19th December 2022
Online Event at Zoom
The masterclass on reporting through a gender lens was conducted by Rajeshwari Kalyanam, a senior journalist from Telugu media. In the masterclass, attended by 25 attendees, Rajeshwari presented an in-depth analysis of the submissions of each of the fellows, in which she identified key issues and offered remedies that could be deployed to make the reporting more gender sensitive.
Rajeshwari summarized each of the fellows' works, and appreciated the selection of the topics and the sensitivity in reporting.
She identified major issues such as the length of the article, the presentation of the data and information and also the need to make the story more readable and eye catching to the readers while reviewing the articles.
She emphasised the need to look beyond the run-of-the-mill, not usually covered aspects to avoid the tendency to report the obvious and the known. It is important to ensure in-depth reporting exploring the many facets and nuances of a given story which get much appreciated by the readers and the editors.
She mentioned the tendency of journalists to try to include all the findings from their research in the long-format articles, and its impact on readability. Especially, considering the average reader of today with limited attention span and tendency to channel surf, she suggested instead, to write shorter and more engaging stories with an impactful narrative built on a few key data points. The stories should be presented in a manner that is accessible to the readers in terms of their own understanding of the issue. Furthermore, she highlighted how stories that centre on individual characters and experiences make the stories more relatable and resonate better with readers.
Rajeshwari highlighted the importance to have diverse voices reflected in the stories to make them more inclusive, reflecting the diversity in society. She underscored the importance of getting inputs from various stakeholders, especially women and the LGBTQAI+ persons to make the stories more gender sensitive and gender inclusive. Thus, making them more comprehensive and wholesome for a reader.
Rajeshwari also, had vital inputs when it came to how statistics and raw data can best be conveyed to readers. She suggested that the fellows use more engaging imagery in the form of graphs and infographics, instead of using numbers and percentages. And how while using numbers, it is always better to present data in more relatable terms such as 1 in 100, 1 in 4 etc.
The masterclass by Rajeshwari provided relevant and insightful feedback to the fellows, which would help them hone their skills in using a gender lens while reporting and was greatly appreciated by fellows and other participants.
Click here to watch the full session: https://youtu.be/Apma49kBDH8