Author: RANU TOMAR,

M Phil (Development Studies)

Institution: Centre for Jawaharlal Nehru Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi

Address: c/o-Satya, A-11,Top Floor, Mayur Vihar-1, New Delhi-96

E-mail: ranutomar2010@gmail.com

Telephone: 91-9654428025


GENDER AND MEDIA: STATUS OF WOMEN JOURNALIST
IN HINDI PRINT MEDIA IN INDIA


GENDER AND MEDIA: STATUS OF WOMEN JOURNALIST IN HINDI
PRINT MEDIA IN INDIA



Author: RANU TOMAR, M Phil (Development Studies)
Institution: Centre for Jawaharlal Nehru Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi










Address: c/o-Satya, A-11,Top Floor, Mayur Vihar-1, New Delhi-96
E-mail: ranutomar2010@gmail.com
Contact number: 91-9654428025



- 1 -
Abstract:

This paper is an attempt to explore the struggle for gender transformation and
bridging gap between social identities of women and men. The mass-media have been
quick to respond to women as a new growth industry. The relationship between
Media and Women has a certain structure where women are trapped as an object. The
role of women in media-decision making is reflected in the poor representation of
women issues and concerns. The drastically changing media (print) can be seen
through years or especially in post-liberalization period, media has become more
market-oriented. Media-market on one hand has expanded opportunities for women
but the kind of beats or job are assigned to women journalists is to keep them
confined to soft-beats like handling feature writing or shallow writings. Especially the
language chasm between English and Hindi print media is facing too much difference.
The reconstruction and representation of Gender issues is dealt within patriarchal
discourse of the media. And important issue is professional inequality which is
embedded in media that is structured and strongly based on social differences
between man and woman.
It is an analytical study to explore different indicators of status of women journalists
in Hindi Print Media based on my extensive field study conducted with major Hindi
Newspapers in Delhi.


Keywords: Gender, Mass Media & Women, Hindi Print Media, Representation.




- 2 -
INTRODUCTION
Media has a role to play in the struggle for gender transformation and bridging
gap between social identities of women and men. While communication studies, even
of the radical critical tendency, have long seemed to be largely gender-blind
(perhaps more a matter of unwillingness to see), one can now justifiably, speak of a
cultural feminist media studies project (Van Zoonen 1991; 1994; Gallagher 2003).
The relationship between Media and women has a certain structure where woman is
trapped as an object. The role of women in media-decision making is reflected in the
poor representation of women issues and concerns. The drastically changing media
(print) can be seen through years or especially in post-liberalization period, media has
become market-oriented. Media-market on one hand has expanded opportunities for
women but the kind of beats or job are assigned to women journalists is to keep
them confined to soft-beats (Tomar Ranu 2009) like handling feature writing or
shallow writings.
The reconstruction and representation of Gender issues is dealt within
patriarchal discourse of the media. The question of gender touches almost every
aspect of the media-culture relationship. Van Zoonen (1991) writes that the meaning
of gender is never given but varies according to specific cultural and historical
settingsis subject to ongoing discursive struggle and negotiation (p45). Here
important issue is professional inequality which is embedded in media and is strongly
based on social differences between man and woman.
The exclusion and oppression of women by transnational corporations is
translated into media representation and employment. To address these issues
UNESCO

commissioned major review of the literature worldwide related to women
and Media (Gallagher 1981).

- 3 -
Gallagher (1981) notes that her review present a picture remarkable only for its
overall consistency when compared from one country to another (p 70). The report
offers considerable evidence in support of conclusion that is:
Representation of women can best be described as narrow. On film,
press and the broadcast media, womens activities and interests typically go no
further than the confines of home and family. Characterized as essentially
dependent and romantic, women are rarely portrayed as rational, active or
decisive. Both as characters in fictional media material and as newsmakers in
the press and broadcasting, women are numerically under representation- an
absence which underlines their marginal and inferior status in many spheres
of social, economic and cultural life. Prevalent news values define most
women and most women problems as unnewsworthy, admitting women to
coverage primarily as wives, mothers or daughters of men in the news: in
their own right, they make the headlines usually only as fashionable or
entertainment figures.

This paper is on Status of Women journalists in Hindi Print Media, focuses on issues
affecting the role of women working in print media. I have tried to explore the issues
related to women-under representation in Hindi print media.

