Gender Discrimination in Media Essay

AbstractThis study examines womens confederacy and office in media. This study is based on the statistics of media units in Solapur city. Women constitute most 50% of population in both Indian city, exclusively the association of women in media is very low. Discussions of womens representation in the media tend to revolve around the focus on physical beauty to the near-exclusion of early(a) values. It is notice that media suffice ab reveal women issues is diagonal and gender discrimination is clearly indubitable .This study also suggests the ways to increase the women participation in media and the ways to rational representation of women in media.IntroductionWomen constitute nearly 50% of population in India. Our social system boasts that it has given mother goddess term to women since the ancient period. But in truth society builds psychological barriers around women. This male dominated society imposed so numerous bindings against women. hence part of women was confined only to the kitchen and kids for many years. Social movement started by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Mahatma Phule, Savitribai Phule, Maharshi Karve and other social activists opened doors for womens education. Women invite a bun in the oven benefited greatly as education provided information to them about their rights and their equal location in the society. In spite of these efforts and the 65 year long journey since Indias independence , our nation is lagging foundation in many basic things.World Economic Forum conducted a study to handbill gender gap. The Global Gender Gap Index examines the gap mingled with men and women in four fundamental categories economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment. According to this Gender Gap Report-2011, India is include among the 20 countries, where the gender gap is widest. It holds 113th position among 134 countries in the existence. This key out explains that India and Pakistan actualize above average on the political empowerment of women, particularly India, but they lag behind in the other three categories.In particular, the pertinacious health, education and economic participation gaps will be detrimental to Indias growth. India is the lowest ranked of the BRICK economies (http//www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GenderGap_Report_2011.pdf)After Indias independence Womens reference in society has undergone seismic changes, which has been reflected in either walk of life. Women stepped out of four w all tolds and succeeded in each and every field. Now women be functional as pilots, soldiers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, politicians and proving their mettle in all fields. But it is ground reality that basic structure of male dominated society and roles and presumptions about womens worlds remain the same. Still the life of majority of women in India remains unchanged. . The women who got benefited finished education and succeeded to grab a job have to destine to suit male supremacy. Gender discrimination is visible at every moment. Decision- do positions ar not entrance feeible for women. Many times working women have to face humiliation.Scenario in the field of mediaScenario in the field of media also does not differ from it. Media Still remains as mens world and this is global phenomena. According to the research conducted by International Womens Media Foundation( IWMF ) 73% of the top focusing jobs are occupied by men compared to 27% occupied by women,Among the rank of reports , men hold nearl y twain thirds of the jobs, compared to 36% held by women. These findings were collected by to a greater extent than 150 researchers who interviewed executives at much than 500 companies in 59 nations. (http//iwmf.org/pioneering-change/global-research-on-women-in-the-news-media/global-report-online-version.aspx) According to this report statistics of womens participation in Indian media is 13. 8 % ( e.g. Chief Executive police man ) at top management , 23.3 % ( e.g. News Directors) in senior management ,18.3% ( Chief Correspondent ) in middle management and 25.5 % ( Reportes, Sub- abbreviateors ) at immature professional level .This report reveals that womens participation in Indian media is very low and gender discrimination is the only reason behind this. Media sector in India is very strong and particularly India ranks second in circulation of newspaper copies in the world. The new figures show that the four largest markets for newspapers are chinaware with 107 million copies daily India, with 99 million copies daily Japan with 69 million copies daily and the United States, with nearly 51 million. 1 Marathi newspapers in Maharashtra are also enjoying better position. Two Marathi newspapers Lokmat and Sakal are placed among Indias top 10 largest circulated regional dailies in the IRS first quarterly report 2012 . Lokmat is at second position and Sakal is at tenth position in this list. (http//mruc.net /irs2012q1-topline-findings.pdf) Women participation in Indian media is negligible.Though a few women were constitute by the media many were not given big responsibilities. The media should be more responsible when it comes to reporting of womens issues. 