Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Women's Media Center


           Founded by Gloria Steinem, Robin Morgan, and Jane Fonda, the Women’s Media Center was created to combat a very serious problem: the lack of women’s representation in the media. While women represent half of the population, females are still drastically underrepresented in the news media field. Luckily, the women behind the Women’s Media Center are trying to change that and give women a voice.
According to the official WMC website, the media is an extraordinarily influential entity. The website states, “The media is the single most powerful tool at our disposal; it has the power to educate, affect social change, and determine the political policies and elections that shape our lives. Our work in diversifying the media landscape is critical to the health of our culture and democracy.” Clearly, the WMC recognizes the relevance and genuine potential that the media holds. They understand that the media can raise awareness as well as mobilize people, thus they are trying to ensure a greater democratization of the media.
The mission of the WMC is to make women “visible and powerful in the media,” as stated on their website. The Women’s Media Center strives to train females to be media literate, curate original content from women, amplify women’s voices, criticize media sexism, launch activist campaigns, and encourage equal participation in the media field.
Media is a large part of contemporary society. It guides perceptions, provides information, and brings attention to particular people and issues. The Women’s Media Center is taking hold of the media and demanding more democratic standards for representation. They are actively making women more visible and powerful in the media. The WMC is an amazing (and modern) example of the women’s movement and the media coming together. By using the media platform, the WMC is promoting alternative voices, thus greatly contributing to the empowerment of women everywhere.

No comments:

Post a Comment