Project Paper On:

Role of Media in Breaking Gender-Role

Stereotypes

SUBJECT: Gender Justice and Feminist

Jurisprudence

Presented by:

Abhinav Anand, University Roll No.- L03/LLBH/161400,

Registration No.- L03-1121-0007-16, College Roll No. – 01

Jogesh Chandra Chaudhuri Law College
6th Semester (Hons.)
 ABBREVIATIONS

AIR – All India Reporter

AP – Andhra Pradesh
CA. – California
CEDAW – Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
CSW – Commission on the Status of Women
GMMP – Global Media Monitoring Project
ICT – Information and Communication Technology
IIMC – Indian Institute of Mass Media
ITA – The Information Technology Act, 2000 (Act 21 of 2000)
L.N.V. – Legal News and Views
SC – Supreme Court
SCC – Supreme Court Cases
SIC – Safer Internet Centre
TRP – Television Rating Point
UN – United Nations
USA – United States of America

TABLE OF CASES
i. Chandrakant Kalyandas Kakodkar v. State of Maharashtra (1969) 2 SCC 687

ii. Chandra Raja Kumari v Police Commissioner AIR 1998 AP 302

iii. Ranjit D. Udeshi v. State of Maharashtra AIR 1965 SC 881

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4

1. INTRODUCTION------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4

2. THE GENDER STEREOTYPE------------------------------------------------------- 5

2.1. GENDER DIFFERENCES SEEN IN SOME SITUATIONS----------------- 6

3. GENDER AND MEDIA----------------------------------------------------------------- 7

4. MASS MEDIA AND ITS INFLUENCES ON STEREOTYPES---------------- 8

5. ADDRESSING GENDER ISSUES IN MEDIA CONTENT--------------------- 9

5.1. DISPROPORTIONATE MEDIA COVERAGE OF WOMEN ISSUES----- 10

6. MEDIA CONTENT AND PORTRAYAL OF MEN AND WOMEN----------- 11

6.1. MEDIA CONTENT AND GENDER IDENTITY------------------------------- 12

7. COUNTERING GENDER DISCRIMINATION------------------------------------ 13

AND NEGATIVE GENDER STEREOTYPES

7.1. WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE----------------------------------------------------- 13

7.2. INCREASING PARTICIPATION

AND INFLUENCE OF WOMEN IN THE MEDIA---------------------------- 14

7.3. WOMEN PROFESSIONALS IN THE MEDIA--------------------------------- 15

7.4. RELEVANT LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS------------------------------------- 15

8. RECOMMENDATIONS----------------------------------------------------------------- 17

9. CONCLUSION----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19

10. BIBLIOGRAPHY-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
 ABSTRACT
Media’s role in a democracy is to bring mass awareness on political, social and economic
issues. However, media channels tend to give preference to political and economic news
items over social issues, especially the issue of women. This has led to the issues on women
take a backseat. Media can play a significant role in sensitizing the society about gender
issues. But, before that, the media itself needs to be sensitized in covering women issues.
The distribution of power between the two sexes – both physical and economic- is unequal,
leading to discrimination against women. Media exerts immense influential power on the
masses; this cannot be undermined. Portrayal of women as equal has not been given the
priority it deserves by the media. Women issues should be dealt in a sensitive, responsible
way by the media. Declining sex ratio, rape, workplace sexual harassment, dowry-related
crimes, domestic violence, molestation, eve-teasing and honour killings are some of the
issues that the media needs to sensitize the society about. Total women empowerment can
come about only if it includes political, social, cultural and other dimensions of human life.
This happens only if development includes women participation and control over resources
of power. The electronic media and particularly TV has become the most influential medium
of mass communication. It is a disturbing trend when media negatively portrays women as
“the weaker sex” who should remain subservient. Most disturbing, however, is the
disproportionate coverage of sensationalized violence. Sexual brutalization of women has
remained a highly marketable commodity. “Commodification” of women as “sexual
objects” in advertisements should be stopped. Media can either be an accomplice to gender
based discrimination or it can challenge the gender bias by providing balanced coverage.
Keywords: media, gender-stereotyping, commodification of women, gender sensitization, media
literacy.