Here two things are important, first why women and second why Hindi Print
media. As far as women journalists are concerned, it has been a hard struggle for them
to break the glass-ceiling. The increasing number of women in media cannot ensure
better status of women. The job assigned to them is always not of their choice. Now
why I have taken Hindi print Media? This should be one of the important facts that
Hindi newspapers have the largest readership. The Indian Readership Survey
1

conducted in 2009 shows that the largest read local language newspaper is Dainik
Jagran with 55.7 million readers and Dainik Bhaskar with 31.9 million readers. Both
newspapers are published in Hindi, whereas Times of India is the most widely read

1
IRS was launched in the year 1995 with an objective of setting an industry standard for readership & other media measurement,
& to provide insights on media & product consumption as well as consumer behavior patterns.


- 4 -
English daily with 13.3 million readers, followed by Hindustan Times 6.3 million and
The Hindu with 5.2 million readers. To my mind, having a great share of Hindi
language newspapers among readers it matters to analyze status of the engaged
women journalists working in Hindi Print Media in Comparison to English Print
Media.
While keeping this in mind, I prepared open-ended questionnaire to interview
women journalists from Hindi print media.
The questionnaire covers aspects related to:-
Individual profile
Work History (for last five years)
Work Experience
Conditions of Work
Hindi v/s English Print media
Gendered view in the organization
Development Agenda and Women issues


Women Journalists Representation

Studies have been done on Women representation in Mass media but somewhere
women as workforce in media are untouched or lesstalked, especially as an academic
work. Thus I tried to locate the related aspects of Status of Women in Hindi Print
Media.
Fair gender portrayal is professional and ethical aspiration, similar to respect for
accuracy, fairness and honesty. It is the other side of the coin that says women need
to be more present at higher levels of the news business, both at work and in the
unions. In a world where hard news is still mainly reported and presented by male
journalists need to stand up for gender equality. This equality is not just a womens
issue; everyone benefits from eliminating discrimination (UNESCO 2009).

- 5 -
Despite having certain efforts to promote gender equality in media, ground
reality is far away that is quite visible. How new development paradigm is not
inclusive? Why pie of development doesnt cover people at disadvantaged groups. I
have tried to cover major aspects related to Media, Development and Gender.
Among secondary literature Rama Jhas book Women and The Indian Print
Media(1992) and Ammu Joshep and Kalpana Sharmas work Women in Journalism
Making News (2000) are well-known studies to address women journalists point of
view over gender discrimination in media.
Rama Jha (1992) raises point that why despite women being at helm of affairs
and decision-making position, there is inadequate follow-up on the issues related to
women. Whereas still it is to be seen that whether women are decisive position in
newsroom or not? With the citation of interviews of prominent women journalists, it
came to light that development issues are vitally linked with political issues but it is
unfortunate that kind of reporting is done, establishes no link between the two. In
the arena of beats womens issues are beaten up by political beats.
Further Jha (1992) unravel that it was also came to light that there is very little
follow up on womens issues which has been experienced by various journalists. She
further brings a point that negligence of women issues is also seen as outcome of
ownership of newspapers. Shahnaz Anklesaria Aiyer then working in India Today
believes that because print media is run by men, their priorities are different.
Womens issues dont matter to them and indeed there is sexist bias to that. Whereas
Neena Vyas of The Hindu dismisses the relationship between ownership of
newspapers by women and the consequent wider coverage of womens issues as sexist
in approach. But there is Tavleen Singh who doesnt believe that there are separate
womens issues and women issues sound like gynecological problems.
All interviewed journalists in Rama Jhas (1992) study are from well-known
English newspapers, thus this study doesnt provide situation prevailing in Hindi
- 6 -
newspapers. She clears that during early decades of entry of women journalists in 70s-
80s, through the experiences of women journalists from English print media it was
noticed that economic and political beats were lucrative to be joined by women as
these have been the bastion of men.
Rama Jha (1992) explains that women journalist as part of womens network
like different womens study groups and NGOs work as an activist also utilizing it as
platform. Sensitized women journalists extend the limits on womens issues by
understanding development issues being womens issues and inevitably linked with
political issues. But it doesnt tell whether women journalists themselves would like
to have Union or association of working women journalists so that they can have
united voice for their own issues.
Apart from this Ammu Joshephs work Women in Journalism Making News
(2000) is widely talked study describing plight of women work force in print media
while covering experiences of women journalists and their professional challenges
this study is good work to depict the treatment given to women journalists in print
media. She herself does not subscribe to the hierarchies of hard and soft news
which makes things quite different from Rama Jhas (1992) study that tells about
stereotyping of job for women in media. It can be difference of period because both
studies have their own relevance as Rama Jhas (1992) work covers earlier decades of
women journalists struggles whereas Ammu Joshephs (2000) study deals with large
number of working women by then in print media.

