Thematic Representation of Women in the News Content of Kazakhstani Online Media

Abstract

The representation of women in the mass media is a key topic in contemporary research in the fields of media, journalism, and gender studies. Mass media shape public perceptions of women’s social roles, professional activities, and social status. The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of the thematic representation of women in the news content of leading online media outlets in Kazakhstan. The empirical basis of the study consists of news articles published on the Kazinform, Zakon.kz, and Tengrinews news portals between June 29 and July 5, 2026. The sample included 63 news articles in which women were the main subjects of the news text. The methodological basis of the study relies on quantitative and qualitative content analysis, which involves the thematic coding of materials, the quantitative calculation of thematic categories, and the subsequent interpretation of the obtained data. The results of the study show that the dominant theme is sports, with more than 45% of all analyzed news articles related to sports. News related to politics and public administration ranked second, while articles on education, health, the economy, social and legal issues, accidents, and search-and-rescue operations appeared much less frequently. It was found that women were predominantly represented as professional athletes, civil servants, experts, managers, and specialists. Even in reports on extraordinary events, the primary focus was not on the reproduction of traditional gender stereotypes but rather on the specific event itself. The findings indicate that a professionally oriented media representation model reflecting women’s active participation in the social, political, athletic, and professional life of modern Kazakhstan predominates in the online media examined.