An Investigation into The Impact of Biased Media Coverage on The Lives and Self-Esteem of African Women (2022)

Biased Media Coverage African Women Dissertation – The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate how the media covers gender issues and portrays African women in audio-visual media, as well as to analyze the impact of this representation on the daily lives and well-being of women in Africa. For this study, the researcher adopted a positivism philosophy and employed a deductive approach to formulate hypotheses based on the chosen theoretical framework. Stratified sampling was used to select the focus group, and a descriptive design was employed for qualitative analysis.

The findings revealed that African women are underrepresented in political and socio-economic contexts in the media. Moreover, the media tends to objectify and sexualize women, particularly in sports and entertainment domains. Such objectification and limited or negative media coverage have significant implications for the self-esteem of African women.

To address these issues, it is crucial for the media to publish inspiring stories and interviews that highlight successful African women, aiming to educate and influence a broader audience of African women. Additionally, producing women-centric documentaries, movies, TV commercials, and incorporating positive portrayals in mainstream media can play a pivotal role in fostering positive change.

The aim of this research is to examine the how the media is covering the gender issues and portraying African women in the audio-visual scale and to analyze how this media representation is affecting the daily lives and the well-being of the women in Africa. The research also aims to recommend the best possible ways to overcome or fight back against such negative portrayals.

The research objectives

• To analyze the impact of media coverage on the political and socio-cultural contexts of African women
• To investigate whether media channels tend to objectify and sexualize women in sports and entertainment
• To recommend the best possible ways of improving the overall scenario

Research questions

• To determine if women in Africa are under-represented in the media concerning political and socio-cultural contexts
• To investigate whether media channels tend to objectify and sexualize women in the fields of sports and entertainment
• To assess the impact of biased media coverage on the lives of African women and propose recommended strategies for overcoming these biases

• 14,000 words – 64 pages in length
• Excellent use of literature
• Excellent analysis of subject area
• Well written throughout
• Ideal for media communications students

1 – Introduction
Background of the Study
Dissertation Rationale
Problem Statement
Research Aim
Research Objectives
Research Questions
Research Hypothesis
Hypothesis objectives
Significance of the Study

2 – Literature Review
Gender: A Fluid Concept
The Impact of Media on Gender Views and Gender Perspectives
Little Media Coverage of African Women in Print Media
Coverage of Women Sportspersons in African Media
Objectification of African Women in Movies
Reason why Media Contents in Africa Reinforce African Gender Stereotypes in Real Life
Media Coverage of Women in Africa During the time of Elections
Representation of Queer People in African Media
Importance of Media Democracy
Literature Gap
Summary

3: Research Methodology
Research Philosophy
Research Approach
Research Design
Data Analysis
Sampling
Measures
Procedure
Ethical Consideration

4: Data Analysis
Qualitative Data Analysis
Contextual Data Analysis
Interview Data Analysis

5: Conclusion and Recommendation
Conclusion
Linking the objectives with the Findings and Literature Review
Recommendation
Publication of the inspiring women stories by the media
Publication of interviews of successful African women in different sectors
Telecasting women centering movies, documentaries, videos
Silencing women during elections
Giving respect to the transgender people while addressing their issues
Promotion of women empowerment
Research Limitation
Future Research Scope

References