Matona Fatman

Public broadcasters the world over are tasked with the objective of representing the aspirations of their viewers. Whether they do this equally or not for their audiences is a question still heavily characterized by gender issues, a subject of great concern for Moneeza Hashim, the General Manager of Pakistani network, Eye TV.

Hashmi was one of the panelists at the 28^th Commonwealth Broadcasting Association conference in Sandton, Johannesburg.

Gender representation in modern television is still a significant concern that informs much of what we see on TV -- from commercials to movies, hardly anything goes on air without being put through the gender equality wringer. If not, lobby groups will be  waiting on the sidelines with clipboards and red pens ready to  check content for gender sensitivity and imbalances. Although television images today may not overtly depict the notion of a male-dominated world, Hashmi believes a few key issues remain.

"Gender issues are universal. Education and awareness are the foremost subjects relevant to women, not only in Pakistan, but throughout the whole world. Being informed is key to transformation. That's what we're talking about -- access to information. Once you have that, you can begin your own quest to try to improve your life and be empowered. That’s the key to social justice," says Hashmi.

A balancing act

Gender representation and the depiction  of women, whether on television or any other medium, is a challenge that continues to plague all broadcasters – public and private. Public broadcasters face the exceptionally difficult task of striking a balance between the responsibility to educate and the need to  cover costs. Factoring in gender equality in broadcasting adds a complex dimension.

"Broadcasters – public and commercial – are the big stakeholders that set the agenda in terms of what people get to see on TV. Public broadcasters are driven by government, and the commercials by the market and consumers – it’s all about numbers and making money. Worldwide, there are men running these organizations. In fairness, there are men trying to drive the agenda for women but not enough progress is being made," says Hashmi.

She goes on to acknowledge that this kind of development takes decades, even though tremendous progress has been made. She charges the younger generation to take up and continue the battle.

Asked whether the sexual objectification of women is a step back in the gender equality battle, Hashmi says the decision for women to participate in videos that might be perceived as demeaning is an individual choice.

"It's not only music videos. Look at the advertisements,  modelling and fashion – even the soap operas. I must hold the women themselves responsible. No one can make you do things you don't want to. The reasons can be economic need, if you have a hungry family to support. Do you agree to be used as a sex symbol? That's up to you. If you say no, someone else will get the job and the money. In Pakistan, there are women who say no. They refuse to say certain things in a drama because it's degrading," says Hashmi.

The road to development is never short, and it's certainly never easy. Hashmi says as difficult as it may be to  balance the needs of commercialism and gender equality, public broadcasters have to bear in mind their directive to be a reflective voice for the audiences they serves.

"If the producers have to make a choice between making money and telling human stories, it’s hard. But we need to ask ourselves what value our broadcasts are giving to our audiences. We need to move away from the concept of immediate gratification. That's the difference between being a public broadcaster and a private one. You need to give audiences quality programmes, where you can look back and say 'I did good'," says Hashmi.