This study is an exploration of the world of Indian print media through eyes of
women situated at different points in the profession while explaining the women-
work force experience in print media, Ammu Joshephs (2000) work deals with the
practical aspects of the profession in the form of limitation and discrimination.
Women journalists got the class advantage definitely like journalist Subha Singh put
- 7 -
her view that more than gender it is class that influences the way people perceive
you. Ammu points out that content, style, and emphasis of the press in the 1990s is
remarkably different from what was prevalent in the preceding decades as now
commercial pressure determines the nature of the press. She argues that most women
in journalism in India belong to the upper caste and class and other relatively
privileged communities. She clears it that deliberate and sustained efforts are required
to ensure that more women from disadvantage communities- dalits, adivasis, religious
and ethnic minorities are enabled to participate in the profession.
At global level major study was done known as Global Media Monitoring
Project
2
in 2005. This study was co-coordinated by World Association for Christian
Communication (WACC) an international NGO that promotes communication for
social change. This study was conducted in 76 countries across the globe.

This study found that:-
There has been a steady increase in the percentage of news items reported
by women from 28% in 1995, to 31% in 2000, reaching 37% in 2005.
Female reporters have gained more ground in radio and television than in
newspapers. The press lags far behind the electronic media, with only 29%
of stories written by female reporters in 2005.

As news presenters, women are more likely to be found in television than
radio. With 57% of television items presented by women in 2005, this is
the only area in which female outnumber males. In radio 49% of items
were presented by women.


2
The Global Media Monitoring Project is the largest and longest longitudinal study on the representation of women in the
worlds media. It is also the largest advocacy initiative in the world on changing the representation of women in the media. It is
unique in involving participants ranging from grassroots community organizations to university students and researchers to
media practitioners, all of whom participate on a voluntary basis. Retrieved 2/03/2010 from
http://www.whomakesthenews.org/gmmp-background.html


- 8 -
The on-screen presence of women decreases with age. Up to the age of
34 women are in the majority as both news presenters and reporters on
television. By the age of 50, only 17% of reporters and 7% of presenters
are female. For women in the profession, a youthful appearance is more
highly valued than experience. Male presenters and reporters continue to
appear on-screen well into their 50s and even 60s.

In most news organizations, local news is deemed less prestigious than
national or international news. Female reporters are more likely to work
on local stories (44%) than on national (34%) or international stories
(32%).

Female reporters predominate in only two topics weather reports on
television and radio (52%) and stories on poverty, housing and welfare
(51%). There is a 50-50 gender balance among reporters in celebrity news,
and in stories on consumer issues. In all other topics, male reporters are in
the majority. Sports news is the least likely to be reported by women, with
just 21% of female reporters.

Overall, male journalists report at the so-called 'hard' end of the news
spectrum such as politics and government (where women report only 32%
of stories). Females are more likely to work on the so-called 'soft' stories
such as social and legal issues (40% reported by women). Although many
'soft' news stories are important, they are not always perceived as such in
the hierarchy of new values. As a result, the work of female journalists is
sometimes under-valued, and women reporters are frequently assigned to
stories that are downright trivialcelebrity news (50% reported by
women), or arts and entertainment (48%).

There are more female news subjects in stories reported by female
journalists (25%) than in stories reported by male journalists (20%).

This Global Media Monitoring project concludes that women have made great strides
in the news media over the past decade. But they still struggle to achieve equal
treatment. Older female professionals are rarely seen on television: for women,
- 9 -
appearance is valued more highly than experience. Female reporters frequently work
in local news beats and on stories at the 'soft' end of the news spectrum. This could be
one of the reasons why there are more female news subjects in stories reported by
female journalists. But, irrespective of who reports the news, the fundamental
question is: why do so few women make the news at all. The Global Media
Monitoring Project 2005 concludes, the world we see in the news is a world in which
women are virtually invisible (Gallagher 2005).