1. INTRODUCTION

Media as the fourth pillar of democracy has immense power to act as the watchdog of the
society. It is the mirror of society and reflects of happenings in the society. It can influence
the masses and the convergence of the media has further enhanced its potential as a tool of
creating public opinions and values. Television which has become the most important
medium of mass communication in India pays an important role in creating public opinion.
Mass awareness by using the media on issues of political, social and economic importance
holds the foundation of any democracy. In fact, development communication, has developed
as a discipline wherein, media plays its role in the development of the nation. It is mostly
observed that news on political and economic issues dominate over social issues. Social
issues are not given the kind of importance or platform of communication that it deserves.
Issues of violence against women and other discrimination against women which basically

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
stems from inequality – both in terms physical and economic power – between men and
women is rarely given the importance it deserves.
Mass Media cannot operate in a social vacuum; it naturally takes on the form and colouration
of the social and political structures within which it operates. According to the Social
Responsibility Theory of the Media, the media has to shoulder responsibility for the social
uplift of a society1.
Media influence has increased to such an extent that an individual finds it difficult to
maintain an identity and self-understanding without using media as the reference point. The
power of the media in shaping the world’s perception has increased manifold over the years.
Due to the outreach and technological sophistication, Media’s role has now expanded and
increased beyond the mere supply of information. It can be said, that can now ‘create reality’.
Media can effectively shape public opinion, influence personal beliefs and even alter
people’s self-perceptions. Ideologies, thought processes and the methods of socializations
are greatly influenced by the media. It is time that media becomes highly sensitive to gender
issues. There is no doubt that the stereotypical portrayal of women and minorities in India
could help to reinforce cultural stereotypes rather than stimulate new thinking about the roles
in society.2

2. THE GENDER STEREOTYPE

Gender is the state of being male or female in relation to the social and cultural roles that are
considered appropriate for men and women and responsibilities that have been constructed
by the society, in a given culture or location. These roles have political, cultural,
environmental, economic, social, and religious factors influencing them. Custom, law, class,
ethnicity, and individual or institutional bias influence ‘gender stereotype’. Within the above
framework, gender attitudes and behaviors can be learned and can also be changed.
According to Gender stereotypical perceptions women are supposed to be dependent, weak,
incompetent, emotional, fearful, flexible, passive, modest, soft-spoken, gentle, care takers
while men are powerful, competent, important, logical, decision-makers, aggressive,
focused, strong and assertive. Gender stereotype and gender inequality is so deeply engraved

1
V. B. Aggarwal and V. S. Gupta, Handbook of Journalism and Mass Communication (Concept Publishing
House, New Delhi, 2002).
2
K. J. Kumar, Mass Communication in India (Jainco Publishing House, Mumbai, 2008).

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
in the long history of social consciousness that it is now believed that only the media with
its tremendous reach and power would be the ideal tool in bringing about gender equality.
In India where a patriarchal society flourishes, ‘son preference’ is an age-old gender bias, in
which the male of the family bears the responsibility of ‘carrying forward’ the family’s
name. He is supposed to support his parents in old age and also perform their last rites when
they die. The fact that daughters are generally regarded as ‘Parayadhan’ or ‘somebody else’s
wealth’ and the giving away as dowry to the groom ensure that daughters are often seen as
an ‘economic liability’.
A United Nations statistic shows Gender inequality very starkly: Women perform two-third
of the world’s work but earn only one-tenth of the world’s income. They comprise two-third
of the world’s illiterates and own less than one–hundredth of the world’s property. A gross
discrimination stands out.
The international human rights law framework prohibits gender stereotypes and stereotyping
which undermine the enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. States have
obligation to eliminate discrimination against women and men in all areas of their lives. This
obligation requires States to take measures to address gender stereotypes both in public and
private life as well as to refrain from stereotyping.
Wrongful gender stereotyping is a frequent cause of discrimination against women and a
contributing factor in violations of a vast array of rights such as the right to health, adequate
standard of living, education, marriage and family relations, work, freedom of expression,
freedom of movement, political participation and representation, effective remedy, and
freedom from gender-based violence.

2.1. GENDER DIFFERENCES SEEN IN SOME SITUATIONS

Social situations: The social roles demand that the head of the family is always a male. He
is also the main bread-winner while the woman is usually seen as a house-maker, a nurturer
and care-giver.
Political situations: Power sharing between men and women is biased. Men are seen mostly
at higher level of political field – the national, while women are expected to be at the local
level.

