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Give us more real women on TV, audience tells BBC chiefs Give us more real women on TV, audience tells BBC chiefs
(about 3 hours later)
An extensive report by the BBC into how men and women feel about the way their gender is portrayed on television and radio has revealed an audience that wants more “real” women in the media and fewer scantily-clad females in reality shows. An extensive report by the BBC into how men and women feel about the way their gender is portrayed on television and radio has revealed an audience that wants more “real” women in the media and fewer scantily clad females in reality shows.
The lack of older women and more “normal” women – both in terms of appearance and of the lives they’re portrayed as leading – was a key finding of the research, which found that news and documentaries were failing in this respect more than drama and sports.The lack of older women and more “normal” women – both in terms of appearance and of the lives they’re portrayed as leading – was a key finding of the research, which found that news and documentaries were failing in this respect more than drama and sports.
Presenters including Gabby Logan and Clare Balding were said to be dramatically improving television sports coverage, while news and especially radio were seen as lagging behind in having high-profile female presenters. Comedy was seen as performing well, with people pointing to the examples of Miranda Hart and Sarah Millican.Presenters including Gabby Logan and Clare Balding were said to be dramatically improving television sports coverage, while news and especially radio were seen as lagging behind in having high-profile female presenters. Comedy was seen as performing well, with people pointing to the examples of Miranda Hart and Sarah Millican.
Related: Clare Balding: 'I want to make the world better, for women mainly'Related: Clare Balding: 'I want to make the world better, for women mainly'
But overall only a quarter of the thousands of people surveyed for the report, entitled Blurred Lines: Contemporary Attitudes to Gender Portrayal in the Media, were able to correctly say what the actual gender imbalance on television was – two men to one woman – with many thinking it was more equal.But overall only a quarter of the thousands of people surveyed for the report, entitled Blurred Lines: Contemporary Attitudes to Gender Portrayal in the Media, were able to correctly say what the actual gender imbalance on television was – two men to one woman – with many thinking it was more equal.
There were differences in perception across media platforms too. Radio listeners noticed gender imbalance more, whereas it was non-existent on digital, with the internet seen as a gender-less space. There were differences in perception across media platforms too. Radio listeners noticed gender imbalance more, whereas it was non-existent online.
The study also looked at who was watching and listening – women account for nearly 55% of total hours of television viewing in the country and spent on average 27 hours a week watching compared with men’s 24 hours. Men listen to 20 hours of radio per week compared with 18 hours for women.The study also looked at who was watching and listening – women account for nearly 55% of total hours of television viewing in the country and spent on average 27 hours a week watching compared with men’s 24 hours. Men listen to 20 hours of radio per week compared with 18 hours for women.
The BBC’s head of audience research, David Bunker, said that he thought people’s perceptions were that the gender balance was far better than it actually was because certain types of entertainment they watched “muted” their sense of balance. “It’s not at the forefront of people’s minds when they sit down to watch television. They are more interested in thinking ‘did I enjoy that’ than ‘were the genders equally represented?’ The BBC’s head of audience research, David Bunker, said that he thought people’s perceptions were that the gender balance was far better than it actually was because certain types of entertainment they watched “muted” their sense of balance. “It’s not at the forefront of people’s minds when they sit down to watch television. They are more interested in thinking, ‘Did I enjoy that?’ than, ‘Were the genders equally represented?’
“A lot of people will think that because they can name personalities like Gabby Logan and Clare Balding, even though after them they might peter out a bit, then the genre is doing far better at tackling imbalance than it actually is. But in sport there is a growing acceptance of women presenters by men, driven by these respected female presenters.”“A lot of people will think that because they can name personalities like Gabby Logan and Clare Balding, even though after them they might peter out a bit, then the genre is doing far better at tackling imbalance than it actually is. But in sport there is a growing acceptance of women presenters by men, driven by these respected female presenters.”
Views were broadly similar across ages and genders, although 24% of women over 55 were “unhappy” with the current numbers of women their age or older who were represented. However, some men in the 18-24 age group felt there was even a pro-female bias.Views were broadly similar across ages and genders, although 24% of women over 55 were “unhappy” with the current numbers of women their age or older who were represented. However, some men in the 18-24 age group felt there was even a pro-female bias.
The study was about people’s notions across all the media they watched or listened to, not just the BBC, although it excluded newspapers and magazines, and will be presented to the BBC Trust and programme-makers as well as director general Tony Hall and other directors across the industry. Hall has set a target to boost the representation of women on radio by moving towards half of all local BBC station breakfast shows having “a female voice”.The study was about people’s notions across all the media they watched or listened to, not just the BBC, although it excluded newspapers and magazines, and will be presented to the BBC Trust and programme-makers as well as director general Tony Hall and other directors across the industry. Hall has set a target to boost the representation of women on radio by moving towards half of all local BBC station breakfast shows having “a female voice”.
Bunker said he thought there were messages to the BBC in the expectations that its audience talked about. “There is a sense that things are better than they were, but I was surprised how people didn’t really have a concern about gender at the forefront of their minds. It was there, but you had to really dig down a bit to get people to start to think and talk about it.”Bunker said he thought there were messages to the BBC in the expectations that its audience talked about. “There is a sense that things are better than they were, but I was surprised how people didn’t really have a concern about gender at the forefront of their minds. It was there, but you had to really dig down a bit to get people to start to think and talk about it.”
People were conflicted about guilty pleasure television; they didn’t like too much reality TV, nor did they think that the types of young people taking part in those shows were good representations of real people but they also enjoyed watching such programming.People were conflicted about guilty pleasure television; they didn’t like too much reality TV, nor did they think that the types of young people taking part in those shows were good representations of real people but they also enjoyed watching such programming.
Bunker said: “It’s interesting that there was a lot of appreciation for when television is counter-intuitive with plots or character. The drama Happy Valley, which features a strong but also vulnerable woman character, came in for a lot of appreciation, as did the EastEnders plot where a boy comes out as gay and it’s the mum who struggles with that while the father is fine. The audience loves it when the media challenges gender norms. That is a major creative opportunity, I think.Bunker said: “It’s interesting that there was a lot of appreciation for when television is counter-intuitive with plots or character. The drama Happy Valley, which features a strong but also vulnerable woman character, came in for a lot of appreciation, as did the EastEnders plot where a boy comes out as gay and it’s the mum who struggles with that while the father is fine. The audience loves it when the media challenges gender norms. That is a major creative opportunity, I think.
“You could say this study has pointed to gender imbalance certainly not being a crisis as far as the audience is concerned. Gender imbalance isn’t at the top of people’s minds, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter to them, because it does and there is an expectation, especially when it comes to the BBC in particular, that something is being done about it.”“You could say this study has pointed to gender imbalance certainly not being a crisis as far as the audience is concerned. Gender imbalance isn’t at the top of people’s minds, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t matter to them, because it does and there is an expectation, especially when it comes to the BBC in particular, that something is being done about it.”