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Introduction
The research explored the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the media related to the LGBTI community. It looked at whether there is an understanding of the key issues and basic facts that would guide accurate reporting among media personnel and examines print media that has been generated.
Key Findings:
- There is limited coverage of the LGBTI sector
- Coverage focuses on scandals, negative images, and stereotypes
- Same sex marriage coverage shows some improvement
- Homo-prejudice voices are allowed in print
- Small range of LGBTI issues are being covered
- Great coverage and willing journalists are available.
- Willing journalists
often lack knowledge and skills to report effectively
- LGBTI sector - would benefit from more active engagement and skill building.
Based on the research, it is recommended that a multi-pronged approach be developed that would help to build on skills, increase access, and reduce poor coverage. At the same time additional research would help to create more understanding of this sector, and increased advocacy would help to build the position of the community to make demands of media.
Building knowledge and skills
A training program would build the capacity of various stakeholders involved. Ideally it would bring together representatives from the different sectors for mutual learning, thereby helping to develop relationships at the same time.
- Individuals - could gain skills in how to effectively engage with the media i.e. writing commentary pieces, letters to editors and producers, calling radio talk shows, lodging complaints, etc.
- For organisations – it is important to improve skills in how to build media relations, identifying and packaging newsworthy topics, press releases, and other information, using new technologies such as digital stories and blogs.
- Media would gain from – sensitivity workshops to build knowledge of the issues, training in journalism schools, development of courses on reporting on the LGBTI community.
There is a need to assist members of the media who are interested and committed to reporting on LGBTI issues, and much can be done to providing them with the tools needed.
- Developing tools for journalists – toolkit, manual/ guide, list of experts.
- Create an online portal to facilitate good reporting.
- LGBTI news service that develops writers and supplies copy
- Ensuring info about opportunities also gets to LGBTI sector members – calls for script ideas, article, article submission requests, photography contests.
The research found that the sector would benefit from greater access – this means a great ability to interact with, produce, and engage with media. This could mean increased programmes to actually create media – print articles, radio stories, films, and new media. It would also mean having the opportunities to participate in media activities, such as talk shows, or media around national holidays. This could also include a fellowship program to develop journalistic interest on the topic.
Advocating for good editorial policies
Media should be guided by ethical principles to protect the subjects of there stories and promote human rights.
- Development of editorial guidelines and a style sheet
- Rewarding good practice through an annual award.
To satisfy this need, it will be necessary both to help create understanding among the media, as well as create opportunities for the sector to be actively involved in media.
- Develop projects that create access either to mainstream media, or result in new LGBTI media - LGBTI radio magazine programme/ radio drama, comic books, life stories, etc.
- Collection of digital stories
- Increased publications
There is a need to much better understand the media and the LGBTI sector.
- Market research to understand the advertising power of the sector
- Comprehensive media monitoring project.
- Research to uncover the gender and race dimensions of media coverage, as well as explore how even writing the LGBTI sector certain communities are lass visible in the media.
- Literature review of gay media being produced and compiling this information.
Released
-
Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of the Media towards Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex
Issues and Stories
Click here to download
the full report in PDF
Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of the Media towards Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex
Issues and Stories
Click here to download
the full report in PDF
The media research was a collaboration between CMFD and the Gay and Lesbian Archives of South Africa, with funding by the Media Development and Diversity Agency.
We would like to use this research to plan strategies that would serve to encourage greater access to the media for this community and thereby encourage diversity generally. This may include training for media personnel on diversity issues. It may also include training of LGBTI organisations on how to better access and forge links with the media. We would also use this research to lobby for support to produce programmes – such as radio or print media – that would help to support this goal. This type of media development has seen much success in the gender field, and we would like to pursue similar projects.