Module 2: Media on Portrayal of Women and Conflict Reporting
A Part of the Women Making Airwaves for Peace:
A Workshop on Engendered Peace Journalism

Duration:     Four hours

Introduction:
       Media mediates and shapes people’s reality. It is supposed to reflect the
economic, political, social and cultural situation whether we talk about local, national
or global issues. It plays a great part in shaping society’s perception on women. It
contributes to people's views of conflict and wars. This module seeks to do a critique
of media's portrayal of women, and conflict reportage. It also attempts to develop
alternatives and how to make a difference. At the end of the four hour session, the
participants would be able to:

• Identify positive and negative experiences of media coverage on issues important to them
  
• Examine media ownership as it affects media work culture and decision making towards newsworthiness
• Describe the impact of the missing women’s perspective, silencing women’s voices.
  
• Identify sensationalized war and conflict reportage and its impact on the audience.
• Define areas and spaces for intervention, and reflection points on how stories should reflect a holistic perspective

Session Topics:

• Introduction: Positive and Negative Experience of Media
• The Media on Women Portrayal and Conflict Reporting
  • Who controls media?
  • Women in the Media Work Force
  • Male-stream Media and Work Culture
  • How it Affects Portrayal of Women and Views on Women’s Issues
  • Media on War and Conflict
• Gender Fairness as Good Editorial Policy
• Re-framing our Stories
• Basic Points to Reflect on

Infrastructure:

• LCD and computer for power point presentation
• Space for small group discussions (which could be separate from the main session hall)

Session Plan:

Activity/Topic	Duration	Teaching Aids/Material
Introduction: The Positive and Negative of Media Coverage (Buzz Group)	45 minutes	Kraft paper, permanent markers
Topic: Media on Women Portrayal and Conflict Reporting (Lecture Discussion Part 1)	1 hour	Slide presentation, LCD
Activity 2: Media Monitoring	45 minutes	Participants clippings and recordings
Topic: Media on Women Portrayal and Conflict Reporting (Lecture Discussion Part 2)	1 hour, 30 minutes	Slide presentation, LCD

Introduction: Positive and Negative Experience of Media

Activity 1: Buzz Group

The Buzz Groups is an exercise that helps surface the participants’ experiences
of media coverage whether as practitioners or consumers. Instructions to this activity
are as follows:

• Divide the plenary into groups of 4-5 participants each
• Ask them to reflect on the following questions:
  • Think of significant issues to you? How is covered or treated by media?
  • Of these media experiences what would you consider positive? Why?
  • Of these experiences what would you consider negative? Why?
• Ask the group to choose one positive and one negative experience of media coverage, that may be presented creatively (in the form of short skit, poem, or even image theater)
• Identify common characteristics of these experiences of media

Facilitators Note:

To help prepare you for the discussion on the role of Media we are recommending an article by Krini Kafiris: Rethinking Media Power (Link: pdf file), that gives a good overview of media and its role in influencing and educating people.

Topic: Media on Women Portrayal and Conflict Reporting (Lecture Discussion Part 1)

Slide presentation: Women Portrayal and Conflict Reporting by Media (ppt file), present slide 1-18

Activity 2: Media Monitoring

Media monitoring is not just a workshop exercise, it is part of good media practice to have the skill and critical eye to monitor media and its coverage on women and conflict. Instructions to this activity are as follows:

• Divide the groups into the buzz groups during the first exercise
• Have the participants share the news clippings or other media material they chose to bring
• Guide Questions for Discussion:
  • How has media portrayed women? How has conflict been packaged for public consumption?
  • Identify your initial insights on the activity.
  • What can be done?

Synthesis Point:

If we want things to change, it is necessary to be self-critical, to recognize where the problem lies as a necessary step to being able to identify spaces for intervention and change. This process of self-reflection media practitioners – is part of good media practice, process of constant improvement as practitioners, being better at the craft of information sharing, and embracing our critical role in social change.

The initial slides on Defining Spaces for intervention, is a reminder for the need to go back to basics, as well as re-tool ourselves in how to improve media practice. More spaces will be identified in the next few sessions on Engendered Peace Journalism.

Topic: Media on Women Portrayal and Conflict Reporting (Lecture Discussion Part 2)

Link: Slide presentation: Women Portrayal and Conflict Reporting by Media (ppt file)

Continue the presentation and discussion with slide 19. If there is time left at the end ask participants to share their experiences in participatory media.

Resource Materials Used:

Recognizing Power Relation in Journalism: Principles of Gender Sensitive and Respectful Reporting
By Bianca Miglioretto, Isis International-Manila, Philippines, September 2006, 7 pages (Link: doc file)
Women in the News: A Guide for Media (A Gender Equality Toolkit), 2004, 135 pages
By Pennie Azarcon de la Cruz
Isis International-Manila, 3 Marunong Street, Brgy. Central, Quezon City 1100, Philippines
Tel. No.: +63-2-9281956, Fax No.: +63-2-9241065
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., http://www.isiswomen.org
The Gender & Media Handbook – Promoting Equality, Diversity & Empowerment, 2005, 165 pages
By Krini Kafiris, Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies, 46, Makedonitissas Avenue,
P.O. Box 24005, 1703 Nicosia, Cyprus, Tel. +357 22 35 12 76 (ext. 115), Fax. +357 22 35 36 82
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Website: http://medinstgenderstudies.org
Women Empowering Communications – A Resource Book on Women and the Globalistion of Media
By Margaret Gallagher and Lilia Quindoza-Santiago. 1994. 211 pages.
World Association for Christian Communication (WACC), 36 Causton Street, London SW1P 4ST, UK,
Tel +44 (0)207 931 7314, Fax +44 (0)207 592 3939 http://www.waccglobal.org
Leading in a Different Language: Will Women Change the News Media? 2001
By International Women's Media Foundation, 1625 K Street NW, Suite 1275, Washington, DC 20006, USA,
Phone: 202/496-1992, Fax: 202/496-1977 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., http://www.iwmf.org/