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Women in Communications: Television/Radio By Elana Goldstein There were three of us and 11 of them in my first production class. I timidly sat in the back of the classroom, waiting for my turn to touch the camera. While they crowded around learning the equipment, I shyly waited until after class. Only then did I feel comfortable touching the camera and chatting with the professor. I know that I'm not the only female television/radio major to experience this hesitation and anxiety in class. It comes from a fear of messing up in front of the people who are most judgmental of your abilities, and I'm not talking about the professor. In this male dominated field, women are judged harshly, and this makes them hesitant to try anything new. As I went through my years at Ithaca College, I gained more and more confidence. I began to voice my opinion more, and express my views. By the end of my sophomore year, I had produced my own show and I had a general knowledge of most of the studio equipment in Park. My previous ideas about being a woman in communications faded. I feel equal to the men around me and know I am as skilled as any of them. I was a powerhouse; no one could stop me. I went to Los Angeles in the fall of my junior year. I worked at an internship just like everyone else. One exception: at my internship I was the woman. I was out to lunch with my supervisor one day. We were eating in this Greek restaurant, when I noticed they had no women working there. We started discussing it, and I mentioned that the company I interned for had no other female workers except for me. He said that that was one of the reasons they hired me. He also said that they needed someone to keep the office clean because the guys were a bunch of slobs. He said I was expected to wash dishes and straighten the office. The prejudice that had inhibited my success before had not faded because of my confidence. It was still alive and thriving in Los Angeles. I came back to Ithaca disillusioned and unhappy with my major. I knew something was wrong, but I didn't know how to fix it. At first I tried to tackle the issue on an individual level. I started working at the cage. I figured if I had a better grasp of the equipment, no one could dismiss me. For some reason, I still wasn't as good as the man sitting next to me in class. I was shooting this interview with a male partner, and I was the one certified to use the equipment. The person we were interviewing assumed that the man was running the show, and insisted that my partner check the iris and the white balance of the camera. All of his technical comments and suggestions went to my partner. It was like I didn't exist. Seeing that the individual strategy didn't work, I tried to expand my focus. I talked to people, tried to give younger women encouragement and advice. It wasn't enough. They are still compelled to fill the roles already assigned to them. I'm President of International Radio and Television Society. I have a hard work ethic. I am approved on three cameras. I'm passionate. I can edit, I relate well to people, I can direct, I can do audio, I can run the switcher, I can make films, I can light, I can produce. When will I be good enough? Elana Goldstein is a junior TV -R major at Ithaca College. |
