Annotated Bibliography

1. Allen, Craig. “Gender Breakthrough Fit for a Focus Group: The First Women Newscasters and Why they Arrived in Local TV News.” Journalism History, vol. 28, no. 4, 2003, pp. 154-162. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/205353743?accountid=11107.

In this article, Allen focuses both on the progression of the representation of women in newscasting history and also on why that progression occurred. The preconception would be that women came into the broadcasting field due to key women that paved the way. On the contrary, Allen proves through his historical studies that the initial women in news television were actually not as noteworthy as would be expected. The real reason that females started to gain headway into the industry was the broadcasting magnates did their own research. Through study groups and surveys, it was determined that the general public wanted a female figure on their TV’s.

This kind of article that is based purely on history and factual information is hard to poke holes in. By adding the names of the firm that first began to use focus groups; McHugh and Hoffman, Allen’s postulation is further proven. The source cites several specific notes from broadcasting groups that indicate their reasoning behind hiring female anchors, such as that women added a “friendly and comfortable” aspect to television. The idea that the women were not hired, initially, purely based on expertise or from a big-name female trailblazer provides insight into the role of female broadcasters in the present day.

*not peer reviewed

2. Baitinger, Gail. “Meet the Press or Meet the Men? Examining Women’s Presence in American News Media.” Political Research Quarterly, vol. 68, no. 3, 2015, pp. 579-592. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1706180070?accountid=11107.

            Baitinger bases her study on the fact that previous studies have shown that in a perfectly rational world, sex would have no influence on reporting. Yet, there still are less women in news media than men (media being more general and including television). Baitinger cites the male female difference to be an ever-present result of the past. Since the advent of mass media, men have held the majority professional roles and that continues into this day, albeit to a lesser extent. Baitinger’s specific study looked at Sunday broadcasts during Obama’s presidency. She found that there are less women represented which is partly suggested to be due to the greater number of men in politics that would be weighing in on Obama’s presidency. The study’ conclusion is that a lack of women on a political talk show is not inherently due to sexist TV companies but more to the overarching idea of a patriarchy.

            The study is important due to the fact that is also analyzes other factors, such as the gender makeup of politics, to be part of the reason for a lack of a female voice. Also, Baitinger adds the aspect of politics and talk shows to the debate on women in TV.

3. Hetsroni, Amir, and Hila Lowenstein. “Is She an Expert Or just a Woman? Gender Differences in the Presentation of Experts in TV Talk shows.” Sex Roles, vol. 70, no. 9-10, 2014, pp. 376-386. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1531890816?accountid=11107, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11199-014-0370-z.

            Hetsroni and Lowenstein’s study is based upon talk shows in Israel and looks into the male: female ratio presented. Through observation, there were more male experts and less females. The topics discussed among the two genders also showed differences. Men tended to reflect more on “politics and economy.” While women, on the other hand were more likely to be given the bits pertaining to the more domestic sphere, such as the family and personal care. This article seeks to test the common feminist idea that an absence of women in these expert level positions on television also helps to propagate the misconception of women being intellectually inferior. Hetsroni and Lowenstein make the case that television is often a tool used to spread new ideas rather than a mirror reflecting the current societal ideology. Therefore, the presence of female commentators is important to the feminist cause.

This idea that television is a tool for societal change and influence is very impactful. Also, a study that has enumerated how women are presented in an intellectual context shows more about the presence of women within that field, rather than focusing on the fictional TV show side of gender representation on television.

4. Mudrick, Michael, et al. “Sportscasting Success: Varying Standards may Apply.”Journal of Sports Media, vol. 13, no. 1, 2018, pp. 49-73. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/2056814931?accountid=11107.