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
Educational situations: There is a definite gender bias in educational opportunities and
expectations. It is the boy in the family who gets the resources for higher education. Girls
are usually expected to go to less-challenging academic fields.
Economic situations: There is a wide gap between accesses to lucrative careers and finance
between men and women. Credit and loans; land ownership policies etc. are more biased
towards men.

3. GENDER AND MEDIA

Media play important roles in society. They report on current events, provide frameworks
for interpretation, mobilize citizens with regard to various issues, reproduce predominant
culture and society, and entertain. As such, the media can be an important factor in the
promotion of gender equality, both within the working environment (in terms of employment
and promotion of female staff at all levels) and in the representation of women and men (in
terms of fair gender portrayal and the use of neutral and non-gender specific language).
It has long been recognized by Feminists all over the world that there is a significant and
long lasting influence of the media in either challenging or perpetrating existing
constructions of gender. In a broad-ranging analysis, Feminist Media Studies, Liesbet van
Zoonen explores the ways in which feminist theory and research contribute to the fuller
understanding of the multiple roles of the media in gender construction in contemporary
societies. The book analyses media representations through content analysis and semiotics.
Media as a tool for gender sensitization can only be utilized when the full influence of media
of media on gender construction is understood.3
The Fourth Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP 2009-2010), which is the most
extensive research on gender bias and subsequent initiatives in the news media, shows
women representation in the media. The GMMP, after gathering insights and information
through media monitoring aims to promote a balanced gender representation in and through
the news media. It involves voluntary participation of women from grassroots communities
to university students and researchers to media practitioners4.

3
Liesbet van Zoonen, Feminist Media Studies (Sage Publications, CA, USA 1994)
4
Anonymous, Global Media Monitoring Project Report (2009-2010)

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
It was astonishing, as the report shows that less than one fourth (24 percent) of the people
made visible or heard or read about on Television and print news worldwide is female. That
means that for every three males we see or read about in the media, we get to see or hear or
read about only one female. This represents just a seven percent increase in fifteen years. In
so called the ‘News subjects’ which rank higher in the media agenda, the visibility of women
was even less. Women were represented only in four percent of ‘politics and government’
stories and just one percent in ‘economy’ stories.

4. MASS MEDIA AND ITS INFLUENCE ON STEREOTYPES

The impact of the stereotypes spread in the media is very serious on teenagers, both males
and females, and it can have long-lasting consequences. The Maltese Safer Internet Centre
(SIC) describe this issue and the activities they carry out to fight the negative influence of
stereotypes on children and teenagers.
Without a doubt, one cannot but admit that mass media are part of the world of today,
particularly in the developed countries. Newspapers and printed materials, the television, the
radio and the internet provide entertainment and are necessary for work and daily life, such
as for online banking, buying and searching information.
The internet is now the fastest-developing medium, yet television is also still very popular
as well as very influential. With the messages sent, highlighted and given importance to, the
media has the power to influence people's desires, opinions, beliefs and attitudes.
The brain helps each individual organise their acquired knowledge about the world around
them, through a sorting process aimed at simplifying information. The brain creates
cognitive schemes, which help one define the basics of the world and civilisation. These
mental schemes, often based on tradition and resistant to change, produce many
simplifications and generalisations. These stereotypes created present an incomplete,
subjective and in certain instances, unrealistic or false idea of reality. What children and
youths see, hear and understand in the media helps them figure out who and what is valued
in our society. The media have a lot of power to endorse stereotypes. Even today, regardless
of the fact that people are so much more conscious of the issue, mass media still perpetuates
traditional gender stereotypes. People, including children and youths, fall into the trap of
replicating behaviour and assumptions witnessed in online spaces.

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
Males are influenced regarding the limits of their macho persona, being aggressive and not
showing feelings and emotions. Females, on the other hand, are influenced regarding their
position in society, occupations and, to a much greater extent than males, to their ideal
physical image. Explicit and indirect hidden messages online could reinforce stereotypical
gender norms, that influence young people who are in the process of developing their identity
and views about the roles and opportunities they see available depending on their gender.
However, the stereotypes propagated by the media go way beyond just gender stereotypes.
Due to their great influence on people's attitudes, the television and the internet, in particular,
can depict certain social groups in an adverse and unrealistic manner.

