Women in journalism still experiencing glass ceiling

8 Aug 2006

"Shocking," is how Ferial Haffajee, South African National Editors Forum (SANEF) chair, Mail & Guardian editor-in-chief and 2006 MTN Women in the Media Award recipient, describes the results of the recent SANEF survey on the experiences of senior women journalists in SA newsrooms. This study confirms findings in other such studies: the glass ceiling effect for women in journalism continues.

Whereas the redressing of racial discrimination since the development of the "new" South Africa has received preference, that of gender discrimination is seemingly not regarded as important.

The results of the study, done by the SANEF sub-committee for diversity, were presented at the July annual general meeting of SANEF. This led to a decision to implement certain actions and to call for an audit of newsrooms to establish the status of women in newsrooms.

A roundtable discussion led by Jeremy Maggs on "Media on SAfm" on Sunday, 6 August 2006, and a press conference on Tuesday, 8 August 2006, at the Mail & Guardian head office in Johannesburg, were held to revisit the findings.

Some of the issues that were highlighted in the survey are, among others: prejudice and discrimination towards women, and that the newsroom culture and current definition of news and news practices should receive attention. Employment conditions and aspects such as the recognition of family responsibilities also need to be addressed. Workshops, including men, leadership seminars and career planning, have been raised as ways to resolve the situation. A lack of professional bodies, such as a journalism union that could lobby for change, and the lack of knowledge of equity laws, has also been highlighted and the lack of political will and institutionalised discrimination identified, too.

SANEF has appointed a "Glass Ceiling" task team to take the matter forward. Since the AGM, a plan of action has been drafted according to which news institutions will address the issues highlighted in the survey. Newsrooms affiliated to SANEF through their members are to use Women's Month as a springboard to seek ways of redressing this situation. An audit of women's positions in newsrooms is planned as part of the action plan.

Each institution will appoint a champion from within its ranks to champion gender affirmative action. It is suggested that workshops be held at all institutions to address the issues which were identified by the survey. Solutions to redress the situation in that particular newsroom, as formulated by the journalists themselves, will be sent to SANEF where it will be collated as a working document for the industry as a whole.

The full report and a presentation of findings, as well as the Glass Ceiling Action Plan, can be found on www.sanef.org.za/diversity.