(Image source: LA Times)
BY BRICE SANDER
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Where did all the ladies go? A new study claims women are dropping off of network TV - in front of- and behind the camera. Seattle’s KING 5 has the numbers.
“Researchers say that women accounted for 41% of on-air characters in the 2010-2011 season, and it’s not just in front of the camera. The study also found a drop in directors, producers and program creators.”
A drop of 50% - half as many women worked behind the scenes last year as they did the year before. The Wrap suggests this could cause an even bigger issue.
“…the lack of women behind the camera could also be contributing to the lowered number of females in front of the camera.”
Canada’s The Globe and Mail agrees, arguing the network brass is the root of the problem.
“This is the most toxic issue in television right now … Middle-aged white guys run all the networks, apart from CBS … Never mind female empowerment as a theme in TV shows. It looks like female employment is the most [important] issue.”
And a blogger for Indie Wire issues this wake-up call to the networks- lose women on TV, lose women watching TV.
“TV … is supposed to be the place where women are taken seriously because we watch TV and we buy the things that are advertised on TV. TV shows want women because the advertisers want women because the women buy their products.”
The Kansas City Star finds some hope for next season- quoting comedian Whitney Cummings, who had two shows picked up this fall.
“Of the 26 new network series arriving this fall, at least 14 are directly pegged to female stars and/or lean heavily toward female-centric themes … Said Cummings, ‘Really, it seems like it's more of an advantage (to be a woman) these days than a disadvantage.’”
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