Recently published report of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reveals ethnic minority including Pakistani origin women are underrepresented in Norwegian media.
Pakistani origin Norwegian journalist Shazia Majid has conducted the study for the Institute and analysed that as many as 3956 news items were published in Norway’s two leading newspapers, Verdens Gang {VG} and Aftenposten during the year 2018.
Out of these 3956 news items merely 27 were about Norwegian ethnic minority women whereas nine of the 27 news items were opinion pieces. Interestingly seven out of those nine opinion pieces were written by ethnic minority women themselves, however, only 6 of the 27 articles were regular news.
According to finding of the report not a single newspaper edition had given space to ethnic minority woman on cover page. In addition, there was not a single lifestyle story of a non-white Norwegian woman. While mentioning the coverage of lifestyle of ethnic minority women in Norwegian media, the report says “The normal lives of ethnic minority women are totally absent.”
The study shows that less than 1% {0.92} of the news items were about ethnic minority women. Factually, ethnic minority women are 4.1% of Norway’s general population. Shazia Majid analyzed that ethnic minority women are least likely to be in the news as compared to ethnic minority male.
“But if we see Norwegian ethnic minority with both sexes combined result is somewhat same. The number of ethnic minorities in Norway’s general population is 8% but this study found that even they are grossly underrepresented which is only 3.5%”, said Ms Majid.
She termed the situation worrisome on the ground that Norway’s leading newspapers failed to pay heed in making ethnic minority women a natural part of their coverage. According to Shazia Majid by far the most commonly use way for an ethnic minority woman to have some media exposure and visibility is through writing opinion, she writes ‘Ethnic minority women are themselves putting in efforts to be visible in Norwegian media.’ Whereas she describes it as ‘Want coverage? Write an opinion’.
In the study, Shazia Majid suggested that a better solution for the Norwegian press is to perform its duty to normalise ordinary ethnic minority women and their lives in the news pages. The more women, the larger the diversity in opinions, and the more sharing of burden.
Shazia Majid has authored a book in Norwegian ‘Ut av skyggene‘ {Stepping out of shadows} which is published in 2019. “Stepping out of shadows” portrayed early lives and struggles of Pakistani immigrant women in Norway.
In 1970s when immigrants, mostly from Pakistan, India, Morocco and Turkey came to Norway, it was a dominant white country. Norwegian media has highlighted the struggle stories of male immigrants as ‘Alien workers’ but surprisingly no one has documented the tale of non-white women, their struggles and progress. Shazia’s book told the untold stories of those immigrant women who were completely ignored.
