Women and Media: Libyan Female Journalists from Gaddafi Media to Post- revolution: Case Study

摘要

ThisarticleexaminestherepresentationofwomeninLibyannationaltraditionalmediabefore,duringandaftertheFebruary2011revolutionthatledtotheoverthrowoftheGaddafiregime.Whatrolesdidfemalejournalistsassumewithinnationaltraditionalnewsroomsandhowdidtheserolesevolvefromactivisminthedefenseofwomen’scausesandtheofficialrevolutionaryidealsoftheformerregimetospreadingthemessageoftherevolutionariesduringtheuprising?Thisarticlefurtherreflectsonchangesinthenatureoffemalejournalists’rolesinthenewpost-revolutionmedialandscape.TheopeningofthemediamarkettoprivateownershipforthefirsttimeinLibya’shistoryisaccompaniedbyanexpansionofwomen’spresenceinLibyannewsrooms,wherethisincreasedvisibilityistobeviewedprimarilyasameanofattractingaudiences.Intheshakymedialandscapethatcharacterizesthepost-revolutionaryperiod,thisexpansionreflectstheclashbetweentheconservativevaluesofLibyansocietyandtheliberalvaluesoftheopenmarket.IarguethatthegrowingnumberofwomeninnationalLibyanmediapost-revolutionisnotreflectiveofageneraltrendtowardswomen’sempowermentinacountrystrugglingwiththespreadofviolenceandthelegacyofthepast.Rather,thethornyprocessofrestructuringnationalmediapost-revolutionandtheneedfornewmediaoutletscapableofcateringforlargeaudiencesareempoweringthepresenceofwomeninnewsroomsasastrongmarketingasset.