Behind the scenes

By admin on Friday, March 12, 2010 - 15:12

Rohini Teresa Mathew looks at the life of women in the great Indian media bandwagon 

Journalist. It is a word that invokes respect and admiration from one and all. It is a profession coveted for its freedom, courage and credibility. It is a chance to get yourself seen on television or your name printed in bold in a newspaper or magazine. A glamorous and sensational job, it is also one associated with a host of misconceptions and viewed with suspicion by many. While many journalists and news organisations proudly claim to be able to hold government officials and institutions accountable to the public, the other side of the coin has critics questioning the accountability of the press. And again, while news rooms and newsmen cry themselves hoarse over issues of reservation and gender discrimination in the workplace, they are being asked to clean the mess in their own backyards first. But is this really the case? Is sexism prevalent in the Indian media? And who better to ask this to than our own women journalists?

For many women, the chance to get into the coveted profession of breaking news to the world is a dream come true. And as a journalist, most women feel that they are respected for their profession and the fact that they are women becomes secondary or even a non-issue in most organisations. Yes, the curse of gender discrimination is prevalent in the field of journalism, but general opinion is that it is often a rarity. And most of the women journalists we spoke to claim to have seen or heard worse stories in other industries.

"I don't consider gender to be an issue when I'm doing a story and I haven't been discriminated against on the basis of my gender. But I do accept the fact that things are not as rosy for everyone. However, I would also like to point out that gender discrimination is prevalent in just about every sector and not just journalism," says Harshikaa Udasi, a Principal Correspondent with The Week.

Like Harshikaa, Deepthy Menon, a Principal Correspondent with Times Now is also of the same opinion. "The field has opened up a lot for women. And from the topmost echelons to the rookie journalist, you will find women everywhere," says Deepthy. "However, the general perception that a good-looking face means you have to be an entertainment reporter, still rules," rues Deepthy.

But things have not been as dandy for Radhika Nair, a senior journalist who has worked across South India for the broadcast media. Radhika, who is now placed with a leading regional language channel in Mumbai, says her career has seen a combination of both positive and negative experiences. "I have worked in Bangalore, Chennai and Kerala. And it's ironic that most of my bad experiences occurred when I was working in my own state—Kerala," says Radhika. "There is a kind of restriction about you; as though you are not quite welcome. While in Chennai, Bangalore or Mumbai you are first a journalist and only then a man or a woman, in Kerala it is quite the opposite. And the worst is the moral prejudice that people associate with women journalists. Most of my peers and I felt there was a general perception, among male colleagues and the public at large, that women journalists were of a loose character," adds Radhika.

For Shalini Pratham, a rookie journalist with a news channel, it's about being on your toes all the time and keeping yourself updated with whatever is happening around the world. "It's easy to be branded as just another good-looking face reading out from the prompter. You need to prove that you have it in you to ask smart questions and get smart answers while under the pressure of presenting a live bulletin," she says.

Proving your mettle as a news producer is even more difficult, feels Nina Fernandes who works for the same channel. It took Nina an entire year and a management policy stating that news producers' orders are to be obeyed to the dot, to prove that she was good at the job of bringing out an entire bulletin sans any hitches or glitches. "Male colleagues either doubt your capability at making decisions since you are young or because you are a woman. It's exasperating," says Nina. Radhika who faced trouble from male subordinates while she was heading a bureau corroborates this.

But none of the women have faced any problems when it comes to promotions being given when they are due or in being acknowledged when a job or an article has been done well. So does this mean that the managements are more open to hiring women journalists? Maybe so, but many can't hide the fear of losing good journalists to marriage or family or such personal reasons.

Most of our women journalists seem to be having a ball of a time out there, be it writing a scathing article deriding a top politician or covering a Page 3 do. And not one, despite all the hassle and the bother, is willing to give up their present jobs and move on to something else. So, sexist or not, women journalists are here to stay and make their mark in the national media.

Some names have been changed.