5. ADDRESSING GENDER ISSUES IN MEDIA CONTENT

In 1995, Governments participating in the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing

reached consensus on specific strategic objectives and related actions to advance equality,
development and peace for all women. One objective – to “promote a balanced and non-
stereotyped portrayal of women in the media”5 – listed several actions, inter alia, promoting
research and implementing an information, education and communication strategy,
encouraging the media to refrain from exploitation, sexualisation and commodification of
women, and promoting the idea that sexist stereotypes in media are gender discriminatory,
degrading and offensive.
Eight years later in 2003, the Commission on the Status of Women recognized “the potential
of the media and of information and communication technologies to contribute to the
advancement and empowerment of women”.6 The CSW proposed 24 actions for
Governments, the UN system, international financial institutions, civil society, the private
sector and other stakeholders. The Commission underlined the need to prioritize gender
perspectives in ICT and media policy and regulations, to support research, education and
training, to strengthen inter-stakeholder partnerships, to tackle media-based violence against
women and to allocate adequate resources.

5
Section J on “Women and the Media”, Beijing Platform for Action (2015)
6
Agreed conclusions CSW47, 2003

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals “seek to realize the human rights of all and achieve
gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls7. The role of media in
advancing gender equality is mentioned specifically in the Post-2015 development blueprint
under Goal 5 on enhancing the use of “information and communications technology, to
promote the empowerment of women”.
The Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
(CEDAW) recognizes the role of stereotypes in “giving rise to the multitude of legal,
political and economic constraints on the advancement of women. 8 Article 5 of the
Convention obliges States parties to take measures to “modify the social and cultural patterns
of conduct of men and women with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and
customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of the inferiority or the
superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles for women and men”. Combatting
sexist stereotypes in the media is a necessary part of the process.

5.1. DISPROPORTIONATE MEDIA COVERAGE OF WOMEN ISSUES

Media’s agenda-setting role ensures that we get to see, read or hear what the media deems
important. Very often, lack of appropriate media coverage or under-coverage implies that
the issue is unimportant. If a story is not reported or not significantly reported, public
awareness is significantly lessened. The consequence of media ignorance and bias against
women is a global pandemic and is horrific. Disproportionate coverage of sensationalized
violence is perhaps the most disturbing. Rape stories, perhaps it focuses on one individual,
gets far more coverage than domestic violence stories. Sexual brutalization of women is a
highly marketable business and a profitable story for the news media. For voyeuristic reasons
that soar up the TRPs, the Indian media, be it press or the broadcasters, usually chooses to
highlight the rape and murder rather than to report about the success of women in the local
elections. The actual problems plaguing the real India, its culture, traditions, faiths and facets
of ‘development communication’ usually take a back seat. When compared to men, the
overall media coverage of women is much less. Men have more opportunities to present their
opinions and are shown in a wide spectrum of professions.

7
Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UN General Assembly, 2015
8
Introduction, CEDAW, UN General Assembly, 1979

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
 6. MEDIA CONTENT AND PORTRAYAL OF
MEN AND WOMEN

Fair gender portrayal in the media should be a professional and ethical aspiration, similar to
respect for accuracy, fairness and honesty. Yet, unbalanced gender portrayal is widespread.
The Global Media Monitoring Project finds that women are more likely than men to be
featured as victims in news stories and to be identified according to family status. Women
are also far less likely than men to be featured in the world’s news headlines, and to be relied
upon as ‘spokespeople’ or as ‘experts’. Certain categories of women, such as the poor, older
women, or those belonging to ethnic minorities, are even less visible. Stereotypes are also
prevalent in every day media. Women are often portrayed solely as homemakers and
caretakers of the family, dependent on men, or as objects of male attention. Stories by female
reporters are more likely to challenge stereotypes than those filed by male reporters. As such,
there is a link between the participation of women in the media and improvements in the
representation of women.
Men are also subjected to stereotyping in the media. They are typically characterized as
powerful and dominant. There is little room for alternative visions of masculinity. The media
tends to demean men in caring or domestic roles, or those who oppose violence. Such
portrayals can influence perceptions in terms of what society may expect from men and
women, but also what they may expect from themselves. They promote an unbalanced vision
of the roles of women and men in society.
Attention needs to be paid to identifying and addressing these various gender imbalances
and gaps in the media. The European Commission (2010) recommends, for example, that
there should be a set expectation of gender parity on expert panels on television or radio and
the creation of a thematic database of women to be interviewed and used as experts by media
professionals. In addition, conscious efforts should be made to portray women and men in
non-stereotypical situations.

