Daily Times

Disclosures that made high profile dignitaries in politics and media uncomfortable, occupied a tangible space in the news in 2017. The media (that is seen by the sufferers as their voice against sexual harassment of women is largely, with exceptions aside) itself is a captive to hegemonic masculinity. This is evident by the under-representation of women in senior cadres, noticeable gender stereotyping, binary discussion of gender, leaning towards noxious reporting of sexual violence, allegiance to patriarchal narratives, homophobia, sexism, racism and ageism.

Celebrating diversity, encouraging flexible hours for women journalists, gender balance in the newsrooms and editorial coverage, though articulated through icons in well-framed projects is yet to become an official reality for a vast majority of media women.

The role of media in plummeting gender discrimination was recognised the UN’s Fourth Women World Conference, in Beijing in 1995. Then 189 states, adopted women and media as one of the 12 critical areas for women empowerment so that the number and clout of women in media could be enhanced.

The push of technology and pull of UN-induced respect for human rights, urge media to detach itself from patriarchal consensus for a while. For instance, the idiot-box, since its inception in the early 1930s and industrial accessibility in the late 1930s, has reasonably matured. Betty Friedan credited for starting the contemporary feminist movement and writing The Feminine Mystique the book that is one of the cornerstones of American feminism asserted in 1964 that “television has represented the American Woman as a “stupid, unattractive, insecure little household drudge who spends her martyred mindless, boring days dreaming of love — and plotting nasty revenge against her husband.”

Regrettably, it does the same through various insensitive morning shows and soaps on private channels in Pakistan, even today. Media industry makes money by marketing women on TV and film mostly as visually appealing items and occasionally as brainy protagonists (though the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive). Women too, in the ruthless race of corporate climbing, seldom, rebuff their manipulation. The 21st century is aimed to revolutionise women but the mass media today, at large, is male and elite.

Research divulges stirring and ironical particulars about women in media. Harriet Harman from the labour party in 2013, stated that a Brit woman’s days are ‘numbered’ on TV once she reached the age of 50. The Celluloid Ceiling report 2016 by the Centre for the Study of Women in Television and Film revealed that women only accounted for roughly 17 per cent of the industry in the US for behind the scene roles. The International Women’s Media Foundation DC conducted a 59-nation study in 2010, to determine the women’s status in news media through the indicators of ownership, publishing, governance, reporting, editing, photojournalism, broadcast production and other media. It determined representation,  women in the workforce of full-time journalism,  is only a third (33.3 per cent) of the 522 companies surveyed and women have increased their ranks in the top management jobs, compared to a Margaret Gallagher’s study in 1995 that showed women occupying on average of only 12 per cent of the top management positions in 239 nations.

The glass ceilings barriers were found mostly in middle and senior management levels. Only a little more than half of the companies, evaluated, had a clearly-placed policy on gender equity. The sample from Pakistan, in the said study, incorporated five TV stations, four newspapers and one radio station. Approximately a fifth ie 22 percent has a specific policy on gender equity, only 44 percent have a policy on maternity leave and some 22 percent provide some form of child-care assistance.

Research divulges stirring and ironical particulars about women in media. In 2013, Harriet Harman from the Labour party stated that a British woman’s days are ‘numbered’ on TV once she reaches the age of 50

None has a policy on paternity leave, sexual harassment and to return women to their same jobs after maternity leave. The good news is that most of the women are able to secure full-time jobs with benefits and salaries that are fairly comparable in the average low ranges (though less so in the average high range where men’s salaries are higher). Women who are in governing boards are usually related to the owners; a trend found in both Pakistani and Indian media companies.

The Global Media Monitoring Project, in its cohort study, on changing the portrayal of women in the media, noticed, in 2015, that in Pakistan, the number of women reporters and presenters may have improved but substantial stories of the ‘real Pakistani women remain invisible’ and the tradition of news stories with women being ‘sensationalised, trivialised and sexual objectification” lasts.

Data on the state of gender in Pakistani media is straight away needed in order to devise policies that can address the problems of patriarchy within the media in Pakistan that has low literacy and high digital literacy. Underprivileged population especially youth is hugely influenced by media. Gender disparities cannot by bridged only by social media warriors.  Thus, sensible and sensitised professionals are critically needed in media to understand this responsibility.

Eroticisation of women and glorification of affluence are impairing the emotional health and ethical values of its consumers. The institutionalisation of patriarchy and its myriad expressions must be adequately challenged. The paucity of authentic portrayal of women needs to be compensated with genuine women heroes. Women issues must be lead by evolved women who can thrive without godfathers. The achievement of gender parity does need male champions and this must happen without the suppression of independent voices.

The writer is a gender expert, author and activist. She tweets @survivorwins

Published in Daily Times, December 18^th 2017.