GLOBALIZATION, CENTRALIZATION OF MEDIA OWNERSHIP, INCREASES STEREOTYPING OF WOMEN, COMMISSION TOLD
Press Release
WOM/911
GLOBALIZATION, CENTRALIZATION OF MEDIA OWNERSHIP, INCREASES STEREOTYPING OF WOMEN, COMMISSION TOLD
19960315 Expert Panel Describes Media's Power to Shape Image of PowerThe way globalization and the concentration of media ownership exacerbated existing female stereotypes was the focus of Thursday afternoon's meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women. A panel of media experts discussed the power the media had to shape the collective imagination and stressed that the only way to counteract negative images of women was to increase their involvement at all levels of the media.
Several other experts stressed the importance of protecting freedom of expression. One noted that while there was agreement that certain types of content, such as child pornography, should be banned, there were also questions about exploitation in ads and entertainment. An expert from Canada said in September her country would launch a V-Chip-based ratings system for broadcasters. All programmes, including foreign ones, would be encoded so parents could regulate material that came into their homes.
In the follow-up discussion, the representative of the United States said it opposed the mandatory government control of media content, but national broadcasters had been asked to voluntarily regulate television programmes. The representative of Algeria said some government regulation of the media need not necessarily encroach on freedom of expression. The representative of Bangladesh spoke of the difficulty of implementing national policies in the face of satellite broadcasts.
The Commission monitors the Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women (Bejing, 1995), which determined "Women and the media" as one of the 12 critical areas of concern. Two strategic objectives were defined: to increase women's participation and access to expression and decision-making in and through the media and new communications technology; and to promote a balanced and non-stereotyped portrayal of women in the media.
The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. Friday, 15 March, for a dialogue among governments on women and the media.
Presentation by Experts
MARGARET GALLAGHER, media consultant and former coordinator of the European Union Steering Committee for Equal Opportunities in Broadcasting, said the topic was one of the most important and challenging tasks before the Commission. The issues were complex, multifaceted and deeply embedded in culture. Technological advances were changing the world's media at a breathtaking pace, so it was essential to envisage strategies that would take account of changes in the future.
Trends towards globalization seemed to be exacerbating existing stereotypes, she said. For example, the $19 billion cost of the Disney and Capital Cities merger was the same as a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) proposal to finance basic health and education worldwide. "It is a surreal world when Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck are seen as more a more important investment than fundamental human needs."
In today's new media world, the highly sexualized and often violent portrayal of women in music videos and other sexist images were of far greater concern than the images of dumb blonds and women as housewives, she continued. Discrimination or imbalance of gender portrayal in the media was not an isolated phenomenon that could be dealt with in a simple way. Matters were even more complicated by the paramount need to protect freedom of expression. There was agreement that certain types of content, such as child pornography, should be banned, but questions arose about cases of exploitation in ads and entertainment.
She said there were six broad areas where simultaneous activity could bring change: more women must be employed within the media and media- regulatory bodies; women's alternative media should be supported; pressure should be exercised from outside the media through lobbying; media education should be expanded in order to promote better understanding of gender stereotyping; pressure should be exerted to encourage media organizations to adopt codes of conduct; and international debate should be held to reinterpret freedom of expression based on women's human rights. "It is surely time for a fundamental reinterpretation of the doctrine of free speech, not with the aim of restricting free expression but with the aim of liberating it."
JOAN PENNEFATHER, Director-General, National Arts Centre, Canada, said the advantages of instant communication in today's world posed the problem of possibly homogenizing culture. The current portrayal of women did not reflect the reality of their lives, and yet it affected how society viewed women and how they viewed their future. Canada's Commission on the Status of Women was promoting gender-neutral language to advance women's cultural standing in the country. The best way to counter negative images of women was to involve them in the media at all levels.
Women's Commission - 3 - Press Release WOM/911 8th Meeting (PM) 15 March 1996
Canada had taken the route of private regulation in the framework of public accountability, she continued. Broadcasters were obliged to examine both the portrayal and involvement of women in the media. A commission mandated to monitor and regulate images of women in the media met regularly with media officials. It imposed licensing conditions that required broadcasters to meet certain guidelines for the portrayal of women. A newly created media awareness network to educate the public on the media could be used by officials, teachers and students.
