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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: PF LIBERIA GENDER ETHICS POLICY
HEADLINE: In Liberia, media policy works to bridge gender divide
TEASER: With women underrepresented in newsrooms and media coverage, a pilot project works to mentor and promote more female voices
PUBLISHED AT: 07/29/2024, 12:57 pm
BYLINE: Senanu Tord
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Monrovia, Liberia
VIDEOGRAPHER: Senanu Tord
VIDEO EDITOR:
ASSIGNING EDITOR: Jessica Jerreat
SCRIPT EDITORS: JJ, Reifenrath
VIDEO SOURCE(S): VOA Original
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO X
TRT: 3:15
VID APPROVED BY: Baragona
TYPE: TVPKG/RADIO
EDITOR NOTES: For VOA Press Freedom. Questions/Review Jessica Jerreat, Sena senathefilmmaker@gmail.com ))
((INTRO))
[[ When a 2023 study found women were underrepresented and marginalized in the Liberian media industry — and portrayed negatively in news coverage — a female journalists association set up a pilot program to bring about change. From Monrovia, Liberia, VOA's Senanu Tord has more.))
((VIDEO - VOA: NYANNEH BROADCASTING NEWS - VARIOUS, PRIME FM NEWSROOM - VARIOUS, NYANNEH))
((NARRATOR))
At Prime FM in Liberia's capital, Monrovia, Christophina Pinky Nyanneh prepares to read the major news bulletin of the day
It’s a career leap for the journalist. Until about two months ago, she worked mainly behind the scenes.
Nyanneh is one of a handful of new female journalists to join Prime FM.
With her colleagues focused on politics, Nyanneh’s coverage of the environment and human rights was often overshadowed.
And, she says, the help she received transitioning into a radio career was limited.
((Christophina Pinky Nyanneh, Prime FM Journalist))((English 10 secs))
“My confidence level was not high. I did not know how to write a lead, a real good lead. Sometimes, when I write my stories, my editor will be like, ‘What is this, Christophina? What is this?’”
((VIDEO - VOA: PRIME FM NEWSROOM ACTIVITIES - VARIOUS))
((NARRATOR))
But that all changed when Prime FM joined a pilot gender ethics program. Nyanneh is now an anchor and has a mentor.
((VIDEO - VOA: LIBERIA JOURNALISTS PRACTICING, REPORTING AND FILMING ACTIVITIES INCLUDING ELECTIONS - VARIOUS, DIASSAY))
The gender policy is a response to a 2023 report by the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa.
The report found significant underrepresentation and marginalization of women in newsrooms, and frequent objectification or degradation of them in news stories.
That imbalance, says the Female Journalists Association of Liberia, or FeJAL, [[“Fee-Jal”. Jal, like “Hal” in “Hallow”]] reduces women’s representation in government, which in turn affects policy.
The hostile climate came to the fore in the 2023 elections, when the media focused on a candidate’s old beauty pageant pictures instead of her policies.
[[radio: Lisa Tenneh Diasay is the president of FeJAL]]
((Lisa Tenneh Diasay, FeJAL President)) ((English 19 secs))
“Everything about Wokie Dolo was about her bikini because she took part in Miss Liberia and she was a former Miss Liberia. Everything about her life that had transitioned from pageantry to politics, everything came back to pageantry.”
((VIDEO - VOA: FEMALE JOURNALISTS WORKING - VARIOUS, DIASSAY))
((NARRATOR))
Seeing a need for a change, FeJAL formed and piloted a policy in 30 media institutions, Diasay says.
((Lisa Tenneh Diasay, FeJAL President))((English 25 secs)
“So that particular policy will take into account the growth of women in the newsroom, growth of reporting women or gender stories, and making sure women can also take on air, talk about their issues and report their issues as well.”
((VIDEO - VOA: POLICY BENEFICIARIES WORKING - VARIOUS, KHOLLIE))
FeJAL offers internships, career mentorships, and a newsroom leaders’ fellowship.
It's already seeing results, says Laymah Kollie, desk editor for Women's TV Liberia.
((Laymah Kollie, Women’s TV-Liberia))((English 13 secs))
“I improved my leadership ability, I improved my writing skills, my capacity to nurture and manage the newsroom. I improved and because of that, I was upgraded to become editor of my newsroom.”
((VIDEO - VOA: PRIME FM NEWSROOM - VARIOUS, KOLLIE))
((NARRATOR))
The pilot is bringing other changes, too.
Prime Communications Network now has a dedicated gender desk to produce content that highlights Liberian women, says network director Jutonu Youwateh Kollie.
((Jutonu Youwateh Kollie, Prime Communications Network Director)) ((English 22 secs))
“If you bring a story, I want to see the gender lens. I want to see the female side of that story."
((VIDEO - VOA: LIBERIA JOURNALISTS PRACTICING - VARIOUS,))
((NARRATOR))
After its promising start, FeJAL hopes that more media outlets will adopt the policy and that newsrooms — and audiences — will see a more balanced representation of women.
((Senanu Tord, VOA News, Monrovia)
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
Subtitles / Dubbing AvailableNo
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJuly 29, 2024 13:15 EDT
BylineSenanu Tord
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English, US Agency for Global Media
