Media guru tells women in media
Veteran journalist and communications expert, Esther Kanaimba-Senai has advised women in the media to know their worth and value in order to survive storms on their career path.
The award winning Radio Personality and media legend said this when motivating women in news in an intergenerational dialogue in Gaborone on Monday.
The dialogue was part of World Association of News Publishers, Women in News Africa (WIN) Directors visit to Botswana. The aim of the visit was to capacitate media organisations on research and training on skills needed for sustainable media businesses.
Offering younger journalists candid insights gleaned from her illustrious career in the media that spanned over decades, Kanaimba -Senai said, “As a leader you should not allow anybody to undermine your authority. Do not allow people to use you outside structures. When working with men in a leadership position, a woman can come up with a brilliant point, then men can pass it on to another male colleague and unashamedly pitch it as if it is theirs. I experienced that and I didn’t shy away from pointing out that it was my idea.”
She pointed out that challenges are many in this male dominated profession of media but you need to be focused and know what you want to achieve.
The WIN Directors also paid a visit to the Minister of State President Kabo Neale Morwaeng to call on the government to come up with a National Media Policy on safety and security in the newsroom.
In an interview with The Voice, WIN Africa Director Jane Godia said their mandate, as Win is to increase women’s leadership and voices in the news. She said they do so by equipping women journalists and editors with skills, strategies, and support networks to take on greater leadership positions within their organisations.
“We call on all media publishers to make it their responsibility to promote an environment of zero tolerance to sexual harassment. According to our research men in media rooms are also sexually harassed. Men and women should be respected and there must be no gender discrimination. There must also be equitable distribution of opportunities for both men and women. Our training workshop will be on managing and preventing sexual harassment, how to make money on digital platforms, online harassment and trolling,” said Godia.
Meanwhile Minister Morwaeng took the opportunity to express the government’s commitment to a free press.
The minister also encouraged WIN and the Department of Broadcasting Services management to work together to draw up a plan for collaboration.