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| 'Sad truths' about women in US media - it's still dominated by men | 'Sad truths' about women in US media - it's still dominated by men |
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| A new report by the US-based Women’s Media Center* reveals that the status of women in news and entertainment is as bleak as ever, writes Charlotte Alter in Time magazine. | A new report by the US-based Women’s Media Center* reveals that the status of women in news and entertainment is as bleak as ever, writes Charlotte Alter in Time magazine. |
| On the basis of the report, she argues that there has been little progress towards gender parity in most areas, and in some — such as sports journalism — women have lost ground with 7% fewer women reporting sport than last year. | On the basis of the report, she argues that there has been little progress towards gender parity in most areas, and in some — such as sports journalism — women have lost ground with 7% fewer women reporting sport than last year. |
| Alter, drawing on details from the report, “The status of women in US media”, has listed some of its “most depressing insights” and “sad truths”. | Alter, drawing on details from the report, “The status of women in US media”, has listed some of its “most depressing insights” and “sad truths”. |
| 1. The news industry still hasn’t achieved anything that resembles gender equality. Women are on camera only 32% of the time in evening broadcast news, and write 37% of print news stories. | |
| 2. Men still dominate “hard news.” Men report 67% of criminal justice news; 65% of domestic political stories; 64% of world politics; and 63% of science coverage. As for sport, only 10% of coverage is produced by women (down from 17% the previous year). Education and lifestyle coverage were the only areas of real parity. | 2. Men still dominate “hard news.” Men report 67% of criminal justice news; 65% of domestic political stories; 64% of world politics; and 63% of science coverage. As for sport, only 10% of coverage is produced by women (down from 17% the previous year). Education and lifestyle coverage were the only areas of real parity. |
| 3. Opinions are male-dominated too. Newspaper editorial boards are, on average, made up of seven men and four women. Commentators on Sunday morning talk-shows are more than 70% male. | 3. Opinions are male-dominated too. Newspaper editorial boards are, on average, made up of seven men and four women. Commentators on Sunday morning talk-shows are more than 70% male. |
| 4. Hollywood executives are still overwhelmingly male (and white). Studio senior management is 83% male and 92% white. | 4. Hollywood executives are still overwhelmingly male (and white). Studio senior management is 83% male and 92% white. |
| 5. Acting: women accounted for only 12% of on-screen protagonists in 2014, and just 30% of characters with speaking parts. | 5. Acting: women accounted for only 12% of on-screen protagonists in 2014, and just 30% of characters with speaking parts. |
| 6. Behind the movie scenes: women accounted for 25% of writers in 2013-2014, down from 34% the previous year. Women make up only 23% of executive producers (down from 27%) and 20% of show creators (down from 24%). For the 250 most profitable films made in 2014, 83% of the directors, producers, writers, cinematographers and editors are guys. | 6. Behind the movie scenes: women accounted for 25% of writers in 2013-2014, down from 34% the previous year. Women make up only 23% of executive producers (down from 27%) and 20% of show creators (down from 24%). For the 250 most profitable films made in 2014, 83% of the directors, producers, writers, cinematographers and editors are guys. |
| The organisation’s president, Julie Burton, is quoted by the Associated Press as commenting: “This new report shows us who matters and what is important to media and clearly, as of right now, it is not women”. | The organisation’s president, Julie Burton, is quoted by the Associated Press as commenting: “This new report shows us who matters and what is important to media and clearly, as of right now, it is not women”. |
| But Alter belives there is some good news to highlight. At the New York Times Book Review, 52% of reviews in 2014 were written by women. At the Chicago Sun-Times, 54% of the bylines were female. And 53% of contributors to the Huffington Post were women. | But Alter belives there is some good news to highlight. At the New York Times Book Review, 52% of reviews in 2014 were written by women. At the Chicago Sun-Times, 54% of the bylines were female. And 53% of contributors to the Huffington Post were women. |
| *The Women’s Media Center was founded in 2005 by Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan, and Gloria Steinem with the goal of making women visible and powerful in media. | *The Women’s Media Center was founded in 2005 by Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan, and Gloria Steinem with the goal of making women visible and powerful in media. |
| Sources: Time/AP via CTV | Sources: Time/AP via CTV |