Experiences of female journalists in Zimbabwean male-dominated newsrooms
Baseline surveys on the gender distribution in Zimbabwe’s media industry indicate a male dominance in newsrooms in general, as well as in media leadership positions. This gender disparity reflects the persistence of patriarchy and heteronormative beliefs in the Zimbabwean society, despite the countr...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | research article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
School of Communication, University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
2022
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5273 https://hdl.handle.net/10520/ejc-comcare_v40_n2_a4 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1779905291910905856 |
|---|---|
| author | L.Ncube |
| author2 | Midlands State University, Zimbabwe |
| author_facet | Midlands State University, Zimbabwe L.Ncube |
| author_sort | L.Ncube |
| collection | DSpace |
| description | Baseline surveys on the gender distribution in Zimbabwe’s media industry indicate a male dominance in newsrooms in general, as well as in media leadership positions. This gender disparity reflects the persistence of patriarchy and heteronormative beliefs in the Zimbabwean society, despite the country’s constitution upholding gender mainstreaming and principles of equality. However, there is a dearth of systematic academic studies exploring the experiences, aspirations and attitudes of female journalists in these macho newsrooms. The article is theoretically guided by Raewyn Connell’s hegemonic masculinity theory. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively selected female Zimbabwean journalists to discuss their experiences and struggles in such environments. Findings indicate that gender remains an unresolved question in Zimbabwe. Due to alleged unprofessional conduct by some male journalists, Zimbabwean newsrooms resemble phallocentric and misogynistic “carnivals”. Women experience and battle against various forms of sexual harassment despite the presence of mechanisms to protect victims. Despite this violence, female journalists persevere and also find ways of speaking back to power |
| format | research article |
| id | ir-11408-5273 |
| institution | My University |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | School of Communication, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ir-11408-52732022-12-01T14:42:04Z Experiences of female journalists in Zimbabwean male-dominated newsrooms L.Ncube Midlands State University, Zimbabwe Hegemonic masculinity Media industry Patriarchy Sexism Zimbabwe Baseline surveys on the gender distribution in Zimbabwe’s media industry indicate a male dominance in newsrooms in general, as well as in media leadership positions. This gender disparity reflects the persistence of patriarchy and heteronormative beliefs in the Zimbabwean society, despite the country’s constitution upholding gender mainstreaming and principles of equality. However, there is a dearth of systematic academic studies exploring the experiences, aspirations and attitudes of female journalists in these macho newsrooms. The article is theoretically guided by Raewyn Connell’s hegemonic masculinity theory. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively selected female Zimbabwean journalists to discuss their experiences and struggles in such environments. Findings indicate that gender remains an unresolved question in Zimbabwe. Due to alleged unprofessional conduct by some male journalists, Zimbabwean newsrooms resemble phallocentric and misogynistic “carnivals”. Women experience and battle against various forms of sexual harassment despite the presence of mechanisms to protect victims. Despite this violence, female journalists persevere and also find ways of speaking back to power 40 2 63 81 2022-12-01T14:42:04Z 2022-12-01T14:42:04Z 2021-12-23 research article https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5273 https://hdl.handle.net/10520/ejc-comcare_v40_n2_a4 en Communicare : Journal for Communication Studies in Africa 0259-0069 open School of Communication, University of Johannesburg, South Africa. |
| spellingShingle | Hegemonic masculinity Media industry Patriarchy Sexism Zimbabwe L.Ncube Experiences of female journalists in Zimbabwean male-dominated newsrooms |
| title | Experiences of female journalists in Zimbabwean male-dominated newsrooms |
| title_full | Experiences of female journalists in Zimbabwean male-dominated newsrooms |
| title_fullStr | Experiences of female journalists in Zimbabwean male-dominated newsrooms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Experiences of female journalists in Zimbabwean male-dominated newsrooms |
| title_short | Experiences of female journalists in Zimbabwean male-dominated newsrooms |
| title_sort | experiences of female journalists in zimbabwean male-dominated newsrooms |
| topic | Hegemonic masculinity Media industry Patriarchy Sexism Zimbabwe |
| url | https://cris.library.msu.ac.zw//handle/11408/5273 https://hdl.handle.net/10520/ejc-comcare_v40_n2_a4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lncube experiencesoffemalejournalistsinzimbabweanmaledominatednewsrooms |