Breaking through the barrier

  

Elisa Patnaik

A decade ago women journalists in Orissa were rarely heard of. The few who took up the profession either freelanced, or were confined to desk jobs and had to be satisfied looking after the women`s and cookery segments of the newspaper. Women reporters venturing out and running around for news at odd hours was something, which was not quite acceptable by the traditional Oriya families and society.

But not any longer. More and more women in Orissa - both in print and electronic media - have been opting for journalism as their chosen profession. The establishment of media training institutes, growth in media avenues and career opportunities, exposure of women and a changed public opinion have been responsible for the gradual entry of an increasing number of women into journalism.

"Perhaps, I was the only women journalist in the early 80s in the mainstream media and it was not very easy," recalls Jyotsna Rautray, chief sub-editor of a leading vernacular daily, Sambad. Contrary to the norm however, Rautray was sent to the field for stories to various parts of the State. "I was thoroughly dissuaded by my parents not to join a newspaper and the atmosphere too was not very conducive.  But I give full credit to my editor Soumya Ranjan Patnaik for not showing any bias." Subsequently, the launch of Sun Times, an English daily by the same Group in the late 80s saw many women entering the profession.

Then again, the real change came with the setting up of the Orissa branch of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) at Dhenkanal in the early 90s. Young women graduates, freshly out with a diploma in journalism, set out to storm the bastion that was once very much a male domain. Though due to lack of ample opportunity many girls preferred to work outside the State, others also chose to stay back. "IIMC Dhenkanal has definitely been a turning point for women journalists in Orissa. It not only brought the State on the map of journalism but also provided the much-needed platform and opening to students," say Orissa-based freelance journalists Farhat Amin and Sarojini Nayak The launch of Orissa editions of national dailies and growth in regional dailies also started providing avenues to many women writers.

However, the growth in opportunities for women was mostly limited to the print media. The national television channels offered little scope and it was only after the beginning of a local Oriya channel - OTV - that women got a chance to prove themselves in the electronic media.  Much later ETV made its entry offering openings to women media persons. But till today, the opportunities in the electronic media by and large are restricted to the production and editing segments only with rare exceptions. Says Sharda Lahangir, State Correspondent for ANI: "Though there has been a perceptible increase in the number of women reporters in newspapers, in the electronic media they are few and far between."

 Despite an appreciable rise in women journalists in Orissa, many feel that it`s mostly limited to the English media and the profession in general seems to be still in the clutches of men. For example, an established and leading daily like the Samaj, which is headed by a woman editor, Dr Manorama Mahapatra, has not encouraged the entry of women into its fold. The reputed newspaper has hardly any women journalists on its payroll and the post of editor for Dr Mahapatra has also been an inherited one. In comparison, other regional papers like Dharitri and Sambad have a handful of women journalists, though again of course at the desk. Religion too is a hindrance sometimes, feels Farhat Amin. "Muslim girls particularly have to struggle more than their counterparts."

Yet another opinion expressed by women journalists is that despite a rise in numbers, they are yet to be accepted in the male dominated media fraternity of the state. They are given to handle social features and soft stories and not business and politics which constitute the prime beats in any newspaper. Moreover, very few are members of the journalists` associations or any press clubs in Orissa. A glance at the list of accredited journalists also reveals that there are not many women journalists. Their number has definitely increased, but the recognition of their talents and their contribution to the media is yet to be acknowledged, Nayak points out. 

However, another senior women journalist, Manipadma Jena feels that though the bias is not overt, the mindset that women may not be capable of doing justice to anything other than soft stories still remains. "But it`s not insurmountable if a woman journalist decides to prove herself," she says adding, "there is no barrier as such except that the scope in Orissa is limited."

 Nevertheless, despite the varied opinions, the fact remains that though not all pervasive - more and more women  in the State`s media are establishing their presence in the profession. Amin sums up by saying, "In the past they were ignored and rarely appreciated and never entrusted challenging jobs. But now we can proudly say that we have women bosses and reporters and that`s enough change."  

 

Elisa Patnaik is a freelance journalist based in Cuttack.     Contact: elisapatnaik@yahoo.com