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
 6.1 MEDIA CONTENT AND GENDER IDENTITY

Deodrin Correa (2011) in ‘The Construction of gender identity in India through television
advertisements: A semiotic analysis’, investigates how television advertisements in India
construct gender identity.
Advertisements that appeared during popular Indian television serials were obtained from a
local video rental outlet and recorded on a weekly basis for a period of six months9. A
representative sample was then screened and used for analysis. This study employed
semiotics as a method for analysing the ideological messages of Indian television
advertisements10.
Interestingly, Correa found out that all the advertisements involving domesticity emphasized
the traditional role of women – as a wife and mother. Through the ideologically constructed
messages of the advertisements, the domestic roles of women were made to appear normal
while highlighting their traditional bearings. This study is one of the first major studies of
the nexus between the media, and the construction of gender-identity in India today.
Therefore, this study will be repeatedly referred by the policy makers as well as educators
for developing and implementing a media literacy programs which aim at developing
students’ critical thinking and their capacity to evaluate the role and power of the media in
lives.
There have been attempts in recent years to project images of women in power and authority.
These images ostensibly attempt to erase the established negative gender stereotype and
challenge them. They tend to be different from the typical objectification of women.
However, on up close, it was found that most of these so-called ‘challenging’ and even
‘feminist’ images served only to reinforce the norm and form they were refuting. For
example, men working in kitchens or using domestic appliances are portrayed as ‘stupid’
and ‘incompetent’ and as ‘misfits.’ We laugh at these ‘male stupidity’ because we feel it is
absurd for men to work in a kitchen. It is women who should be in the kitchen! The men
appear stupid because they do not belong there. We are thus reinforcing the stereotype that
women are born to be in a kitchen while it would be stupid for men to work in a kitchen. In

9
D. M. Correa, “The Construction of Gender Identity in India through television advertisements: A semiotic
analysis” Australian Catholic Church Publication, (2011).
10
D. Chandler, Semiotics: The Basics (Routledge, USA, 2001).

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
these subtle ways the gender ideology creates gender bias in our society. Similarly, women
in positions of power and authority often run the risk of appearing ‘unfeminine’ or even
ridiculous in media. There seems to be confusion regarding the media’s perspective of
women and her role in the society. The transition from a subservient role to an independent
one is one which the media is finding hard to depict. A woman still has this eternal image of
one confined to the boundaries, duties and responsibilities of her home and her family. Then
there exists the uber woman who knows what she wants and gets it. Two very conflicting
but not necessary mutually exclusive images of women arise.
Our women are paying a price for this contradiction. Media and advertising are
compromising women’s multiple identities in contemporary Indian society. A woman, it
seems, cannot have the best of both the worlds.

7. COUNTERING GENDER DISCRIMINATION AND

NEGATIVE GENDER STEREOTYPES

7.1 WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE

The phenomenon of gender stereotypes needs to be countered and fought in multiple areas:
in languages and vocabulary, laws and practices, mind-sets of people, justice systems, media
and education, in different organizations and public authorities, in enterprises, and in
individuals. Concerted effort is needed to change the cosmography of gender inequality.
In the domestic family context, at the community, society and national levels, as well as the
global level, we need to create an enabling environment, specific institutions and systems,
and individual champions and role model creation are called for.
At the country level, the following policies and measures would be effective:
• Temporary special measures, including quotas in parliaments and political parties,
judiciary, law enforcement agencies, executive and the corporate sector (Women's
Empowerment Principles to be applied) are to be taken.
• Correct representation of women in media and their proactive role as media persons
in changing perceptions. Use the potency and easy reach of social media and ICT.

