Memorandum to the SABC

MEMORANDUM TO: THE SABC BOARD, MANAGEMENT AND STAFF

Women's Media Watch is a membership-based human rights organisation that strives towards the transformation of the media into a non-racist, non-sexist, non-classist and non-homophobic industry. We have taken this opportunity to join COSATU in urging the SABC to take their responsibility as a public broadcaster seriously, and to strive to promote the values of the South African Constitution and the creation of a free and open society. In particular we urge that the SABC avoid any type of bias in its news coverage, programming and advertising content across the board.

In general, the results of several media monitoring projects have revealed that women, blacks, the poor and rural communities in South Africa are either misrepresented, highly underrepresented and or almost invisible in media coverage. It is our contention that where a public broadcaster with public mandate is concerned, this is inexcusable.

Indeed, those who are highly visible and whose profiles the media in general and the SABC in particluar, promote, are of the images that are the legacy that is left with us from Apartheid, a legacy that deemed the only social reality to be that of a south african, middle aged, white male. Clearly our post libertaion condition dictates that the south african social, political,cultural and economic reality is otherwise.

Consequently, Women's Media Watch is of the opinion that the SABC as well as other media houses present a distorted and biased version of the South African reality. One of the ways in which that has occurred, either intentionally or unitentionally is through the use of a disproportionate amount of white males (as opposed to black females or males) as news sources, specialists, commentators and guests on particular news, features and actuality programmes.

As a result, an imbalance is created regarding the perceptions, values, attitudes and aspirations of the majority of South Africans. A wholly distorted and biased representation of the south african public and private imagination emerges, where the mandate of the public broadcaster should be promoting the values, attitudes, perceptions and aspirations of the majority. This has served to priveledge the voices of the elite at the expense of the majority.

With regards to Women, the most common roles they have been cast in or portray on radio or television are as entertainers, singers, musicians, and actors. The role of women as productive forces, career or profession oriented follows a vey distant second place, again distorting the real and productive role that women play in society.
In reality women workers constitute one of the largest groups in society, but are seldom featured in the media.

With specific regard to news, actuality and features programming, women are mostly absent save for the few that are cast as presenters. Women are seldom quoted or interviewed as authorities. Instead they are most often portrayed as bystanders, victims or realtives of those who generate featured news stories. Women are therefore constantly and ultimately cast on the peripehery in passive and limiting roles, never in the mainstream.

Women's Media Watch is aware that the SABC has an existing gender policy. This policy however would we argue need refinement with regard to internal structures of the SABC, particularly focusing on such matters as who holds decision making position. We are of the opinion that a separate but no less important policy should apply beyond the administrative and management dimension and apply in the selection, production guidelines, programming and programme acquisition process related to guiding content and programming. Both of these would need viogorous implementation and vigilant oversight in its application.

In our quest to make a valuable contribution to society and in an effort to co-operate and collaborate with the SABC, Women's Media Watch is ready to offer its facilities as a space where the media can actively engage with a wide range of women representing all walks of life.

Further suggestions for the SABC:

1. Monitoring of the integration of gender perspectives in programming, news, features and advertising content
2. Evaluating media content objectively and taking appropriate measures for the improvement of the production quality of screened and aired items
3. Conducting regular audience needs analysis and providing adequate feedback
4. Avoiding reinforcing stereotypes and sensationalism in news coverage and reportage
5. Recognise the changing role of women and men in SA society
6. Giving equal prominence to the achievements of women and men across the range of issues covered in the media
7. Inclusion of comprehensive analysis underlying issues in the portrayal, reporting and representation of women
8. It is our contention that where a public broadcaster with public mandate is concerned, this is inexcusable.