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Statistics have shown that majority of journalism students are female, yet bylines and newsrooms remain male-dominated. From pay disparity to sexual harrassment, the challenges women are having to face on the job are glaring, but even the limited progress that has been made so far on gender equality and women’s rights is now being threatened by the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
From July 21 to 30, AIPS will be organising a seminar entitled: “The cost of reporting while female”. The seminar will provide a platform for women journalists from all over the world to share their experiences while receiving mentorship from some of the most inspiring women professionals in the media industry. The seminar will be held on Zoom.us and is also open to male colleagues.
Coordinator of the whole event will be Riccardo Romani, AIPS Mentor and journalist with a vast and diversified experience ranging from sports issues to political and social themes: "‘Aips has been very active trying to give a platform to those in need of one. The recent initiative ‘journalism after Covid’ is the clear example of our culture and sensibilty. During our first e-College a few female students shared their discomfort while working in a male dominated environment as sport journalism. I immediately thought it was a perfect time to expose the issue and offer a support to those in the same conditions. The recent historical events linked to inequality and racism, make this seminar even more significant," Romani said.
FORMAT It is a four-part seminar with sessions of around 120 minutes each. Each session will feature renowned speakers. The aim of the seminar is to find common solutions, and provide guidelines and support to those who have been subject to gender discrimination. The tentative topics are: Underrepresentation, the forgotten, pay gap, the gender backlash.
Underrepresentation (July 21): In many countries, the majority of high-profile journalists and editors remain male. Although there have been considerable changes in the prospects for women working in the media in the past few decades, women are still noticeably in the minority in the top journalistic roles, despite making up the majority of journalism students.
The forgotten (July 23): COVID19 has put world’s sport in disarray. When professional activity was about to resume all over the world, women athletes were put on hold and – is some case – totally neglected. Along with the athletes a number of female reporters now have little or no space in the media as a result of the pandemic.
Pay gap (July 28): The journalism industry is notoriously inconsistent with pay, and women often bear the costs of this disparity. Job offers are often based on salary history, and there’s little transparency around pay within news organizations. Experts say pay transparency is key to reducing the wage gap.
The gender backlash (July 30): Women journalists are "twice as likely to be victims of violence" for exercising their right to freedom of expression and for reasons of gender. Women journalists, whether they are working in an insecure context, or in a newsroom, face risks of physical assault, sexual harassment, rape and even murder. They are vulnerable to attacks not only from those attempting to silence their coverage, but also from sources, colleagues and others.
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE If you have ever been made to feel uncomfortable in the workplace but convinced yourself it was your fault, and thought your experience was not important, maybe it’s time for you to speak out. The AIPS seminar provides the perfect platform. If you would rather stay anonymous you can put your story into words (maximum of 150) and share it privately with AIPS by sending an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
REGISTRATION: To register for the AIPS seminar, click HERE https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10t8kJZ2KbWSsRqhwpmnHIoiPeCiPu8iHsijhqGW9fRI/viewform?edit_requested=true
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