WOMEN AND MEDIA; The development Perspective

WOMEN AND MEDIA;The development Perspective By Maria Mustafa

Lecture Objectives • The session will give you an insight about • the role of media in biased projection of images and issues related to women, • The statistical under representation of women in media, • The challenges faced by women who are working in media, • the contribution that media is making in the development of society at large.

What is Media? • Media (the plural of "medium") is a truncation of the term media of communication, referring to those organized means of dissemination of fact, opinion, entertainment, and other information, such as newspapers, magazines,banners and billboards,cinema films, radio, television, the world wide web, billboards, books, cds, dvds, videocassettes, computer games and other forms of publishing (wikipedia ,2006). • Media images are powerful tools of socialization, shaping and reinforcing both positive and negative attitudes (Rider, 2000).

Media Mirrors Reality • Media is a cultural force, which not only reflects the social reality, but also modifies it according to the demands of the age.

KINDS OF MEDIA • ELECTRONIC MEDIA • PRINT MEDIA

ROLE OF MASS MEDIA • TO EDUCATE • ENTERTAIN • INFORM

PERVEZ (1984)THREE SOCIETAL ROLES OF MEDIA : • The WATCHMAN, to provide information about the happenings and the events • The CONTRIBUTOR, to the decision making process, to provide the material necessary for a dialogue on certain issues • The MODIFIER of attitude, during the process of decision making the media modifies attitudes, preferences and actions in the desired direction.

THEMES OF MEDIA REPRESENTATION OF GENDER • Women are underrepresented, which falsely implies that men are the cultural standard and women are unimportant or invisible. • Men and women are portrayed in stereotypical ways that reflected in stereotypical ways that reflect and sustain socially endorsed views of gender. • Depiction of relationships between men and women emphasize traditional roles and normalize violence against women.

THE ISSUE OF GENDER AND THE MEDIA • Representation or portrayal of women in the media • The participation of women in the media . • The role and status of women in any given society can be studied through the images of woman which the media projects

PORTRAYAL • Stereotypical representation ; • Carers • victims • sex objects

PARTICIPATION • Under-represenatation • Ghettoization • Gender division of labour ; soft and hard issues • Barriers to decision making positions; women’s reproductive roles, sexual harassment , glass ceiling .

Media & Developoment • Impact of Audio-visual media Low literacy rate • Positive role models • Governmental campaigns for health & hygiene, family planning and education . • NGOs Awareness raising initiatives on gender and social issues. • Community based radio (CBR) e.g. UKS Radio programmes in urdu “Meri awaz suno”. • Geo Hudood laws debate/Geo hina kay saath /Meher Bokhari show/Rozan children programmes

STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES OUTLINED BY BEIJING FOURTH CONFERENCE: • To increase the participation and access of women to expression and decision making in and through the media and new technologies of communication • Promote a balanced and non-stereotypical portrayal of women in media.

STEPS FOR CHANGE : • Media related code of ethics • Adoption of sexual harassment policies • Awareness raising –Gender sensitivity • Capacity building media practitioners • Allocation of more time an space away from Ghettoization • Promoting women’s contributory role in society; workers, thinkers, leaders. • Development of community media

WOMEN AND MEDIA; The development Perspective