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Women Speak Out! A Report of the Pacific Women's Conference. October 27 – November 2

Fiji

Fiji

There are 36 women of the 100 employees at Fiji Broadcasting Commission, and of these only two are on the executive, one is a technician, six are announcers. Wages are equal, but men hold most of the decision-making powers.

What has radio been doing in International Women's Year? Most of the other countries have been doing things that are very women-orientated i.e. things that don't bring the woman out of her home, such as knitting or cooking. There's nothing for education about outside activities.

Working for radio in Fiji, I find that women listeners are very, very passive, and the feedback I get from my listening audience-there's nothing to go on. I have to make up the programmes to go on radio because, unfortunately, I don't get any co-operation from the women. You get pulled down because the women don't give you any ideas of what they want.

Another thing I have noticed in working for the media, is in describing any events when a woman is present-for instance, Margaret Thatcher was described as the blonde Mrs. Thatcher, daughter of a grocery store owner etc., which I think is unnecessary. After all, they don't talk about men as the mousy little Mr. Kissinger or the handsome Mr. Trudeau…