Spanish Media Marks 25N with Silence and Critique of Sexist Reporting on Gender Violence
Spanish media commemorates 25N with a silence for victims and critical review of sexist practices in gender violence reporting.
- • Antena 3 Noticias held a minute of silence on 25N to honor victims of gender violence.
- • The 'Tolerancia Cero' campaign marks its 10th anniversary, promoting awareness against abuse.
- • Observatorio del Periodismo Machista found 43% of media coverage minimizes or romanticizes violence.
- • 16% of headlines objectify women; 11% blame victims.
- • Educational projects are underway to combat sexist journalism in academic settings.
Key details
On November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Spanish media intensified their focus on gender-based violence. Antena 3 Noticias observed a moment of silence during its most-watched 15:00 and 21:00 broadcasts, honoring victims of gender violence. This act marked the 10th anniversary of the 'Contra el maltrato, Tolerancia Cero' initiative, backed by Fundación Mutua Madrileña, emphasizing the channel's commitment to raising social awareness and combating all forms of abuse.
Concurrently, the Observatorio del Periodismo Machista released an alarming analysis highlighting ongoing problematic media coverage. It documented 195 sexist journalistic cases, finding that 43% of these news reports either romanticize or minimize gender violence. Additionally, 16% of the headlines objectify women, and 11% blame victims for the violence they endured. The Observatorio, supported by the University of the Basque Country and women's journalist associations, seeks to educate about these harmful practices by categorizing sexism, providing corrective headline suggestions, and developing educational materials used in Communication faculties and soon in secondary schools.
Researcher Iker Merchán Mota stressed, "Sexist journalism is bad journalism," underscoring the media's power to promote either inequality or equality. These efforts on 25N collectively spotlight the urgent need for more responsible media coverage and continued societal engagement to eradicate gender-based violence in Spain.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.
