Journalists Vow to Ensure Fair, Balanced Reporting

Participants at a meeting of the Media and Artists Watch (MAWA) held in Maseru last weekend have vowed to monitor all abusive stereotypes and gender biased news articles, images and songs so as to encourage fair and balanced reporting in the media.

The MAWA members said it is their duty to transform the media from one in which women are either invisible or stereotyped, to one where women are realistically portrayed and equitably represented in all spheres; in their physical, economic, political, social and cultural diversity.

"The media articles, images, songs and drama should not be sensationalized or humiliate other sections of the society or vulnerable groups such as people with HIV/AIDS, women, children or people with disabilities but should be used  to portray reality effectively and ensuring all sectors of the society enjoy equal rights to expressing their views in the media." 

Women should also be interviewed as sources of news in their own right and not be portrayed only as minors but also as role models in their societies, they said.

The participants also committed themselves to contribute in the fight against HIV/AIDS by writing more HIV/AIDS news stories and features articles which not only educate society about the pandemic but also n
encourage behavioural change to reduce the rapid spread of the disease.

MAWA is a non-profit organization established to monitor the media, including art exhibitions and performances, for gender, sexist, racist and all other forms of discrimination.

19 May 2004