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14, 2006
Gender and media in Kenya
Greetings from Nairobi, Kenya.
Hope you are all well. Am Anthony Wafula, a broadcast journalist. Am happy to be on this blog and could other male journalists please stand up and be counted?
Just observations from my end about the newsroom set-ups here. It is fairly safe to argue that female journalists outnumber the males(i could be wrong). However more managers are male and at times blind to certain obvious issues . For instance, i find it disturbing that most female journalists are more likely to lose their jobs should they get in the family way. Securing a maternity leave is as good as parting with your job in this case.Anybody with a better reason why this should be the case?
THen we get to biases when it comes to promotions. Could i be the only one witnessing this "things?"
Posted by Tony at 14, 2006 04:14
Comments
Hi Tony, I've got a couple of questions: first, are these issues discussed at the important (ie. upper) levels of the business, and second, what measures (if any) have been implemented to improve the gender bias situation in the newsroom?
Further to that, is there a feedback loop, or someone who plays an ombudsman role, which ensures that viewers feedback is taken into consideration or if there is balanced reporting?
Would appreciate your comments!
Posted by: Alicia at 15, 2006 02:57
Hi Alicia,
The issues raised are often discussed at the highest level possible but making any changes takes ages to implement.I wonder why at times the urgency is palyed down.
The other observation is the apparent absence of women in technical positions in media houses and shall i say the "overburdening" of men where a considerable number exist? Take an example of a media house whose female sound technicians are not allowed to do the night shift. Well, family considerations would be a good reason.But what about the men who have to put up with night shifts despite having families? Mark you , both categories are equally professionally competent.
back to your query on feedback loop. They do exist but again no clear way of responding to viewers and listener's feedback.
Tony
Posted by: Anthony Wafula at 17, 2006 11:14