MEDIA COULD ASSIST IN GENDER POLICY

Should the media be a partner to Government in helping establish a national policy on gender? This question brought sharply differing responses at a mini-consultation organised by the Ministry of Community Development and Gender Affairs for practising journalists on Friday at the Hilton Trinidad.

The session, chaired by Patricia Mohammed of the Gender Affairs Unit of the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine, was the first of a series of consultations with key interest groups including the protective services, trade unions, the private sector, the disabled, men’s NGOs, women’s NGOs, religious groups, and the elderly. Mohammed asked: “What is the role of the media in creating real change over the long term for the better good of society?” While some advocated the use of the media as partners to espouse a gender policy, others disagreed. One woman said: “There is a disparity between the goals of a gender policy and what a media house actually does.” A female journalist slammed: “We are not your partners.” A Mrs DeBique suggested a compromise. Several speakers suggested that “media” be more broadly defined. One man said:  The ‘media’ is wider than a reporter or journalist.” He felt advertising as well as what a radio DJ says before playing a song could degrade women.

One radio reporter countered: “The radio deejay has a job to do. He has to identify with his market and pull in the advertising dollars. Attorney-at-law and activist Roberta Clarkes said she has seen a big change in the media in terms of what stories were covered and what interests we emphasised.  National Gender Policy Coordinator Hermian Smart-Findlay advised: “Cover the truth as you see it. She later told Newsday that many reporters felt they validly covered news events as they saw it, but did not “add value” to the stories.