Armed with Pen and Microphone – Media As Tools of Social Development

ND MICROPHONE ARMED WITH PEN A MEDIA as TOOLS OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT A Study With financial support of Published with the support of the European Union. The responsibility for the content of this publication rests solely with Frauensolidarität. The content in no way reflects the opinions of the European Union. Copyright Published by: Frauensolidarität / Women’s Solidarity 2014 ,Sensengasse 3, A-1090 Wien, ZVR-Zahl (Austrian Association Registry No.): 624081934, Phone +43 1 3174020, www.frauensolidaritaet.org, [email protected] Copyright: Frauensolidarität / Women’s Solidarity 2014 Author: Caroline Haidacher Editors: Claudia Dal-Bianco und Helga Neumayer Translation: Sylvi Rennert Layout: www.weiderand.net Printed by: Rema-Print-Littera Druck, Neulerchenfelderstraße 35, A-1160 Wien 2 Women can tell a story that reflects the point of view of women, not that of mainstream culture. ... When we tell stories, we can also learn from them in many different ways. Lindsey Collen, Mauritius, writer (2012) If we want our words to have value, if we want a liveable world for men and women, or a society in which we are equals, we women must own and operate alternative media of communication – media that recognise all forms of violence against women as an epidemic and treat it as such. Jamileth Chavarria Mendieta, Nicaragua/Spain, radio activist (2013) For me, radio is the most powerful of all media. Radio has the power to overcome boundaries created by unequal access to education. You don’t need a lot of money or com- plicated technological equipment to listen to the radio or make radio. The radio is a crucial link to the outside world for women who work at home. It is the only medium they can consume without stopping their work. You cannot do that with TV. Seidy Salas Viquez, Costa Rica, radio activist (2013) There are different ways one can look at women’s movements having media in their own hands. Having a radio or TV station and a newspaper or magazine is good in that you own the output and set the agenda. But how much of that output do you have? How much of your audience/readers do you reach? Even if women’s movements have their own media, they will still have to work with the mainstream media. It is a fact that the media is an agenda setter. It is therefore good for women’s movements to have a working relation- ship with the media. The media needs to be engaged so that it understands the issue/s at hand and thus support them with the knowledge that has been given to them. Valerie Msoka, Tanzania, journalist (2013) 3 Table of contents 5 Preface 7 Introduction 9 I. Women, gender and media 10 UN World Conference on Women in Beijing 11 The Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) 17 II. A new era of communication 18 The MacBride report 21 World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 22 World Social Forum (WSF) and World Forum of Free Media (WFFM) 23 World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC) 29 International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC) 30 World Association of Christian Communication (WACC) 31 III. Community-Media: „Everyone is a witness, everyone is a journalist“ 33 Who is behind the media? The question of ownership 34 A brief history of community media 34 New media 36 Community media in Latin America 37 Community media in Africa 39 IV. Examples of media (self-) organisation 40 Using imagination and creativity (Costa Rica) 42 Radio drama 42 “The courage to imagine a different world” 44 Pioneer work at the regional level (Namibia) 45 Sister Namibia 47 “We want to be a critical voice” 48 Transnational networks of science and grassroots work (South Africa) 49 Gender Links 51 “We have to get involved” 52 Raising awareness among journalists (Tanzania) 53 Media Gender Code of Ethics 54 TAMWA (Tanzania Media Women’s Association) 56 “Armed with pen and microphone” 58 Fighting violence with a fictional character (Nicaragua) 59 Radio Palabra de Mujer 60 “Feminism saved my life” 63 Cross-media resistance (Colombia) 66 OFP (Organización Femenina Popular) 67 “Globalise solidarity” 70 Summary 71 Conclusions 74 Sources 78 Glossary of acronyms 4 Preface to the study “Media as tools of social development” As radio activists, we have learned a lot: How to keep calm while moderating a live show in a studio full of people, using the mixer, and mentally coordinating a feminist topic and some 12 music tracks. As “Women on Air” since 2005, we have had the opportunity to meet colleagues from all over the world. We met our courageous Colombian friends from the Organización Femenina Popular (OFP), who wanted to expose the inhumane practices of transnational corporations, paramilitary groups and the government with their magazine, radio programmes and TV spots. These women received death threats, were tortured, and still were very clear on one thing: The best protection for human rights defenders is their strong public voice. From the efforts of the professional media experts of the Tanzanian Media Women’s Association (TAMWA) we learned how to successfully influence mainstream media with coordinated journalistic women’s and human rights campaigns. We realised how long our colleagues in Central America had been using radio and alternative media in very creative ways – from feminist radio dramas and radio characters with magic powers to information and support for migrant women “en ruta norte”, on the way to the north. We discovered many things that we ourselves had yet to learn. And finally we looked at international regulations: Do women have a guaranteed right to mass communication? To what extent can they shape the image of women in the media? Why is radio such a particularly important means of communication for women worldwide? These questions were the starting point for an in-depth examination of the topic, the results of which you are now reading. This is a study that gives us hope. The world in which we live to a large extent degrades women and girls as cheap labour. It denies them many of their basic economic, cultural and social rights and the right to decide about their own body. But at the same time, all across that same world, there are women who are fighting courageously for their right to participate in society and decide about their own body. They do it especially in the media, which is where you can hear, see and read it best: A different world is not only possible, it is necessary. Now! Claudia Dal-Bianco und Helga Neumayer Editors 5 Why is it important for women’s movements and organisations to have control over the media? Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach once said: “Exceptions are not always the proof of the old rule; they can also be the harbinger of a new one.” I believe this is also an accurate de- scription of women’s role in the media – both in journalism and in management. Media where women are publishers, editors-in-chief and heads of section remain the excep- tion, but I do see changes that herald the sorely needed new rule. For me, women’s movements, women’s organisations and women in general as media publishers and producers are the key to changing the current balance of power in politics and society. Women focus on different aspects, they have different, new, better perspectives and approaches for the hitherto far too male-dominated media world. Women give different, better, new answers to current questions and show different, better, new ways of overcoming the crises we face. Marx spoke of a “collectivisation of the means of production”, by which he meant that the workers should collectively own the means of production. I would like to speak of a “feminisation of the media”. I see this as a task for women’s movements and organisations that are committed to emancipation. In contrast to the tabloid press with its one- sided image of women, these (feminist) women’s movements must publish their own alternative media that describe, explain and promote our view of women and the world. Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach also said: “There is only one proof of ability—action.” I am convinced that women’s movements and individual women make an enormous dif- ference in the world of media – let us take action! Ulrike Lunacek, MEP Vice president and spokeswoman on foreign affairs of the Greens in the European Parliament and chairwoman of Frauensolidarität I Women’s Solidarity 6 Introduction Powerlessness and invisibility are key factors of poverty. Women are affected more than men, and this discrepancy is growing, particularly in the countries of the Global South. This has been confirmed by a number of studies in the last years. However, these studies have also shown that political participation of women grows with awareness- raising and information, which can improve their situation. When women know how the political processes in their community work, they can become much more involved in democratisation. The media play a key role in this. Alternative media aim to involve all parts of society, while state-owned media exclude some groups and private media seek to improve their ratings. The latter have no particular interest in gender equality and social inclusion. Community media, on the other hand, give women easier access to the media and to the dissemination of information. This turns women into political, independent actors. This kind of participation not only strengthens women but also contributes to reducing gender-based poverty, particularly in so-called developing countries. When women are excluded from knowledge about the dynamics of politics, they lack the tools to participate actively in democratisation processes.

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