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For the right to "freedom of the press" to be meaningful, we must have a realistic way to exercise it - for all of us, not just the multi-millionaires among us. In a century as intellectually and technologically creative as ours, we know a way to provide a means of communication to all who need it can be devised. It is undignified to have to "beg" or "demand" access to media that belongs to others, happy to be mentioned even if inaccurately.
Women are increasingly dissatisfied with the inadequacies of the present structures. We seek improvement both through expanding women-owned media and through our equal presence in other media at all levels. We need better news coverage of women and inclusion of women's perspectives. This can be achieved through WIFP's objective of having women speak for themselves in the media. Only then will we have an accurate reflection of our abilities and our political, economic, and social options.
We wish to indicate by our association with the Women's Institution for Freedom of the Press our support for its work toward these goals.
Our many different approaches, views, and perspectives, both within and outside of media, unite to encourage meaningful change. This change would expand the exercise of our rights to communicate with each other and with the public in the media form we find most suitable to our message. We will continue to pursue authentic voice for women until our rights are no less than those elite few who are currently able to communicate their infomation to millions of others.
We know that changes in the structure of mass communication will come; too many people are being left out. Critical public and personal decisions are not viable because we lack their input. The question is: on what principles will the restructuring be made? We seek a voice in how the communications systems of the future will develop: we want to assure that the maximum number of people can be heard - in their own words speaking for themselves.
We are working together to register our unity, to aid each other's media efforts, and to increase the resources allocated to changing the world's communications systems to guarantee men and women equal access to the majority of the public.
For women to continue to make progress, it is essential that we have a communications system that will enable us more readily to exchange information with each other and to be able equally with men to reach the millions of the general public.
We seek these changes, not just to bring about democracy in media and to assure individual rights, but so we can more effectively work toward a world where peace and justice prevail.
1940 Calvert Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009-1502
(202) 265-6707