Gender is social identity and social attitudes of women and men in relation to each other in a society. Gender inequality can be eliminated only if the social equality of men and women is established. Besides, it is possible to eliminate gender discrimination through social responsibility and positive actions of media houses. And to be gender sensitive, it is important to work Government, Non-government, civil society and audience harmoniously.
Speakers said this today (on August 31, 2022) in a Roundtable Discussion titled “Gender Media Monitoring: Observation, Experience and Discussion” jointly organized by South Asia Center for Media in Development (SACMID) and Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) in collaboration with Free Press Unlimited (FPU) and Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development (PRIMED) consortium on August 31, 2022 at PIB Seminar Room.
Saidul Islam, Program officer (Gender Media, Monitoring), SACMID presented last three months (April-July, 2022) Gender Media Monitoring reports, observation and findings.
Zafar Wazed Director General, Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) and the chairperson of the roundtable discussion said, gender discrimination can be eliminated through social responsibility and positive actions of media houses. He emphasized on social media control besides presenting gender balanced news. Gender-based inequality can be eliminated to a large extent even if the media promotes gender-based news in news coverage. Besides, he also said that news should be prepared keeping in mind the readers, viewers and listeners.
Professor Dr. Shameem Reza, Department of Mass Communication and Journalism of Dhaka University said, media is monitored like economy all over the world. Only South Asian countries do not have media monitoring. But media monitoring is very important. He also said that gender-sensitive news presentation would have been effective if there was a media monitoring system. Meanwhile he emphasized on media guidelines, introducing news style, training and sometimes experience; because of the lack of these things, gender-based news is often presented.
Ameena Islam, Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies Department of Jahangirnagar University focused on opinion and news. She emphasized images, video (television), and sentence style in presenting gendered news. She said that news should be prepared keeping in mind the readers and viewers.
Mostofa Kamal, News Editor, Banglavision highlighted the issue of avoiding gender sensitive words. He discussed how gender oriented news can be presented in plain and simple language.
Nasimun Ara Huq Minu, president of Bangladesh Nari Sanbadik Kendra, mentioned the issue of presenting women as commodities in the news or on the cover. She discussed on the journalism style of few prominent female journalists in Bangladesh.
Shahrin Ahsan Mou, Project Officer, Protecting Independent Media for Effective Development (PRIMED), BBC Media Action Bangladesh highlighted the position of women in media and society and emphasized the responsibility of journalists while presenting news.
Shuvo Karmakar, Lecturer, PIB, Popy Devi Thapa, Researcher, PIB, were also spoke in the roundtable discussion.
A total of 30 people including 13 journalists, seven experts discussant, two students of mass communication and journalism department of Daffodil International University, teachers, researchers participated in the round table meeting.
The participants were welcomed by Mr. Nazar E Zilani, Member, Board of Trustee, SACMID and two session were facilitated by Syed Kamrul Hasan, Deputy Director, SACMID and Firoz Mahmud, Program Officer, SACMID.