Mudrick began this study based on the idea and observation that women are less likely to be seen as sports commentators than men. He then postulates that this creates a kind of feedback loop: less women as sports casters means that they will be given this credibility in the field and then less likely to be a broadcaster and so on. The study specifically found that when individuals watched a post basketball game debate, viewers (disregarding their gender) saw the female commentator as having “trustworthiness” and the male having “greater sport-related expertise”. While there is no physical barrier to female sportscasters, the sports field is more associated with men, especially since the most heavily televised sports are male sports. As such, the female broadcasters that are represented are not given the same immediate assumption that they know what they’re talking about. Women tend to have the roles of mediators rather than contributors in these televised athletic discussions.

This article sets the stage for the argument that women must also be given the same standing as their male counterparts even in the sports broadcasting field. The study could be slightly skewed in that they didn’t consider how the results would be affected if a female sporting event was covered.

5. Pratt, Angela N., et al. “Perceptions of Credibility and Likeability in Broadcast Commentators of Women’s Sports.” Journal of Sports Media, vol. 13, no. 1, 2018, pp. 75-97. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/2056815678?accountid=11107.

Pratt begins her article with the mention of Social Identity Theory. She then goes on to discuss her methodology which included college students watching male and female reporters commentate on traditionally female sports. The idea was to look into people’s conceptions of the sportscasters in terms of likeability and credibility. In conclusion, the study found that in their test groups, students found the female broadcasters to be more likeable and trustworthy. Pratt then circles back to the Social Identity Theory to attempt an explanation, saying that people to relate more strongly to those perceived as similar to them, in this case in terms of gender. Additionally, attractiveness (participants didn’t differ widely in saying that the female sportscaster was more attractive) was postulated to part of the reason the woman was more trustworthy.

This study is interesting in that while women were shown to be more likeable and credible, the underlying reasons behind that are questionable. Bringing up the Social Identity Theory (SIT) adds an additional layer of credibility. It is also a good reason for broadcasting companies to have their hosts be from various walks of life. Pratt’s discussion of SIT and attractiveness as reasons for trustworthiness are important pieces of any study on gender representation within TV broadcasting.

6. Staurowsky, Ellen J., and Jessica DiManno. “Young Women Talking Sports and Careers: A Glimpse at the Next Generation of Women in Sport Media.” Women in Sport & Physical Activity Journal, vol. 11, no. 1, 2002, pp. 127. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/230677630?accountid=11107.

Staurowsky’s article counts the advent of more mainstream female sports to be the impetus for women moving into sports media careers. According to the author, it isn’t enough to just play the sports, but women should be involved in all facets of the athletic world, including media. The study interviewed ten female college students pursuing degrees in sports media (including TV but also other genres). While not based on quantitative data or ranking systems, instead Straurowksy interviewed each woman with open ended questions, garnering more narrative based responses. The study then created themes, such as “politics of sport media” and “our future”, to describe what the interviewees felt about their future careers. In general, the research found the young women to be ready to become a major part of the sports media field. These positive signs point toward a greater number of women in following a path in sports media.

This study focused on an aspect of women in TV (or more general media) that none of the others spent much time on: the future. The overall tone is very hopeful and enthusiastic.  Since its publication in 2002, it would be interesting to have a follow up done on the same women to see what their current thoughts are of the field.

Bernstein, Arielle. “Insatiable: how offensive is Netflix’s controversial new comedy?” The Guardian, 8 Aug. 2018, www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/aug/08/insatiable-netflix-comedy-fat-shaming

The non-peer-reviewed source is an article under the Culture section of The Guardian and discusses the inadvertent prejudices found in the teen Netflix TV Series Insatiable, thus acting as a useful barometer for current sexism that remains in modern television. For example, the article notes the incessant obsession with the leading character Patty’s body beyond mere satire, with nearly every scene either uniformly praising her size when thinner or fully deriding her body prior to her weight loss, as seen in numerous unflattering camera angles, to the point of mocking her, and the portrayal of the overweight female with a fat-suit, which many viewed as utterly tone-deaf, while simultaneously failing to portray overweight men. However, as with any critique, this work should not be taken as complete fact; other counterarguments can be produced, such as the primary character ultimately finding the aim of becoming thinner futile, as its popularity is hinted as being vapid and merely superficial. However, nonetheless, the article does portray a key flaw that persists with modern television.

