Media still using old photos of women artists despite their objections, lifestyle changes
On September 8, model and actress Meghna Alam shared a photo card on her official Facebook page, directly accusing the news media of using old photographs of her while disregarding her current lifestyle and personal choices.
Meghna Alam’s allegation is not an isolated incident. A similar pattern can be seen in the use of photographs in reports about two Bangladeshi actresses, Sadika Parvin Popy and Pushpita Popy, who have recently placed greater emphasis on religious living.
Recently, film actress Sadika Parvin Popy announced that she was stepping away from acting for religious reasons. Several news outlets published reports on the matter. A report published by Ittefaq on August 30 was headlined, “I want to wash away all my sins by invoking Allah and Khoda, and die peacefully: Popy.” Although the report focused on her current lifestyle and religious beliefs, it used older photographs of Popy alongside a recent photograph of her wearing a veil. The photo card created for Facebook to promote the report, however, featured three additional photographs alongside the veiled image. In two of them, she appeared in revealing clothing and posed in particular ways. The news outlet later removed the photo card. However, its second photo card also used an old photograph alongside a recent one.
In 2019, actress Pushpita Popy stepped away from the film industry, citing religious reasons and personal choices. However, in 2023, several news outlets again published reports about her decision to leave acting and embrace a religious life (1, 2, 3, 4). The reports noted that signs of her departure from acting could also be seen on social media: she had removed all her photographs from her accounts. Yet all the reports used photographs from her past. Although the actress had photographs on social media that reflected her religious life, the media outlets did not refrain from adding images from her earlier acting career. Some reports used those photographs alongside images reflecting her current religious life.
This pattern of using irrelevant old photographs in reports about women leaving the entertainment industry is not limited to actresses in Bangladesh. It can also be observed in news coverage of Indian female artists who have left acting. A report published by Dhaka Tribune in July 2022 was headlined, “Sana Khan Explains Why She Chose Religion Over Showbiz.” Although the report covered Bollywood actress Sana Khan’s departure from the entertainment industry, it included an old, unrelated photograph alongside a current image of her. The old photograph was not necessary in the context of the original story.
According to a report published by Indian media outlet NDTV in October 2020, Sana Khan announced that year that she was leaving show business. That report used a photograph of her from that time. In other words, despite the availability of current photographs of Sana Khan, Dhaka Tribune used an old photograph in its report published in 2022. In addition, Sana Khan’s personal social media accounts contain photographs of her from the present day.
Similarly, in 2022, Indian Bhojpuri film actress Sahar Afsha announced that she was leaving acting because of her religious beliefs. At the beginning of a report about her published by Dhaka Mail, the outlet wrote, “Many Indian film stars have bid farewell to acting under the influence of religion. Now, Bhojpuri cinema’s glamorous actress Sahar Afsha has joined that list.” Alongside a recent photograph of Afsha wearing a hijab, the report also used an older photograph of her wearing revealing clothing.
Personal choices and current circumstances overlooked
Explaining why news outlets use irrelevant photographs in such reports, Mridha Md. Shibli Noman, an assistant professor in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at Jahangirnagar University, pointed to financial considerations. He believes the role of news media has changed as content has become a potential source of revenue.
“Rather than changing society and culture, media organizations have to create and disseminate content that caters to society’s and culture’s preferences. In this regard, women and women’s bodies are an effective means of attracting a large audience to the content.”
The tendency to portray women as commodities in films and other media has been discussed for a long time. News reports about female performers also sometimes use gender-insensitive language. Greater emphasis is placed on clothing and physical beauty than on their work, performances and skills. In many cases, the individuals’ own views are also sidelined.
Meghna Alam directly objected to the use of old photographs by sharing a photo card on her official Facebook page. The photo card stated, “I have been covering my head for almost two years. Meanwhile, the media keeps publishing news using my old pictures showing cleavage. Views are more important than a woman’s choice, comfort and modesty. Even if she wants to observe purdah (Islamic practices of modest dress and conduct), it is impossible.”
Such disparities in the portrayal of women in the news media are not new. Women have also been portrayed differently in political coverage. A study titled “Farewell to Gender Stereotypes? Characterizing Politicians in 11 Years of News,” published in Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly in 2023, found that female politicians were more frequently described in terms of traditionally feminine physical attributes, using words such as “beautiful” or “attractive.” Male politicians, by contrast, were described using terms associated with morality, such as “decent” and “ethical,” as well as intellectual attributes such as “logical” and “analytical.”
| “Society’s perception is largely that a man will engage in hooliganism and debauchery up to a certain age and then correct himself in his later years, making him deserving of praise; on the other hand, once a woman strays in the eyes of society, even if she returns to the conventionally correct path, she will not be absolved of her past actions.” Mridha Md. Shiblee Noman Assistant Professor, Department of Journalism and Media Studies Jahangirnagar University |
A study conducted in 2022 on news reports concerning Democratic presidential candidates stated that close-up photographs can present a candidate as more intelligent and ambitious. Typically, in the case of women, photographs are taken from a medium distance or from afar, and greater emphasis is placed on their bodies.
In the case of athletes as well, women are presented differently. A 2017 study by the University of Missouri found that although the representation of female athletes on magazine covers has improved compared to the past, there has been very little or no improvement regarding their objectification, especially when compared to male athletes.
Is the argument ‘the photo was public’ acceptable?
Old photographs of actors and actresses are generally easily obtainable from the public domain or various archives. However, when using an old photograph in a new context, it is necessary to consider how relevant it is to the subject matter of the report and whether it respects the individual’s current standing.
Regarding the use of old photographs, Mridha Md. Shiblee Noman says that consent should be obtained from the person concerned when using photographs in such reports: “Often such photographs or footage are published on the argument that previous photographs are open in the public domain. However, that argument is not acceptable, because it is possible to take consent in this regard by easily contacting the person concerned.”
According to Meghna Alam’s post, news outlets are ignoring the female artist’s wishes and opinions to increase readership, without considering the violation of her current image. Shiblee Noman believes society must also take responsibility for this. In his view, consumer demand and the influence of religion and politics encourage media outlets to create such content.
He said, “Society’s perception is largely that a man will engage in hooliganism and debauchery up to a certain age and then correct himself in his later years, making him deserving of praise; on the other hand, once a woman strays in the eyes of society, even if she returns to the conventionally correct path, she will not be absolved of her past actions. This phenomenon works very easily in the case of female actresses because of their familiarity, popularity, and public discourse.”
