Women constitutes a half of Bangladesh’s population and they are represented in increasing numbers in the formal workforce. 

But mainstream Bangladeshi media seem missing out the true representation of women in their news contents. At least one study results as shared by an academic at a city programme today reflects so, reports the UNB. 

Women are represented in just 16 per cent contents of news coverage in Bangladeshi newspapers, radios and televisions as opposed to male in 84 per cent.

A media monitoring research focusing the issue of gender in news items carried by Dr. Gitiara Nasreen, a professor of Mass Communication and Journalism Department of Dhaka University brought forth the situation while she addressed a seminar as a keynote speaker.

Management and Resource Development Initiative (MRDI) organized the seminar on ‘Gender in Journalism: In Pursuit of Quality Content and Sensitivity’ on Wednesday at Azimur Rahman Conference Hall at the Daily Star Centre.

Dr. Nasreen carried the research on 5,198 news items of 10 national and local dailies, 216 items of two radio stations and 930 items of five television channels from in July-August period of 2013.

While discussing the paper she said women are mostly featured in the news contents relating to violence and entertainments but in political or other serious issues they are greatly ignored.  

She feared audience’s outlook to women may get misconstrued due to media’s selective projection women only in ‘soft issues’ and ignoring them in serious issues.    

She also recommended some points such as monitoring media’s news by themselves from gender perspectives, creating gender balance in media content makers and journalists, fair portrayal and representation of women in news and advertisements, avoiding stereotypical and sexist interpretation for making the media gender balance and sensitive.

Agneta Soderberg Jacbsson, Gender Advisor of FOJO Media Institute of Linnaeus University of Sweden also addressed the seminar as a guest speaker.

She brought forth four overseas media cases in her presentation on ‘Better Business with Gender Diversity’ where she showed that the four are running with significant profit by having gender sensitivity in content and balance in media workers.

She urged on changing the mentality and outlook of media key persons in gender issue.

Rasheda K Chowdhury, Executive Director of the Campaign for Popular Education and former Advisor of Caretaker Government also addressed the discussion.

She said media play key role to establish any community’s image in society so media have to be more sensible and responsible in representing gender diversity.

Among the others Qurratul-Ain-Tahmina, Advisor (News) of daily Protham Alo said, in journalism each of the diverse communities of the society should be represented equally and if good journalism is practiced, it will bring profit too.

Several media personalities and civil society members attended in the seminar while Hasibur Rahman, Executive Director of MRDI was in the chair and Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Ekushey Television and Shahnaz Munni chief news editor of News24 moderated the progremme.