Further Gallagher (2005) describes that the use of stereotypes reflects a mental
block not only in terms of what society may expect from women, but also more
seriously in terms of what women may expect from themselves. The structures of
many societies have been based on assumptions of sex-biased roles, which are
entrenched in the use of language. When gender-biased language is used in a story
(for instance, craftsman, businessman, fireman, and policeman), journalists support a
destructive bias that suggests women are excluded or incapable of playing their roles.
True gender equality should liberate both men and women from the limitations of
such narrow thinking.
It is not impossible to produce news stories that are gender sensitive. It
just means thinking more creatively about the topic at handwhom it
concerns, who should be included in its coverage, in what way and for
what purpose. says Margaret Gallagher, author of the GMMP(2005).

It has been a global view of the contribution of women work force in media. In
context of India, a study on Status of Women Journalist in Print Media
3
was

3
This study was executed by the Press Institute of India (PII), through empirical data that was collected from almost all the
States and Union Territories of the country. The objective of the research was to examine the problems and issues confronting
women working in the media, to gauge the extent of direct and indirect discrimination in the workplace and to identify
contemporary issues that need to be addressed. Retrieved 2/2/2010, from
http://ncw.nic.in/pdfreports/Status%20of%20Women%20Journalists%20in%20India.pdf
- 10 -
conducted in 2002 by Press Institute of India commissioned by National Commission
for Women. A two pages questionnaire was distributed in three languages to
journalists across the country, from Punjab and Shillong in North and North East to
Kanyakumari in the South and from Calcutta in the East to Kotach in West.
This study reveals that women in regional-vernacular press are lagging far behind
their colleagues in the English language press. There is vast difference in the wages
earned by those in English national newspapers and those in regional media. This
report says that in regional press men and women are hired like contract labour on
daily wages. They are extremely insecure and invariably it is the women that are the
first to be axed.
The level of awareness of basic working conditions is very low on some key issues:
31 per cent were not aware if any equal employment policy existed in their
Organization.
29 per cent did not know if women were targeted for filling vacancies in their
Organizations.
19.5 per cent did not know whether formal appeal procedures or mechanisms
for handling grievances existed in their organization while 50.7 per cent were
sure of no such facility.
10 percent are not aware of any formal training programme in their
organization while 42.3 said that no such facility was provided.
87.6 percent are not aware of any superannuation scheme or believe that it
does not apply to them.

Job segregation was an issue of significance for many of the respondents. 24.7 per cent
feel that they do not have access to all areas of work and that lifestyle, arts, gender,
fashion and education are traditional areas reserved for women. But 87.3 per cent
believe that women have capability in all areas of journalism.
The changes that women want in their workplace include:
Positions advertised and proper selection and interview procedures
introduced;
- 11 -
Provision of training about equal employment opportunity and gender issues
for their male colleagues;
Transparency in terms and conditions of contract system of employment;
Childcare facilities;
Maternity leave;
Insurance;
An elected (not nominated) body for redressal of grievances.

