COVERAGE OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

NEWS IN PRINT MEDIA OF BHOPAL

School of Media and Communication

Jagran Lakecity University

Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Key words

Sexual Harassment: a form of discrimination and violence against women. (Source: The United Nations) Media: a tool to inform, educate and entertain with the purpose of social conscience. Service oriented to Business oriented Media Market: Concentration in media market Product differentiation Market structure Ethics: “ethos” meaning character Serving market- Social responsibility Content controversies- News

Seller

Product Buyer

Right versus Wrong

Print Media in Bhopal

Bhopal Media and Crime against women news:

Covering such news quarters – Local and National

Informing citizens about the development of cases

Print Media: English Dailies in Bhopal

Times of India

The Indian Express

Purpose of research

To examine the print media outcrop to sexual harassment cases happened in recent months (A.K. Ganguly and Tarun Tejpal cases in 2013).

To find out the extent of coverage and treatment given to crime-against- women news.

Objectives I. To study the coverage of news in sexual harassment two English dailies of Bhopal. II. To find out the projection and treatment given to the sexual harassment news by two

English dailies of Bhopal. III. To study the comparative analysis of two English newspapers in terms of their coverage

on both A.K. Ganguly and Tarun Tejpal cases.

Research Methodology

• Comparative breakdown of front of two newspapers (Times of India & Indian Express) for 20 days from Nov 11 to 30, 2013 on regular basis.

• To achieve the objective we have taken the help of content analysis method. The non-probability sampling was adopted to choose the sample. The method of purposive sampling was used in the study.

Parameters studied:

1. Number of sexual harassment news on front page. 2. Column priority given to sexual harassment news. 3. Sources of news related to sexual harassment. 4. Sexual harassment stories with or without pictures. 5. Sexual harassment stories with value added features (Info-graphic, Logo).

Research Findings

Newspaper Duration Total news on

front page

News related to

sexual

harassment

Percentage

Times of India November 11-30, 2013

(20 days)

135 17 12.5%

The Indian

Express

November 11-30, 2013

(20 days)

88 18 20.4%

1. Number of sexual harassment news published in newspapers of Bhopal

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Times of India The IndianExpress

Total news on front page

News related to sexual harassment

Newspaper One

column

Two

column

Three

column

Four column Total sexual

harassment news

Times of India 6 4 4 3 17

The Indian Express 3 7 6 2 18

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Times of India The Indian Express

One column

Two column

Three column

Four column

2. Column priority given to sexual harassment news in the newspaper

Newspaper Reporter News Pool Agency Others Total sexual

harassment news

Times of India 13 4 0 0 17

The Indian Express 14 4 0 0 18

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Times of India The Indian Express

Reporter News Pool

3. Sources of news related to sexual harassment

Newspaper Total sexual harassment news News with picture

Times of India 17 10

The Indian Express 18 8

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Times of India The Indian Express

Total sexual harassment news

News with picture

4. Sexual harassment news with pictures in newspaper

Newspaper Total sexual harassment news News with value added

features

Times of India 17 10

The Indian Express 18 8

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

Times of India The Indian Express

Total sexual harassment news

News with value added features

5. Sexual harassment news with value added features in newspaper

Logo for Tarun Tejpal case series:

‘Tehelka Rape Charge’

Projections of The Indian Express: Enmity outlook- attacking the organization of Tarun Tejpal Influential power of political whereabouts Misuse of journalistic freedom- Communication and Media Ethics Violation of ethics- “Duty Ethics” (Restraining self-interest)

Times of India versus Indian Express

Case Duration Total News

on sexual

harassment

Total

individual

news

A.K.

Ganguly

Nov 11-30,

2013

17 8

Tarun

Tejpal

Nov 22-30,

2013

17 9

Case

A.K. Ganguly

Tarun Tejpal

Case Duration Total News

on sexual

harassment

Total

individual

news

A.K.

Ganguly

Nov 11-30,

2013

18 3

Tarun

Tejpal

Nov 21-30,

2013

18 15

Case

A.K. Ganguly

Tarun Tejpal

Times of India The Indian Express

Conclusion

Reflex Effects: Competition affecting performance

The “Tehelka” logo gives a hint that this is Tejpal’s story and tries to invite the audience to buy their paper and read how the story unfolds each day.

Use of Prominence: Tarun Tejpal is more prominent than A.K. Ganguly

Readers can connect better with Tejpal’s story.

(Informs and entertains)

Conclusion

Indian Media Law: (Source: Press Laws Guide)

Press enjoys freedom to speech and expression under Article 19(1) (a) of the Constitution of India. But Article 19(2) lists the various grounds on which free speech can be restricted, E.g.. Defamation Causing injury to the reputation of a person or a company using false statements or actions. No special privileges against defamation on account of being a journalist or a media organization.

Recommendations

• Equal weight to all the related cases

• No attempts must be made to defame any individual or organization

• Reflex effects of media need to be handled with optimism

• Responsibility of media shall first be service and then business

• No violation of journalistic ethics

References

i. Times of India, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., Indian English-language daily newspaper, Bhopal edition.

ii. The Indian Express, Indian Express Group, Indian English-language daily newspaper, Delhi edition.

iii. Market Definition in the Media Sector (2002), Report by Europe Economics.

iv. Approaches to Ethics (2009), Stephen J. A. Ward, School of Journalism & Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

v. Purposive Sampling (2012) , Lund Research Ltd. vi. Global Census (2013), Thompson Reuters.

vii. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act (2013), http://www.indiankanoon.org/.

viii. Defamation (2013), Press Laws Guide, The Hoot, India.

ix. Google Images, www.google.co.in.