1 month ago
144
As we stand on the cusp of National Women’s Day on 9 August, it’s more than just a celebration. It’s a moment of reflection, a moment to acknowledge the strides made in gender transformation, especially at the higher echelons, in the local media industry. While the journey towards gender equality in our industry is far from over, the progress we’ve witnessed is a beacon of hope for the future.
Three decades into our democracy, women are claiming their rightful places in newsrooms and the media industry. This is not just a milestone, it’s a testament to the significant strides we’ve made.
Female journalist pioneers like Ruth First, Noni Jabavu, Juby Mayet, and countless others have multiplied. Their trailblazing efforts have not only laid the groundwork for the current generation of female journalists, but have also etched their names in the annals of history. We owe these remarkable women a debt of gratitude for paving the way for Nomavenda Mathiane, Lizeka Mda, Lakela Kaunda, Rehana Rossouw, Phindile Xaba, Karima Brown, Ferial Haffajee, Katy Katopodis, Anneliese Burgess, Phylicia Oppelt, Audrey Brown, and many other prominent female journalists.
Most recently we have seen the appointments of veteran journalist Mapi Mhlangu as editor-in-chief of Newzroom Afrika, and the Sowetan’s editor Nwabisa Makhunga as thechairperson of the South African National Editors Forum. These appointments are a welcome affirmation of the media industry’s commitment to gender transformation
However, it’s important to remember that these women at the top are not the norm, but the exception. Their rise to the top, while inspiring, also underscores the challenges that still exist. It’s a stark reminder that we must continue to push the boundaries, break the glass ceilings, and challenge the status quo until the day when women in leadership become the rule, not the exception.
In the end, every step forward is a step towards a future where every voice matters, where every story is told, and where every woman has the opportunity to lead. And that is a future worth striving for.
Trailblazers
Trailblazers like Terry Volkwyn, Yolisa Phahle and Phuti Mahanyele-Dabengwa have not just broken the glass ceiling, they’ve shattered it. Their leadership in major listed media companies is not just a victory for them, but a beacon of inspiration for others to follow. Yet, let’s not forget that this is not the endgame. Gender equality is not a destination, but a journey, and it’s a journey we’re all a part of. Especially when the reins of many media outlets are still firmly in male hands.
Since the dawn of democracy, the discourse around newsroom transformation has been dominated by race, leaving gender in the shadows. According to the 2024 study on race and leadership in the newsroom by the Reuters Institute, South African newsrooms are a global exemplar of racial diversity. In 2020, 68%of top editors were persons of colour, a figure that rose to 71% last year.
But when it comes to gender and despite progressive policies instituted by the ANC such as affirmative action, we’re lagging behind.
Why is the narrative of transformation so one-sided?
Why is the gender conversation not as loud as the race conversation?
Time to shift the focus
It’s time to shift the focus, to bring gender into the spotlight. It’s time to challenge the status quo, to question the norms, and to provoke a change. Because the future of our industry depends on it. And the future should be one in which every voice matters.
In a country where women constitute more than half the population, it’s a stark irony that only 30% of newsroom leaders were women six years ago. The needle has moved, but not enough. The media industry, both public and private, still favours men, particularly black men, for leadership roles. Black African women journalists often find themselves at the back of the queue.
Amplifying women’s voices
The fight for gender equality doesn’t end with appointing a woman as an editor or newsroom manager. It’s about amplifying women’s voices, incorporating gendered perspectives into reporting, and giving women equal coverage and airtime. Yet, the rise of cyber-misogyny, especially against female journalists, is a chilling new threat. The recent report by the International Center for Journalists on online violence against senior women journalists in South Africa is a wake-up call. It’s even more disturbing when such violence is implicitly encouraged by prominent opposition parties.
Women, prominent or not, are daily victims of cyber-harassment, slut-shaming, revenge porn, and hate. BigTech, led almost exclusively by men, is eroding women’s rights with its algorithms and products. The UN’s recent call to tech firms to take responsibility is a step in the right direction.
In the recent debates on the budget of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies, we elucidated on the broader transformative agenda we seek to drive in the seventh Parliament.
Progressive agenda
Part of this progressive agenda is ensuring women’s full participation in society and advancing gender equality in the communications and digital technologies space.
The media’s role isn’t just to keep the powerful in check. It’s to educate, inform, support development, and uphold our constitutional order. Advancing equality is a constitutional imperative, and the state cannot do it alone. Journalists and the newsrooms they lead are part of this nation, and must be part of the nation-building effort.
The fight for gender equality in the media industry is far from over. From the ANC benches in Parliament we will galvanise for change – on the newsroom floor, on the front pages, online, and on air. The time for action is now. HerStory Matters. DM
Khusela Sangoni Diko is the chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Communications and Digital Technologies.