Interestingly, childcare at work place and insurance cover emerged as the most
required facilities. 54.4 per cent thought that there had been no development
(permanent part-time, flexibility of working hours, special leave, childcare facilities,
study leave etc.) at their workplace in the interest of women generally. Only 29.4 per
cent of the respondents felt that their employers were responsible for changes that
had taken place. Most of these were perceived to have been brought about in response
to individual demands.
This study (2004) has been a major indicator of status of women in Print
media. Though Hindi Print media is not separately given that much importance but
collectively under print media it has been covered. It is to be noticed that since this
study was conducted, seven years have been passed, opportunities and competition
has been increased but still women journalists are at the disadvantaged end.
Women in the English language press do not have the same problems as
their sisters in the language press. They are better paid, and even if on contract, have
better facilities at workplace, have toilets and washrooms, get transport back home
after night shift, get maternity leave and various perks and privileges says the report.
Women might have been well off in the English language press in terms of
salaries and other perks compared to the regional language press but with the contract
system becoming a norm now, women seem to be getting short-changed. They do not
know how to read a contract, or how to negotiate. They have no idea of the benefits
they can get or perks they should demand. They tend to accept what is offered and
- 12 -
end up getting less than their male colleagues who are junior to them or do not get
normal benefits like leave, reimbursements, Provident Fund and so on. The situation
seems better in other languages in the south but contract system is seen as a bane in
the English newspapers. The Hindu, an English newspaper of South India seems to be
the only organization that continues to recruit people on Wage Board scales.
The biggest burden on women in journalism is their domestic responsibilities.
Quite a few women in English language press have put off having children in favour
of their careers. Most women who took break to bring up children or even those who
stayed home for a few months to have children believe they lost out on growth and
promotions. The report (2004) provides findings of young mothers that they would
like child care facilities in their work place so that they can concentrate on their
work. Some suggested that organization should consider having child care facilities
not just for women but also for men as it would go a long way in building an enabling
atmosphere for new and young mothers and fathers.
Report (2004) mentions the plight of early journalism for women that there
were very few women in newspapers in the early sixties and they were not allowed to
do night duty. According to the labour laws, there should be at least two women on a
night shift and office also has to provide transport back home after night duty. So this
important shift, which brings out the newspaper, was devoid of women till the mid-
seventies. While several news editors and editors used this pretext of the law to keep
women out of the desk in newspapers, there were a few women, who quoted the law,
to avoid the night shift.
These findings show sexual harassment is part of work culture in media
organizations in India but women either does not know how or, for a wide variety of
reasons, choose not to do anything about it.
Sexual harassment at the workplace is not only a gross violation of womens
right to a safe and supportive work environment but also, more fundamentally, of
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their basic right to livelihood. The Supreme Court ruling of 1997, commonly referred
to as the Vishakha Guidelines
4
, is quite explicit about the range of behaviours that the
apex court views as sexual harassment under the law.
In addition, Supreme Court mandates the setting up of sexual harassment
complaints and redressal committees within the workplace that include at least one
member external to the organization with relevant knowledge and experience in
dealing with such matters.

Analysis of the field study
This paper is an exploration of Status of women in Hindi Print media and is
worth studying during cut-throat competition in globalised media market. Precisely,
now media is all about electronic and visual production media. When news
organizations ignore and stereotype women, they contribute to continuing
misunderstanding and conflict in the world. News organizations include women but
fail to pay attention to cultural differences and specific contexts. The hierarchical
media structure can make its victim both male and female but female journalists are at
the most vulnerable end.
The language divide between Hindi and English print media clears
discriminatory grounds status of women. Mrinal Pandey
5
writes that unlike women in
the English Media, women workers in the Hindi media have traditionally remained
largely desk-bound. Most of them come from small towns and have studied in Hindi
medium colleges. The media organizations they work in, with very few exceptions,

4
This was the case, which bought sexual harassment at workplace into public glare. Bhanwari Devi a Saathin of a development
program run by the state government of Rajasthan, fighting against child and multiple marriages in villages, tried to stop child
marriage , Gujjar family got infuriated by her interference, and on September 1992 five men gang raped Bhanwari. Unable to get
justice, women groups had filed a petition in the supreme court of India, under the name of, 'Vishakha', asking the court to give
certain directions regarding the sexual harassment that women face at the workplace. The result is the Supreme Court judgment,
which came on the 13th august 1997, and gave the Vishakha guidelines.

5
She is an Indian television personality, journalist and author, and till recently chief editor of Hindi Daily, Hindustan. She left
Hindustan on Aug 31, 2009. She is appointed chairperson of Prasar Bharati, the apex body of official Indian Broadcast Media.

- 14 -
are owner driven, preoccupied with profit margins and politically ambitious at all
levels.
As the data from the National Readership Survey
6
(NRS) 2003 rolls in, it is
clear there is a new trend in media growth. Globalization with its symbiotic twin,
urbanization has effectively leveled the playing field in the English language media,
accounting for despair among magazines (down almost by 22%), dismay among
general interest/film and entertainment journals and wild celebration among major
Hindi dailies (Press Trust of India Report 2004).
While being fourth estate
7
media enjoys immense power. Despite having its
own contradictions regulation of media is challenging fact. Provisions like Working
Journalist Act
8
, 1957 is hardly ditto followed by the media organizations so it is also
said that media is has no teeth. Apart from this issues like conditions of work, wage
board, job security, safety are seen unsolved problems ever since.

This paper reveals factual gendered biasness in the behavior of the existing media
practices. I want to throw light on the qualitative and quantitative differences in this
field where gender difference are conceived as professional differences.