Powell, Kimberly A., and Lori Abels. “Sex-Role Stereotypes in TV Programs Aimed at the Preschool Audience: An Analysis of Teletubbies and Barney & Friends.”Women and Language, vol. 25, no. 1, 2002, pp. 14. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/198879860?accountid=11107

The source stated above is a peer-reviewed study released in the journal Women and Language that analyzed gender representation in pre-school television shows such as Barney and Teletubbies. Within the study, 10 episodes each in the aforementioned television series were analyzed to determine the percentage of male versus female characters and the most common roles portrayed by each gender. After review from numerous authors, it was determined that although “male” and “female” characters were equally represented, each gender generally performed different roles, with male characters generally leading activities and female characters guiding the audience and following male characters in Teletubbies and male and female characters holding stereotypical roles as adventurous leaders and cooking tradition-bearers, mimicking the traditional female role as a housewife, respectively, in Barney. More importantly, however, these patterns of activity are valuable as a source due to its date of release and television’s influence on developing children; considering that the average child spends upwards of 4.5 hours watching television, the views portrayed by television can imprint onto millions of children across the US, and due to its release date in 2002, it can be seen as an indicator of gender representation in the early 2000s.

Chandler, Daniel, and Merris Griffiths. “Gender-Differentiated Production Features in Toy Commercials.” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 44, no. 3, 2000, pp. 503-520. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/227279492?accountid=11107

The source above is a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media regarding the composition of commercials aimed at boys, as opposed to girls. As noted in the study, even commercials exhibited signs of gender differentiation, with boy-targeted advertisements generally portraying greater action, as shown by an increase in the number and decrease in the length of scenes, girl-targeted advertisements generally utilizing softer transitions, thus implying a more sheltered audience, and all advertisements generally having a greater likelihood of a male voice-over, as opposed to a female voice-over. As a result, this indicates that even through non-verbal modes, it is evident that boys, at the time of publication, were perceived as more active and leaderly, while girls were perceived as more sheltered and calm, thus necessitating the design of the children’s commercials and perpetuating the stereotypes of male and female gender roles  Although this may seem insignificant, this, in fact, can serve as an indication of contemporary perceptions of gender in the late 1990s, due to its publication in Summer 2000.

Myers, Kristen. “”Cowboy Up!”: Non-Hegemonic Representations of Masculinity in Children’s Television Programming.” Journal of Men’s Studies, vol. 20, no. 2, 2012, pp. 125-143. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1023443734?accountid=11107

The source above is a peer-reviewed analysis published in the Journal of Men’s Studies regarding the portrayal of characters in Disney’s The Suite Life on Deck, Hannah Montana, Wizards of Waverly Place, and Nickelodeon’s iCarly. Through an analysis of 65 episodes in total, it was noted that although 14 out of 16 males in the television series above were non-hegemonic, or non-domineering and non-sexual, ultimately, all characters were affected by the existing hegemonic order, as predatory male characters ultimately swayed other male characters, to the point of characters such as Woody stating “I worship this man,” in relation to Zack, a cunning yet malicious sexual male in The Suite Life On Deck, and non-hegemonic characters cross dressing or being homoerotic, such as Cody in Suite Life, acting as a mere punchline, rather than a developed characteristic. Unlike other sources, this source is extremely valuable due to its analysis of relatively modern television aimed at girls and adolescent females; by identifying non-dominant males as mere gags aspiring to become as insensitive as the top of the male social hierarchy to attract females, the study signals that even by 2010, children’s television remained stunted in its portrayal of complex male characters.

