Gender Issues in the Press: A Comparative Study of the Times of India and Dainik Jagran

Abstract

The media can be a powerful force for change and gender justice. It can play an important role in advancing gender-sensitive development agenda by supporting and promoting issues relevant to women's empowerment. In a democratic setup, media is considered as a watchdog, gatekeeper and agenda setter. It can ensure gender equity by raising public consciousness on women's issues, enabling the women to hold their governments to account, curbing gender violence, and creating a civic forum for debate. It can also amplify the voice of marginalised women. However, it needs to be noted that due to time and organisational constraints, news media organisations can cover a limited number of events and issues. Because journalists must choose, process and filter the news, the news media must focus attention on a few key priorities - those that are deemed newsworthy. Over time, the issues to which news media give priority will become the priority issues for the public. Keeping in view of the importance of the media agenda, an attempt has been made in the present article to understand and describe the content on different issues relevant to women in the mainstream English and Hindi newspapers.