Media have been urged to provide women with fair, accurate and balanced information to enable effective participation of women in politics.



Head of News and current affairs, African Independent Television Ifeoma Oti made this call during a press briefing held at Ogba, Lagos.

Ifeoma said media was a powerful force for change and it exercised its greatest influence in politics during election, political campaigns; from fund raising to press announcements, stage events and major speeches as well as appearances on news stories and interviews.

She said “of hundreds of thousands of activities merits coverage. In other words, the media that determine what news is, “however what is hard news for one editor may be news at all to another. Again in the age of competition, media owners are more concerned about profit and ratings than found political information. He plays the piper; calls the tune. Editorial judgment is sometimes determined by owners".

She added that politics was a male dominated institution into which only a few women dared to venture." The odds are often against women who have to deal with cultural domestic issues. Many do not have the financial capability to meet the demands of seeking elections. Those who desire to contest contend themselves with assurances and promises of support from party members without making any effort to engage the media. Many are concerned about how they may be viewed by the media and how to handle the new media attention.

In her remarks, a politician and a lecturer at the Lagos state university Mrs Adeyinka Olarinmoye said, if women issues were taken seriously in the media editorials and issues pertaining to affirmative actions and social campaigns were given adequate attention, then it could help improve women chances at the polls.

" Advertorial space is been commercialised effectively barring the women from the electronic media, except for the paid for slots, sponsored by Transformation Ambassador of Nigeria ( TAN) on the airspace , promoting the Goodluck Jonathan government achievement in which women inclusion in his government, there are no such individual women aspirant whose campaign has gone on air..com

BY: ALICE AJAKAYE