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 • Participation and leadership of women in religious and faith-based community
groups and legal systems is critical in stimulating a gender-sensitive and just
interpretation of religious and cultural texts, customs and norms.
• Rigorous and corrective education curriculum development, imparting education
since early childhood to all levels, and considering both boys and girls should be
accompanied by educational campaigns for adults.
• Encourage women and girls to enter into traditionally male-dominated fields of
education and professions like armed forces, pilots, sciences, engineering, etc.
• Enact laws that change mind-sets, like those against domestic violence and other
gender-based violence, including sexual harassment at the work place and rape. Laws
should criminalize such activities and high-rate of convictions, and should change
the perception of what masculinity means, and what is permissible and what is not.
• Promotion of shared domestic responsibilities between women and men, for example
on parenting, care giving, etc.
• Promotion of property rights, including land rights and control over financial and
economic assets, access to credit and support for entrepreneurship development.
• Allocation of adequate resources for programmes targeting the elimination of gender
stereotypes, for example through advocacy and awareness-raising campaigns, and
educational curriculum development.
• Tax and other incentives to enhance women's empowerment, including involvement
of the private sector, etc. Examples of Nepal with regard to property rights and
Norway in promoting gender parity in employment.

7.2. INCREASING PARTICIPATION AND INFLUENCE OF

WOMEN IN THE MEDIA

Studies have found that although the number of women working in the media has been
increasing globally, the top positions (producers, executives, chief editors and publishers)
are still very male dominated. This disparity is particularly evident in Africa, where cultural
impediments to women fulfilling the role of journalist remain (e.g. travelling away from
home, evening work and covering issues such as politics and sports which are considered to
fall within the masculine domain). The Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) reports

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that throughout the world, female journalists are more likely to be assigned ‘soft’ subjects
such as family, lifestyle, fashion and arts. The ‘hard’ news, politics and the economy, is
much less likely to be written or covered by women.
The level of participation and influence of women in the media also has implications for
media content: female media professionals are more likely to reflect other women’s needs
and perspectives than their male colleagues. It is important to acknowledge, however, that
not all women working in the media will be gender aware and prone to cover women’s needs
and perspectives; and it is not impossible for men to effectively cover gender issues. Recent
research from 18 disparate countries shows that male and female journalists’ attitudes do not
differ significantly. Nonetheless, the presence of women on the radio, television and in print
is more likely to provide positive role models for women and girls, to gain the confidence of
women as sources and interviewees, and to attract a female audience.

7.3. WOMEN PROFESSIONALS IN THE MEDIA

The GMMP report shows women’s participation and contribution as in the media profession.
Although in the print media the percentage of stories by female reporters has increased since
2005 (to 35 percent) and news television (to 44 percent), it has decreased in radio newscasts
(27 percent). Men reporters however continue to surpass female reporters while reporting in
all media forms. Men overwhelmingly continue to report ‘hard’ news, like politics and
economics while women are restricted mostly to the ‘soft’ areas of arts, entertainment and
lifestyle coverage. Women reporters tend to cover more female-oriented news subjects
(26%) while male reporters have only 19% female oriented stories. Female reporters
challenge gender stereotypes twice more than male reporters (eleven per cent by the former
compared to six per cent by the latter). Only twelve per cent of news stories were found to
highlight issues of gender equality or inequality.

7.5. RELEVANT LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS

The expression ‘life’ assured in Article 21 of the Constitution does not connote mere animal
existence or continued drudgery through life, it includes within its ambit the right to live

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with human dignity. In Chandra Raja Kumari v Police Commissioner, Hyderabad11, it had
been held that right to live includes right to live with human dignity or decency and therefore
holding of beauty contests is repugnant to dignity or decency of women and offends Article
21 of the Constitution.

The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986:

The Act punishes the indecent representation of women, which means “the depiction in any
manner of the figure of a woman; her form or body or any part thereof in such way as to
have the effect of being indecent, or derogatory to, or denigrating women, or is likely to
deprive, corrupt or injure the public morality or morals. It states that no person shall publish
or cause to publish or cause to be published or arrange to take part in the publication or
exhibition of any advertisement which contains indecent
representation of women in any form. In spite of the law, gender concerns in the media is a
serious concern today as the problems of women’s portrayal in the media, have been
agitating the mind of the Civil Society and an attempt is being made to curb this growing
problem continued incidences of obscene depiction of women in television and in the media
in general call for a debate on the need for effective laws against them and proper
implementation of the existing legal provisions12.