6
This provide estimates of the readership of major newspapers and consumer magazines, showing the size and nature of the
audiences they achieve the survey covers some 300 newspapers, newspaper supplements and magazines

7
The Fourth Estate is a term referring to the press. In this sense the term goes back at least to Thomas Carlyle who attributed it.
The term in current use is now appropriated to the Press, with the earliest use in this sense described by Thomas Carlyle in his
book On Heroes and Hero Worship.

8
The Act provides for regulation for certain conditions of service of working journalists and other persons employed in
newspaper establishments. The Act provides that for the purpose of fixing or revising rates of wages in respect of working
journalists, the Central Government as and when necessary shall constitute Wage Board. After receipt of the recommendations
of the Board, the Central Government is required to make an order in terms of recommendations and this order becomes
applicable on the class of news paper establishments for which the Board has recommended.


- 15 -
Like Bhasha Singh of Nai Duniya says that whenever it comes to a girl to join
journalism it is made clear to her that there is no girl and boy in this profession so
come may what a journalist is journalist.
During interviews I found that media as an industry is taking full advantage of
cheap labour as creative or intellectual labour where woman is at disadvantage end.
Because contract system supports hire and fire policy of the media-industry. Bhasha
Singh emphasized that when downsizing was done in the pretext of economic melt-
down, a large chunk of women journalists was fired abruptly left with no option.

Here I want to make a point that contract system snatches all liberty to negotiate
for rights as a worker that put women journalists as in more vulnerable end. The
language divide is vast between Hindi and English print media. Hindi journalism is
taken inferior to English print media that affect the status of women journalists also.
Poonam Pandey working in Navbharat Times, a Hindi news paper of Times group
clears that even newspapers of the same group have salary disparities. She says that
female journalists working with Times of India(English edition), are being paid more
in comparison to the Navbharat Times which is a Hindi newspaper of the same group.
The disparities between Hindi and English print media are vast that almost all
respondents accept that English media has better working environment, perks, salary,
facilities, job security in comparison to Hindi print media. It sharply indicates the
poor status of women journalists in Hindi print media.

