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Media Complaints

Women's Media Watch provides a channel through which complaints against discriminatory and harmful media practices and reporting can be lodged.

We would like to bring about a more balanced picture of women's diverse lives and contributions to society in a changing world. This includes recognising how the violent and degrading or pornographic media products negatively affect women and their participation in society. The global trend towards consumerism has created a media environment in which advertisements and commercial messages often portray women primarily as consumers and targets increasingly younger girls in inappropriate ways.

TABLOIDS

We have witnessed the rise of tabloid journalism with dismay and have written to the editors and the ombudsman in support of individual complaints received from members of the public, with particular focus on the "Page 3" image of women.

To date, we have been unsuccessful in our appeals against the use of these images. The moral imperative to forgo such images on the part of media management is less important than the commercial gain to be had from the "sex sells" approach.

We have taken a policy decision at Women's Media Watch to support individual complaints with our endorsement as an organisation. We cannot however take up each complaint on its own merit to the point of litigation, as our resources are limited. We are committed to providing advice, support and will endeavour to chip away at this issue until change is effected.

If you would like to share your views or comments for posting on our website, please contact Aniela Gella