Time to move beyond naming and shaming: Women editors on #MeToo

Referring to Minister of State (External Affairs) M J Akbar who was forced to step down after several women accused him of sexual misconduct, Meenal Baghel (Editor of Mumbai Mirror) said that historically women could speak in the private domain but not in public spheres.

(From left) Dhanya Rajendran, co-founder and Editor-in-chief of The News Minute; Ritu Kapur, co-founder and chief executive officer of The Quint; The Indian Express Deputy Editor Seema Chishti; Meenal Baghel, Editor of Mumbai Mirror; and Rupa Jha, head of Indian Languages, BBC World Service at the panel discussion on Friday. (Express Photo by Abhinav Saha)

Moving forward from “naming and shaming” on social media, which has been a significant manifestation of the #MeToo campaign, women editors Friday offered tangible suggestions for the way forward and called for stronger more diversified newsrooms.

“A lot of editors don’t seem to think they have the power to change things. This is that moment when we know we can all make that change that will take the movement forward in a meaningful way,” said Rupa Jha, head of Indian Languages, BBC World Service.

With the Indian media at the centre of the #MeToo campaign that swept across the country this past year, which also saw several women journalists speak out against sexual harassment at the workplace, a panel discussion on the subject, ‘#MeToo in the Newsroom: What editors can and should do’ was held as part of the 13th edition of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in Delhi.

The panel discussion, comprising Jha, Dhanya Rajendran, co-founder and Editor-in-chief of The News Minute, Meenal Baghel, Editor of Mumbai Mirror and Ritu Kapur, co-founder and chief executive officer of The Quint, was moderated by The Indian Express Deputy Editor Seema Chishti, who started the discussion on what needs to be done moving forward.