LYNDALL SHOPE-MAFOLE, Counsellor, Independent Broadcasting Authority, South Africa, said her country was a product of international cooperation. South Africa was two countries in one -- a white, developed, Western country and a poor and developing one. The challenge was to make life better for both. Because of the high rates of illiteracy, broadcast media, especially radio, reached most people. The print media was dominated by white men. In the broadcast media, women did hold decision-making positions. The chief of the national association of broadcasters was a women, as were many other leaders in the field. However, it would take a long time before women became the majority in decision-making bodies and even then there was no guarantee that the desired goals would be reached. The issue of freedom of expression should be delinked from questions about the rights of journalists, she added.
Discussion
Spain said there was a paradox about freedom of expression, in that not everyone was truly free to speak out. Women, in particular, did not have equal access to that freedom. In Spain people could call a number to register their complaint when they found commercials offensive to women. Interestingly, some 7 per cent of all callers were men. The complaints went to a committee, which then decided if the commercials were sexist and should be withdrawn.
Netherlands said in her country, the media and the State were kept strictly separate. The Government did not directly intervene in the media. However, the Government recognized the need for positive images of women in the media, so it provided grants to organizations working towards that end. Universities had been conducting studies on issues such as the portrayal of women on talk shows. Employees of media organizations had been informed of the results of the studies, which were also published in the popular press.
Ecuador said the international press had generally covered the Fourth World Conference on Women in a positive way, but unfortunately that was not always the case. One newspaper had stated that the designation of 8 March as World Women's Day was ridiculous. Women's organizations must vigorously reject comments of that sort.
Women's Commission - 4 - Press Release WOM/911 8th Meeting (PM) 15 March 1996
United States shared concerns expressed by others about violence in the media. The United States had recently enacted laws that would facilitate control by parents over what their children would view. President Clinton had recently requested that media officials voluntarily regulate themselves. However, the United States did not support government control of content. Freedom of expression should not be compromised. Instead, governments should foster an environment of respect for women without resorting to censorship.
In reply, Ms. GALLAGHER, media consultant, said women must be aware of their right to demand more and better of the media. She praised the efforts by the Netherlands, which were not restrictive, but rather enabling. Often women's voices were not heard, even in countries that considered themselves as advanced socially and economically. For example, in the United Kingdom there was a widespread availability of semi-pornographic materials in the tabloid newspapers. One parliamentarian had been laughed at by her male colleagues when she tried to address the issue. Some 5,000 women had written letters of support for her actions. Perhaps a harder line should be taken with the commercial media, which would not listen to arguments for social justice.
Bangladesh asked how could freedom of expression be defined in the face of increasing commercialization and competition. Even if governments implemented national policies against the stereotyping of women, how would the impact of the satellite invasion be dealt with?
In reply, Ms. SHOPE-MAFOLE, Counsellor, Independent Broadcasting Authority, South Africa, said that regardless of how the media was regulated nationally, it was difficult to deal with satellite influence without international control. When the world felt strongly enough about the impact of transborder broadcasting there could be global action.
Algeria noted the tremendous weight of economic influence in the media, which made if difficult for women to have their voice heard. There must be some government regulation which would not encroach on freedom of expression.
Cyprus asked whether the Commission could ask the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to draw up media guidelines. Referring to the action by a British parliamentarian on images of women in tabloids, she asked what effect 50,000 or even 500,000 letters would have played. Women were consumers and consumers influenced commercial media. Mexico said she would go even further and asked, what if non-governmental organizations imposed some kind of negative criteria on products which perpetrated a negative image of women?
Ms. GALLAGHER, media consultant, replied that it seemed women would have more influence as consumers rather than politicians. Referring to the satellite issue raised by Bangladesh, she said when the objective was to make
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money little could be done to get media owners to respond to social concerns. She added that there was a lot of hypocrisy about freedom of speech and cited the example of Ruppert Murdoch who had agreed to drop the British Broadcasting Commission (BBC) from his satellite programmes when a certain Asian country had objected to it.
Also replying to Cyprus, ALAIN MODOUX, of UNESCO, said there had been many experiments in providing media guidelines. However, the best way to try and change negative images was through open dialogue with the media. Most owners were strongly against any regulation of their conduct. The UNESCO was now encouraging the media to be responsible for their portrayal of women and a number of organizations had been very responsive. Support from the media would not come through open war. Dialogue and respect for the freedom of the media was the wisest way to proceed.
Ms. PENNEFATHER, Director-General, National Arts Centre, Canada, said new technologies were being used to spread violent images of women around the world. It was important for women in the media to discuss their concerns with their colleagues. For example, many were aware of the negative impact fashion television was having on young women around the world.
The representatives of China, Dominican Republic, Italy, Lesotho, Philippines, Turkey and Zambia took part in the discussion and several non- governmental organizations also spoke.
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