depression of African economies as the continent shuts off a sizeable chunk of human capital on the basis of sex. Women make up the majority of the population in southern Africa at around 52 per cent. However, due to HIV-AIDS and the attendant consequences of women’s low status, this figure is expected to decline drastically in little over a decade. Media Practitioners: Gender and Media Baseline Study Television Presenters % of women Region Angola Botswana Lesotho Malawi Mauritius Mozambique Namibia South Africa Swaziland Tanzania Zambia Zimbabwe 45 52 35 59 42 49 32 47 44 56 52 53 32 % of men 55 48 65 41 58 51 68 53 56 44 48 47 68 Television Reporters % of women 38 44 48 53 27 36 35 56 30 32 53 63 36 % of men 62 56 52 47 73 64 65 44 70 68 47 37 64 Radio Reporters % of women % of men 34 38 N/A N/A 28 38 11 21 44 41 40 33 49 66 62 N/A N/A 72 62 89 79 56 59 60 67 51 Print Reporters % of % of women men 22 29 41 18 8 24 3 21 29 15 21 16 16 78 71 59 82 92 76 97 79 71 85 79 84 84 Newsmakers To a large extent, the news involves media organisations, journalists and editors who decide what issues should be covered. In Africa, the percentage of female reporters increased from 24 per cent to 28 per cent in 2005. Even in this area, it is observed that the increase is quite modest. According to the 2005 GMMP Survey Analysis Report: “Although women have made great strides in the media over the last couple of decades, in many countries they still face an uphill struggle to achieve equal status with men. General stereotypes that men are rational and women are emotional, that for men a career is paramount, while for women a career is secondary to family life, also influence the directions into which male and female professionals are channelled within media organisations, and the kinds of stories they cover.” The imbalance is not only among female reporters. There is also a greater imbalance in the sources of stories. Sources Mauritian newspaper L’Express carried a story focusing on the families of two murder suspects. Five of the six interviewees were women – mothers or sisters of the accused. One photograph showed the brother of one of the suspects. The analysis revealed that the women were depicted in highly stereotypical terms. Words and phrases were used such as “distraught”, “shocked”, “unable to contain her emotions” and “mystified by what happened”. So This Is Democracy? 2005 -21- Media Institute of Southern Africa