Mass Media Research: Media And Women

TOPIC CHOSEN: MEDIA AND WOMEN

This topic was unanimously chosen by the group members as it was assumed that media has changed everything about women in India. How has media affected women and in turn what have women contributed to the media in general? This basic question was tried to be tackled in our group discussion.

REASON FOR CHOOSING THE TOPIC

As media students, the group members were curious to know what the real situation of women is in today’s society. And, we wanted an unbiased and pragmatic answer. Was our assumption that all the changes pertaining to women had its root in media correct? Has media actually lead women to their liberation or has it created a pseudo reality where women think they are on par with men but are subconsciously manipulated by men or their own circumstances to do things that they do not want to? Such questions no doubt have had everyone puzzled, even women themselves. So bringing it on as the topic of discussion was one of the ways in which more light could be shed on the topic.

PREPARATION FOR GROUP DISCUSSION

Since this was a wide topic, the group members were perplexed as to where to start. But, later , all of us realized, that ideas and questions come up when we just speak about the topic. Soon questions were formed based on everyone’s curiosities. We found it very amusing indeed that we did not have to go scurrying for other sources of information in order to frame our questions.
Questions from the viewpoint of a male, from the viewpoint of a female, from the viewpoint of a student etc. were coined. We made sure we prepared plenty of questions so that we don’t run out of them in the middle of the group discussion. The questions were prepared in simple lucid language to make it easier for the participants to understand the question.

THE GROUP DISCUSSION

The group discussion went on smoothly. We had only nine instead of the usual ten participants. After each question was asked, we made it a point to explain the question to give the participants a better idea of what we are expecting as answers from them. This method really avoided the situation where the audience exhibits a stupefied silence due to their inability to grasp the question. We got loads of feedback from them. Many of their answers were indeed useful in preparation of our final questionnaire.

The following topics were discussed in the group discussion.

1) Exposure by women.
Selected participants said that this should not be a matter of concern. If the person who is wearing such attire is comfortable then it should not bother others. We are getting westernized day by day, this is just a part of that transition. But majority of the participants agreed that there exists an invisible line, atleast in our Indian society, which should not be crossed, if not for anything else but out of respect for our culture and tradition. Maybe Indians are influenced more by western culture but yet we haven’t started wearing bikini’s on our beaches simply because, our culture is different.
So most of the participants said that they do not agree with the media’s idea of increasing TRP’s with mini-skirts and plunging necklines. In fact, most of them are very much against the idea of using women as sex-symbols.

2) Usage of provocative slang words to address women.
In this case the media was convicted. The majority of the participants agreed that the media is only producing the products that are fast selling. And if we want to put an end to this trend of substituting provocative slang words in place of respectable words we should stop listening to such songs in protest.

3) Increasing sensuousness in media & its effect on growing girls.
According to the participants, media definitely affects growing girls and the media’s definition of beauty is stuck on the minds of female preteens and teens, which they carry with them even in their adulthood. Girls even as young as those in the eighth standard fall prey to diseases like bulimia and anorexia because they try to be sexy by starving themselves to death.
Surely a healthy take on feminine beauty and not just highlighting the sensuous attributes of females will help in providing a better way of thinking for growing girls. In this age where television sets are surrogate nannies, the people who control the content that is broadcast in television as well as the censor board authorities should filter out what would cause a negative impact on the nation’s daughters.

4) Media’s role in making society a safer place for women.
Media’s role in putting out a fight for women’s issues was well appreciated by the participants. But they also had opinions that sometimes the media just sensationalizes the issue without caring for the victim’s dignity, especially in rape and molestation cases. What the participants unitedly agreed on was that the media tries its level to uplift issues concerning women but unfortunately it hasn’t been able to help materialize the dream of a safe society for women.

Conclusion:

It is a matter of concern how physical exposure by women is increasing in big as well as small screen.
Media is responsible for provocative slang words to have become common.
Medias portrayal of beauty does affect growing girls.
Media has changed the way our society looks at women.
The teasing shown in Bollywood is inspiring the roadside romeos to do their tricks.
Not just the media but every normal citizen should help in making the society a better place for women.
Media has surely contributed for women to be on par with men but other factors such as education, urbanization, family background and social renaissance are also responsible. Education being the prime factor.