Leung Ng, Yu, and Kara Chan. “Do Females in Advertisements Reflect Adolescents’ Ideal Female Images?” The Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 31, no. 3, 2014, pp. 170-176. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1678629394?accountid=11107

The source above is a peer-reviewed analysis published in The Journal of Consumer Marketing regarding the influence of advertisements in the self-portrayal of Chinese adolescents. Through interviews of a random selection of adolescents regarding the appearance of female actresses in Chinese advertisements, it was noted that when given the choice between a married, beautiful actress, a wilder and single actress, and an “urban sophisticated female” in the third advertisement, the adolescent females aspired to become the first and third actresses while shunning the second actress, thus indicative of a broader cultural desire for both traditional family structures and sophistication. Although the study focused on Chinese adolescents, its value remains clear, as it indicates that across cultural boundaries, commercials can universally affect one’s self-image of male and female roles, especially as an adolescent. In addition, as a study published in 2014, it is most indicative of current cultural beliefs regarding societal roles.

Browne, Beverly A. “Gender Stereotypes in Advertising on Children’s Television in the 1990S: A Cross-National Analysis.” Journal of Advertising, vol. 27, no. 1, Spring98, pp. 83-96. EBSCOhost, prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=bsu&AN=930609&site=eds-live&scope=site

The source above is a peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Advertising describing children’s television and advertisements throughout the 1990s in the US and Australia. Through a thorough analysis of random advertisements, it was noted that boys were depicted, like in popular culture, as more intelligent and stronger, as seen in the fact that nearly all voiceovers occurred through male actors, in addition to the assertion of males in leadership positions, while females were depicted as demurer, as seen in females being more likely to defer to boys. In addition, a boy-to-girl ratio was noted as increasing with age, to the point that adolescent advertisements contained 70% male actors. Unlike other sources, however, this source, as one of the oldest, acts as a milestone when compared to modern portrayals; unlike previously, modern television is less likely to portray gender roles as explicitly, although it is true that gender roles remain extremely prevalent.

Source 1: Zemach, Tamar and Akiba A. Cohen. “Perception of Gender Equality on Television and in Social Reality.” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 30, no. 4, Fall86, pp. 427-444. EBSCOhost,  

prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=31721977&site=ehost-live.

‘Perception of Gender Equality on Television and in Social Reality.’ ‘This study examined the differential perceptions of men and women as they appear on television as an example of symbolic reality and the way they are perceived in social reality.’ The article talks about a few researches that claim the same fact: The Television is behind the real society. This is because television tends to be more traditional (men with more independence and power than women) because the big mass that watches television feels more represented by this format of ‘roles’ that each gender has. This should be changed, and as the research assumes, if we change the way that we represent our roles on television, the faster we are going to assimilate equality in the real world. But, as Television are always behind the real society, men are still being shown occupying more ‘respectful’ jobs than women do.

This article will be useful as we are going to talk about how society also makes a difference when we are talking about differences in representation roles on Television. The TV is based on concepts that we are living in.

Source 2:  Sink, Alexander and Dana Mastro. “Depictions of Gender on Primetime Television: A Quantitative Content Analysis.” Mass Communication & Society, vol. 20, no. 1, Jan/Feb2017, pp. 3-22. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/15205436.2016.1212243.

http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=120555345&site=ehost-live

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15205436.2016.1212243?scroll=top&needAccess=true

‘Depictions of Gender on Primetime Television: A Quantitative Content Analysis.’ It analyzes the different representation of men and women on Primetime Television. A study looked through 89 different programs and 1,254 characters were identified. This study showed how genders are seen and depicted to society on Primetime television. This also explains that women did not hit the ‘golden age’ because we have changed a lot compared to past decades, men are shown as the more dominant gender in society than women still.

A lot of resources were used to analyze the difference on Primetime television. This article is worth reading because it is useful, entertaining, and easy to read. Even with all these changes in gender representation that we have been through, we still have a ‘discrimination’ against women representing higher roles in society on tv programs. Due to this rejection, women are still be seeing as inferior compared with men.