The Indian Penal Code, 1860:

Section 292 of the Indian Penal Code,1860 deals with the sale of obscene books, pamphlet,
inter alia representation which shall be deemed to be “lascivious or appeals to the prurient
interest”, which can include obscene advertisements. I am including Indian Penal Code as
safety legislation to prevent the indecent representation of women in advertisements,
because of one logic: ‘indecent representation of women can be obscene’, which means that
a law curbing obscenity can come of help. In Ranjit D. Udeshi vs State of Maharashtra13,
the test of obscenity was established. The appellant, a bookseller, sold a copy of the
unexpurgated edition of “Lady Chatterley’s Lover”. He was convicted under section 292,
Indian Penal Code, it was ruled that “in judging a work, stress should not be laid upon a
word here and a word there. Though the work as a whole must be considered, the obscene

11
Chandra Raja Kumari v Police Commissioner AIR 1998 AP 302.
12
Shalu Nigam, “Women, Obscenity and the Law” 16 L.N.V. 12-14 (2002).
13
Ranjit D. Udeshi v. State of Maharashtra AIR 1965 SC 881.

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matter must be considered by itself and separately to find out whether it is so gross and its
obscenity so decided that it is likely to deprave and corrupt those whose minds are open to
influences of this sort. It is necessary that a balance should be maintained between “freedom
of speech and expression” and “public decency or morality”. In Chandrakant Kalyandas
Kakodkar v. State of Maharashtra14, it held that there was no fixed rules to determine
obscenity, “the concept of obscenity would differ from country to country depending on the
standards of morals of contemporary society”.

The Information Technology Act, 2000:

Section 67 of the ITA is the most serious legislative measure against pornography. The
section reads as under: Whoever publishes or transmits or causes to be published in the
electronic form, any material which is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest or if its
effect is such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all
relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it, shall be
punished on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may
extend to five years and with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees. The important
ingredients of an offence under section 67 are publishing, or transmitting, or causing to be
published, pornographic material in the electronic form.

8. RECOMMENDATIONS

The power to change lies with governments, the media and ordinary audiences. Governments
need to acknowledge the important place of media and communication within the broader
objective of promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment. Professional media in
particular have a fundamental obligation, following industry ethics, to present balanced, fair
and accurate content. Media organizations need to be accountable to the societies in which
they operate and the audiences they serve. Gender equality is embraced as a global goal and
media have a significant role in promoting or in sabotaging its achievement. Weak and
inconsistent implementation of gender policies needs to be addressed. Institutionalization of
a gender-sensitive journalistic culture remains paramount.
The following recommendations are minimal requirements:

14
Chandrakant Kalyandas Kakodkar v. State of Maharashtra, (1969) 2 SCC 687.

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State media regulatory agencies
1. Require media houses to adopt and enforce a gender policy and guidelines for
gender-sensitive reporting;
2. Include, in media evaluation criteria, issues of gender balance and demonstrated
adherence to the gender policy;
3. Impose meaningful fines on media houses found liable for sex discrimination, sexist
content or other actions of non-compliance with the gender policy; and,
4. Build capacity of staff responsible for hearing cases on media non-compliance with
the gender policy.
Media
1. Develop a gender policy and gender aware ethics and practice codes, with action
plans and targets for implementation;
2. Engage with community media organisations and citizens’ media networks to
advance gender equality in content production;
Civil society
1. Advocate for fair and equal representation of women and men in news media. Lobby
for gender policy adoption and implementation for and by media.
2. Establish gender-focused media watch and apply the results as evidence for public
and media awareness, for actions to hold media accountable through State, industry
and media house complaints mechanisms, and to support media houses committed
to gender equality.
Funding agencies
1. Support the strengthening or establishment of media watch networks.
2. Support media development work that emphasizes gender equality in content
production, media in-house policies and practices.

