The Hindu : Media watch groups to monitor indecent portrayal of women

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 10, 2003

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Media watch groups to monitor indecent portrayal of women

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI MARCH 9. As a result of a collaborative effort between the National Commission for Women, the various State Commissions in different parts of the country and several non-government organisations working for the empowerment of women, media watch groups are being set up in various cities for continuous and sustained monitoring of portrayal of women in the media.

``We have had interfaces in various parts of the country and everyone has suggested that civil society action to curb indecent portrayal of women in the media is the need of the hour,'' says Jyotsna Chatterji of the Joint Women's Programme, adding that media watch groups have already been formed in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata and that a similar process was being initiated in the Capital as well.

Proper representation of women in the media, feel both NGO activists and mediapersons, can only come about if there is a network of organisations and individuals who commit themselves to prompt action whenever objectionable matter appears in the print and electronic media on in ads or films.

``We have lamented on the improper portrayal of women in the media for long. Time has come to explore positive and affirmative action through networking and convergence among all stakeholders in the civil society,'' says Ms. Chatterji, adding that besides media-persons and women's activists, people with legal and academic backgrounds too need to be involved in the process.

And certainly, the view that it is not just a women's problem and has to be solved by men and women together is also gaining ground.

Building a bridge between media groups and women's organisations probably for the first time, this unique civil society initative plans to reach out to as many players as possible.

And therefore, an effort is also being made to understand the media and its constraints in the present globalised market scenario.

"It is not just the activist or the journalist who can solve the problem but concerned people and concerned media put together,'' says Ms. Chatterji.

Among suggestions for positive action received by the media watch groups include focussing on women achievers to increase their share of media space, creating a platform for women journalists to better network and co-ordinate with each other, mounting a dialogue with ad, television and film professionals for increased gender sensitivity, creating a nationwide lobby for cases pertaining to indecent representation at regional and even local level and encouraging women to become masters of the technical medium.

Media watchdog groups in the respective cities will be linked up by a national group in Delhi and there will be web- based convergence of localised actions so that any small aberration anywhere in the country automatically snowboils into a national movement.

Also, the groups will lobby for changes in the various acts pertaining to proper representation of women in the media like the Indecent Representation of Women Act, 1986 and the Cable TV Network Regulation Act.

"It is only prompt civil society action that can give the laws teeth and ensure that they are implemented properly,'' says Ms. Chatterji.

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