Women in Media
"The Hand That Rules The Press, The Radio, The Screen And
The Far-Spread Magazine, Rules The Country"
During the
past decade, advances in information technology have facilitated a global
communications network that transcends national boundaries and has an impact
on public policy, private attitudes and behavior, especially of children and
young adults. Everywhere the potential exists for the media to make a far
greater contribution to the advancement of women. More women are involved in
careers in the communications sector, but few have attained positions at the
decision-making level or serve on governing boards and bodies that influence
media policy. The lack of gender sensitivity in the media is evidenced by
the failure to eliminate the gender-based stereotyping that can be found in
public and private local, national and international media organizations.
Women should
be empowered by enhancing their skills, knowledge and access to information
technology. This will strengthen their ability to combat negative portrayals
of women internationally and to challenge instances of abuse of the power of
an increasingly important industry. Since the 1960s, feminists have argued,
"it matters who makes it." When it comes to the mass media, "who makes it"
continues to be men.
Women working
in the media have made some inroads. In 2001, the International Federation
of Journalists reported that around the world, 38 per cent of all working
journalists are women. Studies conducted by Canadian researchers Gertrude
Robinson and Armande Saint-Jean have found that 28 per cent of newspaper
editors are female. Denis Monière, Political Analyst and Professor at
Quebec's University of Montreal maintains that even if the visibility of
female journalists has grown in the last ten years, we should not be too
quick to shout victory. In 2002, the Canadian Newspaper Association reported
that 43 per cent of Canadian newspaper employees are women. However, they
account for only eight per cent of editors-in-chief and twelve per cent of
publishers. Women employed in the sector make up 70 per cent of the
advertising department and 80 per cent of the accounting and finance staff.
Some of the
prominent women in media are: Therese Bonney - a photographer during World
War II, Magda Abu-Fadil - an Arab reporter, Sonia Dabbous - an Arab
assistant editor, Assia Djebar - an Arab Novelist, poet, and film director,
Salima Ghezali - an Arab journalist, Attiyat Al-Abnudi - an Arab film maker,
Faten Hamama - an Arab actress, Maha Garagash - an Arab film director, Mona
al Marri - an Arab journalist, Rakhshan Banietemad - an Iranian film maker,
and the list goes on.
Nowadays, one
of the most powerful tools that shape people's opinion is the media. Should
we then accept the media, which represents only men and their opinion?
Shouldn’t women also have an equal representation in the all media vehicles?
Journalists, photographers, news reporters and all women working in the
media industry should be prominent in voicing their opinions concerning
incorrect attitudes, traditions and ideas, which are responsible for many
problems women face. Women, playing an active role in media can help
eliminate the wrong image the others get about them. They can limit using
women as a tool to promote marketing for a certain commodity. Women should
not accept the media that degrades them by treating them as just a body that
promotes profit. Women should tell the world that they have something more
than a body; they have a mind that can sharply think, have emotions, thought
and vision.
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