A platform for women
Media personality Tehmina Kaoosji is creating content to highlight the views and aspirations of women
INDEPENDENT broadcast journalist Tehmina Kaoosji is the new face of Money Matters, a financial talk show that focuses on economics and business-related affairs.
Recently, she produced and hosted Tea With Tehmina, an online talk show that solely focuses on women’s issues, from sexual harassment to mental health.
The show also highlights business enterprises started by the women, as well as lighter issues such as beauty tips and wellness.
All guests and speakers on the show are women from all walks of life, who share their stories, opinions, advice and the secret to their success.
The first season comprising 50 episodes was streamed in Facebook from July to October 2020. Currently, she is working on the second season.
Her ultimate goal is to create an all-female content show to promote better gender representation in Malaysian media.
“It is a known fact that women are under-represented in the media around the world,” said 36-year-old Tehmina.
She finds that while women and their issues are aggressively covered in the media during certain seasons, such as Women’s Day on March 8, Mother’s Day on the second Sunday of May and Breast cancer month in October, ultimately it is not enough.
“Women’s voices should be heard throughout the year, and not only during certain seasons.”
Tehmina also hopes to inspire young women by featuring successful personalities on her show.
“We need more female politicians and female representation in terms of making policy related decisions for the country,” she added.
Tehmina believes that women have the ability to lead a nation, and pointed out that some countries led by women have handled the coronavirus crisis far better than countries helmed by men, such as New Zealand under Prime minister Jacinda Ardern, and Taiwan under President Tsai Ing-wen.
One female figure who had a huge impact on her own life was her late paternal grandmother, who was a teacher.
“She got letters from her students even after her students had left school, gotten married and had their own children.”
Tehmina said she hopes to follow in the footsteps of her grandmother and make a huge difference in the lives of others.
She was born in Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh, India to a Parsi father and a Malaysian Hakka Chinese mother. When she was 10, she migrated to Malaysia with her parents.
When asked what sparked her interest in journalism, she said: “I was the kid who read the newspaper while eating my roti canai. I have loved to write since I was young.”
Her broadcast career began when she hosted Tourism Malaysia’s online travel and tourism-centric shows, Travel Info and Tourism Buzz, from 2013 to 2015.
Over the years, she has hosted English-language current affairs talk shows on the Bernama News Channel, namely Bernama Today and The Nation.
She also secured exclusive interviews with global bodies ranging from The World Bank to the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.
She has spoken at various important events, which include the World Bank Malaysia Economic Monitor, National Consultation for a Malaysian Media Council, Women Changing the Content Landscape in Malaysia, TedX KL 2019 and the 2019 Georgetown Literary Festival.
One of the greatest milestones in her career happened last year, when she represented Malaysia and Bernama News Channel at the CGTN (TV channel) Dialogue of Asian Civilizations. She was one of four Asian media personnel who participated in the dialogue.
When she is not working, you will find her hiking out in nature. There is a mini gym in her house where she works out to stay fit.
“I believe health is wealth,” she said.
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