Saudi rock band challenging tradition (DW Arabic) to a Paralympian advocating for change (DW News) – rank among DW's most-watched videos by women.

Balanced gender ratios in content also correlate with higher engagement. In DW's top-performing videos for female audiences, the average ratio of women to men was close to parity, at 1.5 to 1.7.  

Two audiences, many stories

Across Kenya, Ghana, India and Mexico, DW researchers identified two main types of female news consumers:  

Digital natives: Young, social media–savvy women who live on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. They prefer short, visual, personality-driven content — but also face high risks of misinformation and news fatigue.

Hybrid users: Women who split their time between traditional and digital media such as TV, radio, WhatsApp, LinkedIn, Facebook and news websites. They value in-depth reporting but face practical barriers such as data costs, unreliable internet, and limited time. 

What unites both groups is a demand for fact-checking, authenticity, and stories that reflect diverse life experiences.

Platform-specific content meets target group  

The study found stark platform differences in how users engage with social media, with patterns of use and interaction varying notably by gender. TikTok and Instagram show the strongest appeal among women. 

On TikTok, some DW channels reach around 40 percent female users – nearly triple their share on YouTube. Planet A, for example, sees just 13 percent women on YouTube but 45 percent on TikTok, reflecting the impact of platform-specific content design.  

Similarly, while women make up only 13 percent of DW Arabic's YouTube users, they account for 40 percent of its TikTok @dw_arabia followers. Additional audience analyses on TikTok reinforce this trend: since the launch of DW Ukraina in February of this year, the channel has attracted 58 percent female and 42 male users, while DW Bulgaria, active since March, shows a more balanced split of 51 percent female and 49 percent male audiences.

Instagram also shows potential, especially among younger women, though regional differences persist. African and Asian accounts tend to record lower female engagement, with exceptions for standout cases such as DW Indonesian and The 77 Percent.

There are no 'non-female' topics  

The study further indicates that women engage with a much wider range of news than often assumed – including topics traditionally regarded as male-dominated. Women engage with so-called "hard" news when stories are told in relatable and constructive ways. Research from Deutsche Welle shows that human-centered storytelling — focusing on people and solutions rather than problems alone — makes complex or heavy subjects more accessible. DW Ukrainian, for instance, combines conflict reporting with humanitarian perspectives, helping war coverage resonate more strongly with women. 

Women also consume a broad range of content, from health and lifestyle to science, law and environmental issues. The difference lies in presentation: emotional connection, clear language and tangible solutions boost engagement across topics.  

Hidden audiences and cultural barriers

In markets such as Iran and Afghanistan, a large share of DW's Instagram followers is listed under "unknown" gender – 46 percent for DW Persian and 40 percent for DW Dari. This may reflect women concealing their identity due to harassment or discrimination, meaning actual female reach could be higher than reported.

Globally, DW's core female audience tends to be urban, educated, and relatively well-connected. However, access barriers remain – from high mobile data costs in Kenya and Ghana to time pressures that limit news consumption. Removing these barriers through data-efficient and offline-ready formats remains essential to improving access and representation. 

Young audiences hold the key  

Findings indicate that younger audiences are central to reaching more women. Women make up a larger share of users under 35, especially on social media, suggesting that engagement strategies targeting this demographic can also increase female reach. 

Younger users show a clear preference for short-form, visually engaging, and mobile-first content, often discovered through a "news will find me" approach on social media. Short videos, memes and storytelling that use clear and contemporary language have proved effective in building engagement and trust among younger audiences, particularly women. 

Towards greater inclusion

The WAYS study underscores that reaching more women is not a matter of adding new content, but of rethinking how news is created, framed and delivered. Increasing female representation in leadership roles, adopting inclusive storytelling and removing technical barriers are central to this effort. Diversifying formats – from concise updates to in-depth reports – and tailoring approaches to each platform, such as using TikTok for explainers, YouTube for long-form analysis, and WhatsApp for direct updates, enables broadcasters to meet audiences where they are. 

At its core, the study highlights the value of reflection and responsiveness: continually assessing what resonates with users and adjusting to changing habits. As the report notes, lasting engagement comes not only from the topics chosen, but from the way they are approached and shared.  

For DW, and for public service media globally, the challenge is no longer just to inform, but to connect: to tell stories that feel relevant, inclusive and impossible to ignore.