Smita Mishra of Dainik Bhaskar said that number of female journalists working in
English print media is higher than the Hindi print media and it is quite visible that
English print media has better conditions of work, better salary, job satisfaction and a
status also in comparison to Hindi print media.
- 16 -
Similar to the report of Press Institute of India, it was found during interview
from Mala Dixit of Dainik Jagran who joined this profession as a legal reporter in 1996
said that newspapers shun recruiting women journalists as it requires further expenses
on security measures for them so better dont have women journalists especially for
night shifts. It is a kind of safety valve approach from the organization side. This fact
was found in the report also that several newspapers are reluctant to employee
women because they would take maternity leave; have to be provided transport after
night duty.
Regarding poor plight of working conditions, Neelam Jeena of a regional
paper Vishal Andhra Bharat said that now situation is ameliorated whereas she also
faced days when during her early days of profession she had to share common toilet
also.
The shocking fact is that despite facing and heard of sexual harassment
incidents, no organization has any formal body to address these issues of gender
sensitization which was found in report also. None of the interviewees told that any
such committee for gender-sensitization exists in their workplace. Though female
journalists are average comfortable to approach to higher authorities but whenever
any incident of sexual harassment is occurred it is always a closed cabin decision that
cannot be trusted at all. And most of the times it is ignored in the name of trivial issue
and openness.
Sarvesh, a senior photo journalist, has been freelancing for last 20 years,
presently working with Hindustan Hindi daily, but on the contract basis. She herself
faced incidents of sexual harassment and she also informed that one of her colleagues
in Hindustan faced such an incident but the then editor-in-chief Mrinal Pande who
was supposed to react positively made girl leave her job.
While taking qualitative information from interviews I have observed social
profiling of the women journalists that indicates that they are educated from good
- 17 -
institutions and many of them have professional qualification of Mass media except
the one who is photo journalist and completed her graduation few years before. It is
irony that most of them are working for more than 12 years and are on contract
system. They themselves are from upper caste and also shared that they have hardly
heard of any women journalists from disadvantaged communities especially from
oppressed class thus one size cannot fit all. Here I find discrimination based on caste,
class, religion, culture is significant to be considered.
The major factor to indicate status of women in Hindi print media is
accredited status which was untouched even in report of press Institute of India and
in earlier work of Ammu Josheph and Kalpana Sharma. This major aspect is missing
from the studies done so far specially report of Press Institute of India. To my mind it
can be a decisive factor because its all about job security in media as women have no
strong position in media it is rarely seen that women are accredited journalists. In my
sample only two women journalists are accredited journalists. During an interview
Smita Mishra of Dainik Bhaskar said that there is untold rule that certain higher
positions would never be given to women journalists.
The gender-bias is not observed by many of the female journalists now, like
when I interviewed Mala Dixit of Dainik Jagaran who is special correspondent there
said that City like Delhi cannot have cases of gender-discrimination in Print media
but it can be case of small cities and towns, no longer it exist. Because the
homogenous nature of competition has made things common for all thus even
existing discriminations are overlooked. I sense that perhaps now female journalists
do not see any gender-bias and reason is that women are taking risks to break barriers
of media but my point is that what is stance of other side that control opportunities,
resources and accessibility.
- 18 -
But shocking fact is that the duration of working hour is 10-12 hours even for
day shifts whereas according to Working Journalist Act
9
(1955) working hours are six-
hours for day shifts and in case of night shift it is five and a half-hours.
As per the demand of reporting job in city like Delhi where distance and
safety issue matter, female journalists said that organization doesnt provide any
transportation facilities but sometimes in case of late night assignment, it provided
dropping facility. In such situation journalists either uses their personal vehicle,
avoids night shifts, use public transportation also or escorted by male colleagues also.
The way responses were received that organizations shun recruiting women
journalists it became clear when the status of maternity leave was sought.
Even if who agree that they have paid maternity leave system said that
organization does not follow as it is but always put terms and conditions.
Apart from this another major factor to assess status of women journalists in
Hindi print media is paid maternity leave which is not even in the knowledge of
many women journalists. If any organization has this provision, it has its own terms
and conditions with all intentions not to offer it to the female employees. The study
of Press Institute of India found that quite a few women in the press put off marriage
and children to be in the profession where promotions are rare in newspapers.
Despite growing media-business and opportunities to report new beats,
female journalists feel that still there is discrimination regarding assigning beats
unless experience or anything else like source help. They are not free to work as per
their own choice and have to listen to authorities otherwise job would be lost. Still
the job designed for female journalist is not of her choice, Sarvesh a senior photo-
journalist of Hindustan said that though I have been freelancing for last 20 years for
press, recently after tough struggle I got a job on three years contract system. Despite
her well-recognized work on photography she faced discrimination regarding

9
An Act to regulate certain conditions of service of working journalists and other persons employed in newspaper establishment.
Retrieved 12/03/2010 from http://www.ijuindia.org/wjact.html
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coverage of the events. Whereas she covered Kargil war, did photo-feature, photo-
exhibition but couldnt get hardcore photography in press.
Since newspapers are also catering target groups and working on marketing
aspects issue-based reporting is at stake. All female journalists said that women-issues
are not given sufficient space especially because of stereotyping of women issues, they
are considered of low news value, it is different thing that nowadays sex and crime
has a big market whereas dowry is no longer a crime for news says Bhasha Singh of
Nai Duniya. But women-issues related to developmental politics are neither raised
nor given space in print media.
It has been interesting to know that no organization or union can work for
women to ameliorate status of women in print media as to some extent women
themselves are responsible for their underrepresentation. During interviews few
suggested that the State should intervene to regulate media and its discriminatory
policies to favour women from all communities and believe that its women own
struggle and she has to come forward all the time.
With the changing nature of reporting and newspapers strategies, women-
issues underwent changes. Female journalists see that women-issues are political
issues and part of development and agree that politics and development are inter-
related thus women issues. Whereas some believe that women issues should be
covered separately to bring them to light then only uneven development can be
visible because so far patch work is done in the name of equality.

