The media needs to dig deeper in order to understand the statistics on violence and gender instead of just reporting on the numbers.
Media Industry Development Authority chairman Ashwin Raj says the public has become desensitised to statistics but they do respond when they hear a story being told – when journalists humanise the stats.
Raj says there is also a need to be consistent when it comes to giving people in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) a voice.
He says they should not just be asked their views during World Human Rights Day or such events but all the time.
“We don’t strategically use these communities because is convenient to our politics at that time. I’m not trying to incriminate the media all I am saying is that we should actively work towards opening up the space at all times. So that the media becomes an important platform for discursive different voices.”
The MIDA chairman adds that since the media plays a huge role in educating the public on the constitution and the law, it needs to be well versed on this too.
