News
- Preliminary report of the 2010 Global Media Monitoring Project
Only 24% of persons seen, heard, or read about in the news are female.
This is one of the key findings of the 2010 Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) The preliminary report is being released on 2 March 2010 at a panel discussion and debate on the occasion of the 54th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York.
- MEDIA: The Untold Stories of Violence Against Women
ROME, Nov 26 (IPS) - “You don’t need to go far, it is all around us,“ said Robert Dijksterhuis, head of the gender division in the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to a room mostly full of women. “Up to one in three women around the world has been abused in some way - most often by someone she knows,“ he added, quoting UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) numbers.
- Media ‘neglecting plight of women’
South African media are contributing to the disempowerment of women, despite the fact that issues involving gender equality, women’s poverty and health are of primary importance to the country’s agenda, according to research by Media Monitoring Africa (MMA), which was released last week.
- Media misses chance to save lives
World population day is celebrated on the 11th of July each year, this year, the subject is family planning. UNFPA states that worldwide access to family planning could save the lives of approximately 175 000 women each year.
A current issue around family planning in South Africa is the Amendment of the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act, which made termination of pregnancy facilities more widely available for South African women. Recent monitoring by the Media Monitoring Project (MMP) suggests that press coverage may stigmatise abortion by associating it with irresponsible sexual behaviour and provides little information on the procedure and how to access it.
- Making women’s day work for women: 2007 Media Challenge
Following the highly successful challenge issued by the Media Monitoring Project (MMP) to the South African media in the previous years for the coverage of National Women’s Day, the MMP has decided to re-issue the challenge to the media this year: to mainstream women on National Women’s Day. Instead of the media merely concentrating on so called “women’s issues” and only on the celebrations that are set to take place on the 9th of August, the MMP challenges the media to fill their papers, radio broadcasts, television schedules and news programmes with women.
- Complaint against Daily Voice resolved
The Media Monitoring Project filed a complaint against the Daily Voice about the coverage of children in a child pornography feature. We also highlighted this case of bad coverage and launched a petition against it. The Daily Voice approached MMP for a settlement to the complaint. The settlement compels the Daily Voice to:
- Ensure that the children get counseling,
- Submit its protocol on publication relating to children to the MMP and to Child Line for contributions,
- Participate in the course for journalists, “Reporting Children in the Media” presented by MMP at Wits University.
The agreement is presented here as it was sent to the Press Ombudsman.
- Complaint to Press Ombudsman against Daily Voice
The Media Monitoring Project has made a complaint to the Press Ombudsman against the Daily Voice, a Cape Town tabloid about an article related to a child pornography ring.
- Empowering Messages, Improving Lives
Gender based violence is a gross violation of human rights. As we approach International Human Rights Day, it is critical that we raise awareness around gender-based violence messages in the media and examine how NGOs and CSOs are helping to improve gender- based violence communication campaigns. The Media Monitoring Project (MMP) and the Southern African Media and Gender Institute (SAMGI) have embarked on an exciting regional project to improve communication strategies on gender-based violence.
- Addressing the state of the media
Following President Mbeki’s state of the nation address, the Media Monitoring Project (MMP) would like to add the following state of the media in South Africa observations. In line with the MMP’s mandate we looked at a number of human rights issues and their relationship to the media. These include press freedom, race and racism, gender, HIV and AIDS, children, and the local government elections.