Robertson used the balcony, the only place from which women could view the activities of the prestigious National Press Club, for the title of her book Girls in the Balcony, which traces the struggle for gender equality at the times.
In 1988, Robertson said, the salary gap between men and women at the Times was $13,000 for news jobs and $25,000 for business jobs.
"[The balcony] is a symbol of our not being part of the mainstream of our trade," she said.
Panelist David Nyhan '62, a political columnist and associate editor of The Boston Globe, said that in the past four years the Globe has increased its positions and promotions for women.
Of 1000 "white collar" employees of the Globe, 42 percent are women, and 44 percent of recent promotions have been given to women, Nyhan said.
"A great deal more progress has been made on the behalf of women than has been made for minorities," he said.
The forum, was moderated by Ellen Hume, executive director of the Barone Canter on the Press, Politics and Public Policy.