Analyses revealed a low level presence of gender-related topics and issues

The  Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AAAMS), the broadcasting regulator based in Skopje, published in March 2018 two in-depth analyses related to gender issues in  broadcasting.

• The first publication compiles the results of five annual surveys on the presence and representation of gender issues in the programmes of the national television stations in the period 2012-2016. In addition to the surveys, the publication also presents a meta-analysis showing the trends in terms of gender and the media.

• The second publication on gender issues in the television programmes covers the year 2017 and contains two analyses. One of the analyses shows whether, how and to what extent gender issues are present, while the other one depicts the way in which gender is portrayed in the TV programmes. The researchers analysed the presence of gender issues in the programming concepts and contents of the daily information shows of the national TV stations, as well as the way women and men were depicted in the commercials. The research findings revealed a low level of presence of gender-related issues and topics in the daily news editions and showed that topics that could have been presented from a gender aspect were not recognized as such by the male and female journalists or the media outlets. Male high-office holders appeared in a larger number of news items within the daily news editions, most often as interlocutors, while the trend of using masculine grammatical gender as universal when introducing the professions and offices, continued. In general, the media were neutral when addressing topics related to gender; however, one could notice a partially positive trend in the media outlets where female editors prevailed. As regards commercials, there was a certain visible balance in terms of the presence of male and female actors, whereas in terms of narration, male voices prevailed in both domestic and foreign advertisings.

Once a year, the AAAMS prepares analyses of the treatment of gender issues and the depiction and portrayal of women and men in the programming concepts and contents of the broadcast media outlets, over which it is competent and submits it to the Parliament.

• Gender in the Television Programmes in 2012 - 2016 (in Macedonian, Albanian and English)
• Analysis of Gender in Television Programme Services for 2017 (in Macedonian, Albanian and English)

In addition, the AAAMS initiated a campaign against sexism in the media, which is expected to raise the public and media workers’ awareness about the importance of gender equality and of overcoming gender stereotypes and prejudices. The spots are available on the regulator's YouTube channel (in Macedonian):

• TV spot 1: Sexism Humiliates
• TV spot 2: Sexism Humiliates
• Radio spot: Sexism Humiliates

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Additional EPRA Background: Note that Gender issues will feature on EPRA's agenda in 2018 with an annual Working Group on Achieving greater Diversity in Broadcasting.

Source: AAAMS Website