2 This picture is same in Mahashtra state. Solapur city is 7 th populated city in Maharastra .Population of Solapur is more than 12 lacks. There are seven dailies having circulation of more than 25000 copies per day. But participation of women in newspapers pillar stave is negligible. It is observed that young women taking admissions to the media courses is change magnitude during last few years. But job opportunities are not slowly accessible for them. Situation in electronic media seems better than newspapers.Table no 1 Ratio of Womens Participation in Editorial staff of Daily Newspapers in SolapurThis statistics clearly reveals that womens participation in these newspapers as reporters, sub-editors, editors is slight than 3 %. Women diary keepers are confined generally to the table duties to edit womens page or to cover cultural events arranged for women. grievous beats such as political beat, crime beat does not allotted to the female journalists. They work on junior levels .In decision devising process womens participation almost neglected in all newspapers.Table no 2 Womens participation in electronic media in SolapurSr no Media Unit mannish Journalists Female Journalists total 1 AIR Solapur 05 (71..42%) 02 (18.58%) 062 Big 92.7 FM 03 (100.00%) 0(00.00%) 043 IN Solapur TV channel 08 (80.0%) 02 (20.0%) 104 Reporters of TV channels 09 (90.0%) 01 (10.0%) 10 essential 23 (83.34%) 05 (16.66%) 30Women participation in electronic media is 16.66% as compared to unmixed 1.97 % in newspapers.Solapur running(a) Journalist Union is organization of all journalist belonging to print and electronic media in Solapur .( Table no.3 ) Not a single female journalist included among total 125 members of Solapu r work Journalists UnionTable no 3 Members of Solapur Working Journalist UnionMale Journalists Female Journalists125 ( 100%) 00 ( 00 % )Male dominated media managements are not allowing access to the adult female journalists. According to the executives of the media, char journalists cannot work in the night shifts and they are reluctant to cover every beat assigned to them .Thats why we prefers male journalists for the job. This gender dyed assumption of the media managements is contrary to the real facts. Women are actively participating in every walk of life such as armed forces, set science, entrepreneurship, education, engineering and so forthThey work hard without any concessions and proved their mettle. These examples prove that women are going hand-in-hand with men in every field. Therefore women can do their best in the field of media. Barkha Dutt, Nalini Singh, Mrinal Pandey, Sucheta Dalal are some prominent examples of women journalists doing resplendent job than m ale journalists. It reveals that only reason for the less participation of women in media is the gender persuade of the management.Womens Representation in MediaMedia plays an important role in the dissemination of information and knowledge to the masses. It is the role of the media to educate hoi polloi and to guide them for the development of society and nation. But media content about women issues is alwayes biased and gender discrimination is clearly visible in it. Most of the womans organizations blame on media that it is responsible for biased and stereotype portraiture of women. Any society cannot progress without upliftment and empowerment of women .But Indian media is engaged in portraying women as housewives. Feminists objected to the stereotypical portrayal of women as happy home- makers who were less competent than men. 3 Now women are active participants in every walk of life. Therefore it is important to to properly project the anatomy of women as role model. For th ese purpose women participation in media should be increased.But immaculate participation does not change the situation. .A large proportion of women popular opinion that there would be a change in program content with as increase in proportion of female employees program whole step would improve and more balanced perspective would be emerge. . 4 Mrs. Suhas Kumar justly suggested that Women must become active participants in the field of journalism and other fields of media to fulfill the all-round development of women directly and indirectly.only through their inter-group communication in journalism women will be able to speak for themselvesand the issues pertinent to them. 8 Therefore it is necessary to appoint women as decision makers in the newspapers. Special training must be given to all editorial staff about the equality principle and the rights of women as human being. deathMale dominated newspaper industry is reluctant to give access to women journalists. Women journal ists are not assigned to cover important issues. News associate to women issues covered by male journalists cannot give justification to the issue. There are no guidelines for reservations for women in media jobs.Mere increases in number of women journalists cannot change the gender bias in media.SuggestionsAt the end, this study concludes with some suggestions (a) There is need to restore women journalists in proportion, giving them equal opportunity and access to work in media. (b) The important womens issues must be rported by women journalist. (c) Special guidelines should be given to all the journalists about projecting positive and real image of woman, without any bias. (d) There should be a provision to punish immoral persons for portraying women as commodity in any advertisement, news, article etc.References1. The Hindu online edition ,New Delhi, Jan,10, 2011.82. The Hindu online edition ,New Delhi, June,4 ,20083.Thakurta Paranjoy,Media Ethics Truth, Fairness and Objecti vity,Oxford