'When you wear lipstick, you aren't seen as a journalist'

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The Media Studies Association (MEDAR) has released a report discussing the problems of women journalists in local media.

Thirty journalists interviewed by the association stated a number of problems, including insufficient salaries, inadequate number of employees, excessive workload, inadequate equipment and working hours exceeding legal limits.

They also noted that they were subjected to gender-based discrimination during recruitment.

"We have four local channels in our city but we can't see a woman presenter in any of them," says a journalist from Urfa, adding that she couldn't agree with a local channel because she was offered less money than men presenters.

"Women can't work until late night"

Mobbing, unfair dismissals, salary cuts and lack of promotion were also among the professional rights violations stated by women journalists.

Many local media outlets tend to prefer men over women journalists because of reasons such as "women can't work if they have a child," "they can't work overtime until late night," and "they can't go to anywhere in the field to chase news," says the report.

"Women are oppressed more in the local [media]. The view that 'the journalist should be a man' prevails in local [media]," says a news manager from Antalya. "Many national agencies that we know prefer especially men as local correspondents."

The rights holder and the editor-in-chief of a newspaper based in Urfa who has 33 years of experience as a journalist says that she had to work on the 20th day of her postpartum period but allowed her employees to take maternity leave. "As the owner of the newspaper, I provided which I couldn't do to [my employees."

The journalists interviewed by the association also said that they faced social pressure because of their appearance, private life and political views.

"... if you wear lipstick and look a little well-groomed, you face an insulting and marginalizing attitude that causes professional exclusion, as if you went there not as a journalist for news but as a 'woman' to walk around," says a news editor from Mersin who has been working as a journalist for 20 years.

Another journalist based in Aydın says, "You communicate with someone, then he sends messages to your personal phone at midnight, saying, 'How are you, Ms. X?' First, it's like 'The story is very good. Good job.' Then he tries to continue communication with different excuses. This never happens to our men colleagues."

Reviewing the journalists' statements, the MEDAR suggested that mechanisms for support and complaint should be established and the number of women employees at local outlets should be increased. (RT/VK)