Newsrooms and journalists across the country signed on to our #DiversifyYourSources campaign and pledged to track the gender ratio of their sources.

Why? They recognize the importance of holding themselves accountable to better represent a diversity of perspectives in Canadian media.

Diverse sources are a hallmark of quality journalism. More and more journalists around the world are publicly committing to reflect the audiences they serve. As some industry leaders have demonstrated, “what gets measured gets done.”

Outlets including TVO, the BBC, Bloomberg and others have been actively tracking source diversity for years, enriching their stories and increasing audience engaging in the process.  

Resources you can use

Some newsrooms already have a tracking system in place. To support others in their efforts to adopt this approach, Informed Opinions has created a downloadable #DiversifyYourSources poster and a tracking spreadsheet. 

Are you looking for expert sources who identify as women and gender diverse individuals, and are ready to say “yes” to interview requests, or refer you to others who can offer context and analysis? Then search our comprehensive English-language and French-language databases, which make it easy for journalists to find diverse sources with informed opinions who’ve committed to responding to media inquiries. Bookmark these links to help you better reflect the insights of all Canadians.

Why you should care

• Sources who are quoted and featured by media have greater influence than those whose voices are not amplified
• Research makes clear that including women’s perspectives better represents the realities of all Canadians’ lived experiences, improves decision-making, and increases the effectiveness and accountability of public policy
• Informed Opinions’ and FemmesExpertes’ online databases make it easy for journalists to find expert women and gender-diverse people willing and able to speak to media
• Qualified women and gender-diverse people exist in virtually every field
• News media help define issues, influence opinions and shape public policy
• What gets measured gets managed, so tracking expert contributions from women and gender-diverse people will encourage journalists to continue reflecting the full diversity of perspectives among the Canadians they serve
• Leading journalists and news organizations that already actively track the gender ratio and diversity of their sources have experienced stronger audience engagement as a result
• Responsible journalism is fundamental to sustaining democracy, holding the powerful to account and ensuring all Canadians can make informed decisions

Don’t take it from us

• • “Let’s change everyone’s reflexes. Women and men are both smart, so let’s hear from the women, as well as the men — finally — at this point in history.”
    – Heather Mallick, Columnist for The Toronto Star

• • “I use your database for practically every story I write, in addition to using it for op-ed solicitations for our policy briefings, which I’m in charge of….Your database is an incredible resource. Thank you for putting all the work in to create it and keep it running.”
    – Aidan Chamandy, Federal Policy Reporter for The Hill Times

• • “Informed Opinions is a great resources if you are looking for a female expert to help with your story….Thank you again for amplifying the voices of women who are experts in their field and for being a valuable resources for journalists.”
    – Solarina Ho, freelancer and former Canadian Correspondent for Reuters

• • “I’ve used this resource a lot in the last year. Very useful to help get more female expert voices into conversations about policy and politics.”
    – Teresa Wright, Parliamentary Reporter for The Canadian Press

• • “To affirm our commitment to equity.”
    – Linda Solomon, Editor-in-Chief of The National Observer

• • “Diversifying your sources takes more time. There’s no denying it. It’s not easy building relationships with vulnerable groups who have been historically left out of media. But hard work pays off, resulting in richer journalism and broader audiences.”
    – Duncan McCue, Host of CBC Radio One’s Cross Country Checkup

Our track record

Within just one year, Informed Opinions helped increased the number of woman-identifying sources in Canada’s most influential national news media by 6 per cent.

Since 2010, Informed Opinions has helped amplify the voices of more than 3,500 women and gender-diverse individuals across Canada, supporting them in sharing their insights and analysis to the broader public. That year, former longtime president Shari Graydon founded Informed Opinions as a project of Media Action, with the aim of bridging the gender gap in Canadian public discourse by 2025.

• Say “yes” or “here’s what I could talk about” when approached for interviews
• Translate their professional analysis and personal experiences into concrete examples and accessible explanations
• Write commentary that adds value to public understanding of complex issues
• Agree to be listed in our online databases of English and French sources
• Make themselves available via media alerts to our journalist subscribers on current and emerging stories