Women's faces are now seen regularly reading television news, but when it comes to being interviewed as experts or as guests on the powerful political talk shows, fewer than 20% are women. WMC is changing that by training a new generation of progressive women to be effective media pundits. WMC also monitors media of all kinds and "pitches a fit" (mobilizes activists to complain) when sexism rears its ugly head, as it still does often. WMC is doing a focused, targeted job that no other organization is doing with such visibility and success.
The WMC's Progressive Women's Voices is unlike any other workshop I have been to - and I have been selected to attend a number of prestigious ones. But my experience at the WMC has stretched my abilities as a filmmaker and a journalist to have a real voice in the media: my voice! I thought I could only speak on the subject of my film, but through their exercises I rediscovered my abilities to have a voice on different subjects and with confidence. Without this experience, I would have gone about making films. Now I have a great agenda to make a difference and attract the public and media attention on a variety of issues. Thank you WMC for being such a strong back and anchor for all women! I couldn't recommend any other organization better!!!
The Womens Media Center provides a network of dedicated and impressive women, practical media training resources, and a database of women experts --all of which work together to strengthen women's voices in the media. The organization's strength is in its combination of practical tools and a powerful, supportive community.
This is a must-be-involved charity for any woman in the media, particularly those covering international development and social change. However, it is a bit hard to hear back from anyone there mainly because they are short-staffed. I applied for the PWV's program and was not accepted (mainly because there were too few spots given the number of women interested and in need of this program). If they were to get the funding they deserve, I have no doubt they would be able to better coordinate their services to a wider audience and give promising applicants the type of feedback they need to make it into the next cycle of the PWV program. However, despite their small numbers, I have to say that the staff are responsive to constructive criticism and very helpful when you speak with them directly. I'm looking forward to working with this organization more in the future and hope they get more funding so that they can grow their operations.
PWV taught me to stop being scared of my own leadership, because at the end of the day, it's not about me. It's about the issue. But PWV also helped me realize that whether I like it or not, I was the defacto leader of what had gone from a little blog to an international movement. To try and avoid leading it would be to miss an incredible opportunity to make the world safer for women and girls around the world.
The Women's Media Center creates a compassionately challenging, supportive, and activist community dead set on changing public discourse to include more diverse voices--a hallmark of a functioning democracy. I felt equipped to take on any difficult issue and any ideologically rigid and/or unempathic opponent after receiving media training from them, and they continue to feel like champions in my corner. As a freelancer, that means the world.
I appreciate what the Womens Media Center does in enabling more women to be heard in the field of journalism, TV & Radio. Their efforts educate interested people like me who are aware of the unbalanced media streaming mostly white male journalists' ideas. Their work offers a more diversified 'take' on all issues. I feel much better educated in areas they report on when I receive info from the WMC!
The Women’s Media Center is a valued NCRW member center and a critical resource for women’s increased presence and visibility in today’s competitive media landscape. They offer opportunities for women experts and talking heads to make their voices heard and their opinions count in breaking news and on key issues. I’m so proud to count myself among the alumnae of their PWV program – an unparalleled experience of strategic messaging, networking and skills-building for media outreach both on-camera and off-. Linda Basch, PhD, President National Council for Research on Women