With the media in terms of the print and electronic being an integral part of the society today, it becomes imperative to take stock of the nature of its coverage in the context of various issues. One layer of the media scrutiny and area of discussion is on whether journalists who happen to be women bring a different perspective while reporting or writing on issues that are related to various forms of violence against women, issues like maternal health, parenting and child rights. While it is true that a journalist’s main duty is to report first and then follow up with additional reports, analysis and opinion pieces regardless of the beat and the issue that is being covered, it goes without saying that the social and cultural norms often come in the way of male journalists being able to get women to talk with them and share their experiences. This is more pronounced when the subject of a story happens to be women who have been subject to sexual violence and even holds true for those who may want to address areas of sexual reproductive health. There are various aspects to media representation of reportage on violence against women since media mindsets are also patriarchal in nature.
The other end of the spectrum in media coverage are the language papers that often falls out of the loop of being scanned by media watch groups and hence escape censure or being engaged upon for their style of coverage. One more increasing truism is the nature of what is an issue of ‘national importance’ given that what happens in Delhi often ends up being discussed, dissected and acted upon. While the nature of laws for protection of women was always an area of importance, it took the brutal case of the Delhi gang rape incident to bring things to a head. No other incidences of other brutal rapes have got the attention or engagement inside and outside of media circles earlier. This attitude may be what is keeping the matter of security excesses that led to violence on women in heavily militarized states including the North eastern states, Kashmir, Chhattisgarh and others being taken up with the seriousness it deserves. And yet, the spurt of ‘sensitive’ media coverage of sexual violence against women taking place in various parts of the country in the national media spaces in any case has not featured much commentary on the ways and means by which women in trouble torn areas of the country continue to be violated sexually and left without any recourse to justice.
As much as it is imperative that media reports with fairness and in keeping with what is ‘current’, it is critical that there are continuous efforts to study media reportage to be able to take stock of what is going right and what isn’t. While many point out an ‘increasing media sensitive reporting’ by taking the case of the growing spotlight on crimes against women, there are others pointing out rightly so, that current media interpretation is primarily on the brutality that women face and that there is no attempt to look at ways and means of creating media spaces for what leads to such incidences and what can be done about them. This much needed discussion in the media will take place only when there is a sensitive and aware community of journalists irrespective of what gender they belong to. At one point of time, the media was charged as guilty of being sensationalist, insensitive and prejudiced in its coverage of HIV/AIDS related issues. Over time, the engagement of various public health related agencies like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundations, UNAIDS and others on one hand, NGOs working in the sector and affected communities with the media has led to more nuanced, sensitive and informed writings. The processes involved then would have to be replicated to engage the media with gender sensitivity and then spread that awareness to the public. As much as it is imperative that media reports with fairness and in keeping with what is ‘current’, it is critical that there are continuous efforts to study media reportage to be able to take stock of what is going right and what isn’t. And in a constantly changing world, it is important that the media also grows out of its traditional role of being a mere reporting and informing medium but grows into a space for spreading sensitivity and engaging in looking at solutions. And what better issue to start with, than gender sensitivity and breaking its stereotypes.
Home Editorial