After the lecture, we were asked in groups to brainstorm areas specific to the overall theme (empowerment). My group were given the topic ‘Racial and Gender Diversity: Giving Minorities a Voice’, and immediately we began thinking about the workplace and the types of environments we as future media practitioners will be entering into. By chance, or group was made up of five girls, so we found ourselves drawn to the focus of female presence in the media landscape and what is happening/what needs to happen. Although not exclusive to gender, the kinds of things we covered were representation in media, inclusivity, integration of minority groups, equal access to media/broadcasting, and causes of action. In regards to that last point, we talked briefly about Screen Australia’s recent initiatives to give women a fairer go as directors, and more broadly about the encouragement of minority involvement through programs and funding and whether this was useful or counter-productive in evening out the media landscape. Does it draw to much attention to the problem without solving it? Or is it the push that is needed?
