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Precious Masakara
THE media industry has been male-dominated over the years although women are rising through the ranks.
Women have lagged behind in journalism because newsroom structures have been heavily skewed in favour of males. Women face the added challenges of balancing the workplace and social life.
The Sunday Mail Editor, Mrs Victoria Ruzvidzo, who has been working for Zimpapers for over 25 years revealed that the journey to success for a woman is not all rosy but one has to be tough in order to survive.
“Just like some women fail to withstand the pressure in the kitchen, so it is in journalism,” she said.
“I believe that nothing is too hard just like the Bible says, nothing is impossible so I am set to overcome every challenge in the workplace.
“It is difficult to work in a patriarchal environment but the same men who can pull you down can actually help you to the top. Sometimes we just have wrong perceptions about males,” she added.
Mrs Ruzvidzo said not even the sky is the limit to her as she continues to dream.
“I was cautiously ambitious and never expected that I would one day be The Sunday Mail editor although I never saw this as an impossibility,” she said.
“Journalism is a passion to me and I keep on working hard and through God who strengthens me I know I will soldier on. I am thankful to the Zimpapers chief executive officer who keeps empowering women across the group,” said Mrs Ruzvidzo.
The Sunday Mail Editor said the challenge which comes with journalism is to balance work and home, as one needs the support of family to make it.
“One should be able to multi-task, give your best at work and at home,” she said.
“I have a husband who has been supporting me and I made my children appreciate my career. I gave them all the motherly love I could and now one of my sons is a journalist, maybe he actually took from me,” she said.
Mrs Ruzvidzo added that there should be more gender-sensitive policies which will ensure that women are not side-lined in the work place.
She urged fellow female journalists not to chicken out but strive for the best and be able to make names for themselves, as globally women feel outdone.
The Herald Managing Editor, Ms Ruth Butaumocho, said even with tears in one’s eyes, the idea is to soldier on in journalism.
“I am in this position today not because I never wept but because I cried and stood my ground,” she said. “There are women who were talented more than me in this field but failed to stand their ground and left,” she added.
Ms Butaumocho said that the structure of the newsroom naturally promotes man to have higher ranks but if one is dedicated they will make it.
“By its structure, it is headed by men and naturally men gravitate towards men,” she said. “Structural challenges remain as serious assignments are given to men. Women usually shy away from some assignments which require long hours.”
Despite all the challenges faced by women in journalism, Ms Butaumocho is probably the only reporter at Zimpapers who has won one of the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Awards.
Ms Butaumocho, now in her 20th year in the journalism, is glad to say that journalism is an exciting career which needs a lot of commitment. Through journalism, she has travelled to places she never imagined she could travel to.
“I am grateful to Minister Monica Mutsvangwa who has made deliberate policies to ensure gender equality in the newsroom and women are being accorded equal opportunities with men,” she said.
Herald Convergence Deputy News editor, Ms Phyllis Kachere, revealed that in journalism women must have thick skin and learn to stand their ground.
“For the love of journalism, you have to hang on and make sure you work hard despite that women are treated as fragile,” she said.
“I have been in the industry for more than 20 years and most of the times women are not taken seriously but I believe that if you fall down once you have to pick yourself up twice. If you fall seven times, pick up yourself eight times.
“There are no babies in the industry and if journalism is your passion you must never give up on what you love,” she added.
Ms Kachere said the journey to the top was never easy but she is able to look back and smile as she rose through the ranks.
“I started as a correspondent and then became a junior reporter with The Sunday Mail before I became a senior reporter then became a desk editor, I then became a deputy news editor with The Herald,” she said.
“The steps to the top were tough because I had to balance work and home, at times I had late assignments while my children needed me at home.
“Nothing was ever easy but the journey to success requires one to be tough and never give up especially in a male-dominated environment,” she added.
Online Reporter