Women roles in Malaysia traditional mass media- television

We discussed about women identity and image in fashion based media. Their images were come from the very beginning which is weak characteristic. Now we’re going to talk about women roles in Malaysia traditional mass media-- television. There are some channels like TV2, RTM1, TV3 and other local channels that have shows of women which are mostly about fashion, cosmetic, family and children, hand crafting and other approaches feminisms shows. From this statement, Malaysia television has provided less contribution on women’s empowerment in society where there is still stereotyping mind existed among the society.

Let’s take a show as example like Minda Wanita dan Hawa on RTM1. The female Malay host and a male Ustaz speaking about a good life of a woman after marriage and this is also considered as a good Muslim. If a woman doesn’t has a marriage by the age of 27, she is considered as a spinster and a spinster is labelled as not a good muslim that ‘runs’ away from their responsibilities. Not to doubt that their responsibilities is to engage in reproductive activities. This issue is advanced from a religious point of view where it is continuously stressed that marriage is a form of ‘devotional service’ that will enable women to take up their roles.

There’s another example about gender discrimination on a talk show that’s called “Pondan, Ancaman Wanita” which aired on TV3. It was sick for them to just relate transgender and women are the same kind as they like the same topics like fashion, fragrance and such. They were showing the females are weak and should associate with stereotype image of women like women are make-up artist or wedding planner.

Fashion is a global matter but Malaysia traditional mass media seems to always associate it with females or transgender or even Mak Nyah (men who have feminism characteristic). It is just like fashions are all made for women and women have the obligations to present the idea of fashion. Not to mention that this kind of stereotype minded was already begun at early ages of advertising that associated with house wife.  

 

Bibliography

Ammu, J., Laxmi, M. and Jane, W.(2015) ‘Country Report: “Media and Gender in Malaysia”’. Research Study on Media and Gender in Asia-Pacific March [online] http://www.ifj.org/fileadmin/images/Asia_Pacific/IFJ_AP/reports-etc/Gender_and_Media_in_Malaysia [Accessed 24 June 2015]

 

Balraj, S.(2000) ‘Dis- empowering women on Malaysian TV’. Asia Pacific Media Educator 9(1) December [online] http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1144&context=apme [Accessed 23 June 2015]

Free Malaysia Today—FMT news (2011) ‘Mak Nyah community demands apology from TV3’ [online] http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/opinion/2011/10/13/mak-nyah-community-demands-apology-from-tv3/ [Accessed 24 June 2015]

Jellene, K.(2011) ‘TV3 talkshow's disgusting gender discrimination’. Malaysiakini. [online] http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/178927 [Accessed 24 June 2015]