Only 3% of the top decision-making positions in the media mainstream industry are women. Women hold only 24% of all positions as creators, executive producers, producers, directors, writers, editors, and directors of photography working on situation comedies, dramas, and unscripted programs airing on the broadcast networks during the 2005-06 season. Check out these and other statistics at
The Women's Media Center. Are you surprised? Do you think this affects what you the TV and movies you watch? Do you think representations of women would change if more women held creative positions within the industry?
8 comments:
I'm not really surprised with these statistics, men are still in charge in most areas, especially the media.
I think this definitely affects what is on the TV and movies we watch. Women's roles are limited, women on TV are always attractive (whereas average-looking men can be found on TV & the movies), and there is tons of violence on TV and in the movies, especially violence against women.
If more women held creative positions in the industry, I definitely believe that representations of women in the media would change. Women wouldn't have to be thin or attractive to appear (portrayed positively) in the media. I also think the dynamics of relationships portrayed may change. For example, the nagging wife vs. the fun loving, stupid, husband. Or how, for example, in House MD (which I love to watch), pretty much every woman is attracted to House. I can think of one show with a lead female character, who isn't "bitchy" or "nagging" and doesn't conform to society's gender stereotypes, which would be Dr. Tempe Brennan on Bones, which is pretty much the best show ever. There would also probably be less violence, especially against women, since it's a gendered problem (men vs. women) and not something I think a lot of women enjoy constantly having shoved in their faces.
I am surprised at such low numbers as anyone would be when seeing such extreme statistics for the first time, but it only makes sense to me. TV and movies are obviously stories created through male eyes. Yes it does affect the TV and movies that I watch for there are common images and events that happen in all of them.
There is only one image of beauty of women that is very particularly defined which I think would change if women had the creative positions.
The shows that my mom watches are mostly soap operas where the women are always screwing up or being extremely over emotional and pretty dependent on their partners. This would also change.
My brother watches all action movies which have mostly men doing heroic deeds and then having sex with a woman whose only real purpose in the movie is for that one sex scene. That would definitely change.
My whole family watches game shows together and we play along. Every single game show that I can think of at the moment has a male host and random “beautiful” women that are dressed in strappy dresses who smile and do something worth no skill what-so-ever. (Stacey Hayes on Lingo, all the models on Deal or No Deal who smile and hold a case of money, etc.) The only reason why they have the models there is to use their images to lure in viewers, they really don’t have a reasonably useful purpose.
As much of the male version of the world has been internalized in women and many don’t even realize it, I think it would take a BIG increase in female creators to get together and make a change. If without power in numbers, the women will succumb to the culture to please viewers without even realizing it. However with a lot of women, the female version of the world would definitely start to uncover itself.
I am not surprised with this statistic because everything takes time. Its not maore than a century, women got right to vote. Women were considered to ne second citizen a century before. but, now thay have all the rights and within the century, 24% of high professionals are women. truly speaking thats a great percentage. I am after 20 years that would be more than 50%. Of course there is still some bias between men and women. If women are making something, unconsciously, tey make that in the view of women and if men are making something, they make it according to male's prospectives.
If there were more than 50% females as creators and executive directors, then representation of females in media may de different.So, I am pretty sure representation of women would change if more women held creative positions within the industry.
Nothing can make surprise me any more because this is obivious. There has always been a strong presense of "glass ceiling" in out socirty which restricts women and other minorites to go beyond their capacity. In todays media there is still presense of male prevalence and domination. Is is hard for women women to get to the top position and giving orders to other men because there is still a strong feeling amomg the men who would just refuse to take orders from women. But like I said it is hard but not impossible, of more and more active participation of women is approached in these field then obiviously this will change. It will take time and risk, but its the risk that women will have to take it they want what they want.
These statistics do not surprise me at all. I can tell just by watching tv, reading magazines, and walking down the street that most advertisers are probably male, white males at that. The shows that we are watching and the images that are in our face day to day over and over objectify women. It is not at all uncommon to see women's boobs in a movie but why is it so rare to see men naked. If more women held higher positions I think things would be different I think she type of shows would change, the characters and the values that each character represents will be more fair.
I am not at all surprised by the statistics. It's almost too obvious that women don't have much say in advertisments. Not only do mean usually have the "upper hand" anyway, but they need to make sure that women are shown in a way that will get attention...and some women might not agree with that
I am not really surprised becasue women in the work force is still relatively new. I think in 50 years those numbers will look better. the number wont be what they should be, but eventually with enough time and evolutionary thought, women will be equal. I mean nowadays, more women attend college then men, which is a huge thing compared to the 50's. The people that are in charge will die out essentially, and new people will take over. I thyink its wild the numbers are so low ini some area like the people in charge, but again, with every generation, it will get better. Whats going to be intersting is how the movies and entertainment and advertisement will dramatically change, but it will be for the better. Maybe with woen in charge, the amount of objectification will go down and women will be more and more respected.
I must say that I am not surprised at all that only 3% of the top decision-making positions in the media mainstream industry are women. In class we watched a few films about women’s roles in music videos, advertising, and video games. In music videos women are there pretty much to "satisfy" the man. They are used as background dancers that are usually dressed in bathing suits or underwear. Men throw money at them and they do whatever they want them to. All throughout the advertisement world whether it be commercials on TV or adds in magazines, women are used to sell products. They usually become the product. Women’s breasts are used to sell EVERYTHING! The significance of this is that the majority of producers and executives that are responsible for making these videos and advertisements are middle class, white.....men.
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