Проблема гендерного балансу в українських медіа: реалії та перспективи

Abstract

Abstract. The article deals with a problem of gender imbalance in Ukrainian media and the search for ways to solve it. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the gender balance in domestic media and the prospects for introducing the gender aspects into journalistic education. The results of two monitoring of national and regional media on gender balance, gender sensitivity indices of Ukrainian media on quantitative and qualitative indicators: proportionality of the representation of men and women in the media (as a percentage), percentage of expert and heroines in journalistic materials, as well as usage of feminitives are given. In general, all these studies showed the underrepresentation of women in Ukrainian media. Women are the heroines of materials only in 27% of cases, which is three times smaller than men, and as experts – only in 19% of all cases. Most of the women as heroines are presented on channels “1 + 1” and “UA: Перший”, as experts – on “Канал 5”, the smallest women are represented on the channel “112 Україна”. Women often comment on social themes, act as experts in rather limited spheres: educational, medical, artistic, etc., are the heroines of criminal chronicles or so-called “light” stories. Women are almost not invited as experts to the studios of socio-political talk shows on the central TV channels. Most women are presented in print media (as heroines – 35% of materials, as experts – 22% of materials). At the same time the problem lies much deeper – it is in the contemporary journalists’ lack of desire to recognize the fact of the existence of gender issues, superficial approach to their analysis, elementary ignorance of the subject field and terminology, low professional reflection. It is necessary to start forming a clearer understanding of the gender issues and the importance of the role of media in their solution to future journalists. Recommendations of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on gender equality and media are considered, in particular on introducing a compulsory gender equality course into the training program for journalists and supporting gender equality discourse in media literacy programs. The content of the subject “Journalism and gender” proposed in the Model curricula for journalism education: a compendium of new syllabi by UNESCO is analyzed. Modern Ukrainian textbooks and manuals on gender theory and practice for journalists are considered.