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
 9. CONCLUSION

A study authored by Mallika Das has thrown up interesting details15. She made a
comparative study of men and women portrayals in Indian magazine advertisements and in
other western countries. The similarities between the two lay on the fact that:
i. Indian men and women were stereotypically represented,
ii. the stereotypical images in India seemed to be slowly ‘softening’,
iii. in both the cases, Indian and western ads, the two sexes advertised for different
types of products and
iv. role portrayals seem to be affected by the nature of the product in the case of
women, as in other nations.
In her dissertation entitled ‘Portrayal of Women in Print Media’, Anusha Chopra has
concluded: The portrayal of woman in the print media is quite degrading more often than
not depicting her as commercial commodity. It is necessary that public should be motivated
and sensitized to the issue of criminalization, politicization, and commercialization of
women vis-à-vis their projection in the media in a healthy manner16.
Print and broadcast media reinforce the stereotype and traditional roles of women in society.
Women need to be portrayed in ‘empowered’ roles in their career, leadership so that the
status and position of women in society truly represents Indian culture and ethos. ‘Sexual
objectification’ and constant glorifying of stereotypical roles of motherhood and wifehood
shackle women to the fetters of these prescribed roles. They just cannot break free. The sex
equality and equal participation that our Constitution guarantees remain questionable
because of such conservative depictions.
Undoubtedly the media provides a lop-sided picture of women and their meaningful
participation and contribution to the society. Much needs to be done with regards to the
‘participation, portrayal and access of women to the media and its impact on and use as an
instrument for the advancement and empowerment of women’. India has been a traditionally
conservative society where a woman’s image has been cast and moulded by years of male

15
Mallika Das, “Men and Women in Indian Magazine Advertisements: A Preliminary Report” St. Vincent
University, Nova Scotia, Canada (2000)
16
A. Chopra, Portrayal of Women in Print Media (IIMC and Press Council of India Publications, New Delhi,
1998)

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
dominance and female-subservience. The era of liberalization and globalization has to some
extent changed the image of the ‘BharatiyaNari’ – the self-sacrificing husband worshipper
whose sole purpose in life is to keep her husband and family happy.
Mere reporting of facts and figures would not help in bridging gender differences. It should
play a proactive role in inculcating gender sensitivity and ensure that women are not depicted
in poor light. The media has to move beyond routine crime briefs on women and
sensationalized stories. Public awareness on the rights and privileges of women should be
created while highlighting Constitutional and legal rights. The latest rulings and judgments
are to be discussed and public awareness created. Press Council should be given more teeth
so that they could intervene effectively to counteract objectionable publications17.
This is the time to rethink and revisit the country’s mass media policy. There are many issues
which should be discussed threadbare to have an unbiased and healthy media policy in the
country. It is time the media walked the talk.

17
P. Guha Thakurta, Media Ethics: Truth, Fairness and Objectivity (Oxford University Press, New Delhi,
2009)

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Paper: Role of Media in Breaking Gender Role Stereotypes
 10. BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Joseph and K. Sharma, “Whose News? The Media and Women’s Issues” Sage
Publication, New Delhi (2006)
• G. Cumberbatch, “Television Advertising and Sex Role Stereotyping”, Broadcasting
Standards Council, London 8-16 (1990)
• J. Butler, Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (Routledge,
London, 1990)
• K. Prasad, Women and Media: Challenging Feminist Discourse (The Women Press,
India, 2005)
• M. Gallagher, “Unequal Opportunities: the case of Women and the Media”
UNESCO (1980)
• Nargis Abraham, “Portrayal of Women in the Media”, Vidura, The Press Institute of
India (1986)
• R. Coward, Female Desire: Women’s Sexuality Today (Paladin Books, London,
1984)
• Rekha Bhagat, “Modernising Women through Mass Media- An Analysis”,
Communicator 34-40 (December,1992)
• Uma S. Jha, Status of Indian Women: Crisis and Conflict in Gender Issues (Kanishka
Publishes, New Delhi, 1998)
• U. Chakravarty, “Representation of Gender in Media: Report of the Workshop on
the Portrayal of Women in the Media” 19-22 (The Maharashtra State Commission
for Women, 2009)

http://www.legalserviceindia.com (visited on November 23, 2019; 1:27 PM)

http://www.feminism-boell.org/women&massmedia (visited on November 19, 2019;
4:12 AM)
http://www.saferinternetday.org (visited on November 19, 2019; 7:48 AM)
http://www.en.encyclopedia.com/genderandmedia (visited on November 24; 11:57 PM)

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