Conclusion

Findings of the study raises question on the paradoxical nature of media i.e. on
one hand it advocates to bring real picture of society world over but doesnt dare to
challenge its own hierarchical character. Large number of women are working in the
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media but they lack of even basic facilities like transport maternity leave, childcare,
healthy working environment and equal access to decision making position. Marriage
is seen as a big hurdle in this profession so women are even ready to compromise with
their family life and avoid having kids. But it never reduces their household
responsibilities at all. Only if partner is also in same profession or is really cooperating
then only married life can work. Well-known journalist R Akhileshwari, says that a
female journalists is given mountain of work but does not get recognition. As a
woman bitterly pointed out, why speak of male colleagues, even the husband finds it
difficult to accept the wifes competence (Press Trust of India Report 2004).
There are several women at mid-level and senior level in The Hindu- women
who worked themselves up from the ranks to the top position of deputy editors,
special correspondents, chief-sub-editors and so on. The Indian Express has had a long
tradition of employing women as reports many of whom have risen to top positions.
But not in case of Hindi print media except Mrinal Pandey, former editor-in-chief of
Dainik Hindustan.
While studying the job insecurity as contract system prevails makes
circumstances so volatile and in favour of the media-houses. Neerja Chowdhury,
Political columnist and commentator of Indian Express, says that though women are
triply loaded in media but being under contract system it makes their position weak
to demand their rights and unable to negotiate. The large chunk of women is working
on all beats which earlier assumed as man-bastion.
Sexual Harassment at the workplace is a gross violation of womens right to a
safe and supportive work environment. The Supreme Court ruling of 1997, commonly
referred to as the Vishakha Guidelines, is quite explicit about the range of behaviors
that the apex court views as sexual harassment under law. Finding of the study show
that sexual harassment is part of work culture in media organizations but women do
not know how or, for a wide variety of reasons. Choose not to do anything about it.
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As organizations have no functional body to deal with these incidents. Why this
ignoring attitude is in practiced? If media organization cannot work to abide by
guidelines then its credibility is in danger.
The status of language also decides many things in the media. Bhasha Singh of
Nai Duniya says that being the language of elite and ruling class English print media is
progressing leaps and bound but Hindi print media is hegemonic thus people working
in Hindi print media are prey of inferior complex. Even female journalists of English
media have an edge over female journalist of Hindi print media.
Almost all women in language media felt that women are not recognized as
professionally competent today. This leads to widespread discrimination in salary,
promotions and work assigned making it very difficult for women to survive in the
field (Press Trust of India Report 2004). There should be some measures for
registration of women-man workforce in print media separately for Hindi and
English. Job security is must in media, thus media organization should not withdraw
from playing positive role for its intellectual labour.
Now commercialization of mass-media has make things more tough, since
very olden days journalism had no certain requirements of the candidates but with
emergence of modern education system now it has become more glamorized that
talks about global media and provides opportunities to certain people who have access
to resources but it really ignores women from disadvantaged groups. It needs to be
considered that how degree of discriminations affect women of particular class, caste,
culture, religion.
When news organizations ignore and stereotype women, they contribute to
continuing misunderstanding and conflict in the world. When news organizations
include women but fail to pay attention to cultural differences and specific contexts,
it indicates that again it replicates the system based on inequalities and earns profit.
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The hierarchical media structure can make its victim both male and female but female
journalists are at the most vulnerable end.
Finally, my study raises thing that how changing patterns of media industry
treats women and ignored to accept her as a professional entitled to enjoy every
professional facilities equal to man. Why there is low visibility of women journalists
working in Hindi print media? There is need to analyze the language chasm between
Hindi and English print media which is making women to compromise with their
status and they are under representation.
I found that this study is not sufficient to reach to any conclusion but indicates
number of things having further research ground. Here it is noticeable that contract
system is making things more difficult for women since vulnerabilities increases with
job insecurity and there is no forum or union for addressing the issues. The findings
are showing that women journalists are at compromising end and their work is not
being recognized.
The representation of women in mass-media is talked a lot but women within
media as workforce is less considered issue. The exclusion and oppression of women
by transnational corporations is translated into media representation and
employment. Now commercialization of mass-media has make things more tough,
since very olden days journalism had no certain requirements of the candidates but
with emergence of modern education system now it has become more glamourized
that talks about global media and provides opportunities to certain people who have
access to resources but it really ignores women from disadvantaged groups. It needs to
be considered that how degree of discriminations affect women of particular class,
caste, culture, religion.
Finally, my paper based on field study raises things that how changing patterns
of media industry treats women and ignores to accept her as a professional entitled to
enjoy every professional facilities equal to man. Why there is low visibility of women
- 23 -
journalists working in Hindi print media? Why women journalists are not decisive
force? Though it indicates silent revolution but it is less visible. Moreover, the class,
caste and status in society work to define the position and work culture in media.
There is need to analyze the language chasm between Hindi and English print media
which is making women to compromise with their status and they are under
representation.





















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