Source 3:  FURNHAM, ADRIAN and STEPHANIE PALTZER. “The Portrayal of Men and Women in Television Advertisements: An Updated Review of 30 Studies Published since 2000.” Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, vol. 51, no. 3, June 2010, pp. 216-236. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1111/j.1467-9450.2009.00772.x

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‘The portrayal of men and women in television advertisements: An updated review of 30 studies published since 2000.’ This article studied the sex roles stereotype in television commercials, from reviewed 30 papers over 20 countries around the world. Besides the different representations related with age, ethnic, and gender, the main focus of this article is to show how men and women are portrayed differently on television advertisements. It is due to a change in our real society. Advertisements that were effective a few years ago are not good enough for our today’s society. The article also showed some studies proving that sex representation and ‘aggressive’ humor do not work as most people think.

This article is great because we can analyze how this stereotype have been changed from past years until now. It also says that some advertisements are pre-defined for  men or predefined for women because they tend to be the consumers of certain products.

Source 4:  Kircher, J. C. (2007). Another look at gender roles in prime -time television (Order No. 3289592). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Full Text. (304818535). Retrieved from

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‘Another look at gender roles in prime -time television.’ This article is an ‘update’ of ‘Depictions of Gender on Primetime Television: A Quantitative Content Analysis.’ Both articles talk about how men and women are represented, how they are portrayed and how people see this pre-defined roles for each gender on Primetime Television. In this specific article 2,968 scenes and 24,994 interactions of male and female characters in the scenes were implied. This studied also affirms that role on Primetime Television have not changed much. Men still represent the traditional and more powerful position in comparison with women. Beside men have been doing more socio-emotional behaviors, they are still doing more task-oriented and directive behaviors. ‘Thus, men continue to be presented in primarily traditional male gender roles.’

Showing how our Primetime television still divided and defined by the traditional society, this article will be interesting to debate. Men changing for ‘women’s’ roles and still being represented as more powerful than women through the years can be a good topic to be discussed.

Source 5:  Price, C. J., & Wulff, S. S. (2005). Does sex make a difference? job satisfaction of television network news correspondents. Women’s Studies in Communication, 28(2), 207-234. Retrieved from

http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.prx.library.gatech.edu/docview/198297768?accountid=11107

‘Does Sex Make a Difference? Job Satisfaction of Television Network News Correspondents.’ This article shows the difference of women satisfactory, women salary, and how women are being welcome on Television Network compared with men. The study reveal that: ‘women are significantly younger, and have fewer years of service at one network and total years in network news than do men.’ Besides we still have men predominance in the Television network, studies affirm that it has been changed. ‘In 2002, all stations in the top 25 markets had women on their news staffs. Women made up 39% of the news workforce, including 26% of news directors, 33% of assistant news directors, 50% of executive producers, 64% of news producers, 57% of news anchors and 58% of news reporters (Papper & Gerhard, 2002).’

This study can be easily used for us. The different age of entry and the difference permanency in a television company are numbers that can be debated. It is also an interesting article because claims that women are more unsatisfied than men about their work environment.

Source 6: Corfield, J. (2017). Network vs. netflix: A comparative content analysis of demographics across prime-time television and netflix original programming (Order No. 10259826). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Full Text. (1927181818). Retrieved from

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‘Network vs. Netflix: A Comparative Content Analysis of Demographics Across Prime-Time Television and Netflix Original Programming.’ This article talks about women and men roles on Television and Netflix. It also talks about black, homosexual people.

This article is really interesting for our research because it has a lot of numbers claiming the huge and indiscriminate difference between sex and race. One more thing that make this article attractive was that it also mention Netflix researches (as our class talk a lot about TV shows, I thought this one would be interesting). The number of characters who held power on Primetime TV and Netflix are way unequal: ‘Of the total number of characters who held power in prime-time television, only 26.6% were female; almost three times fewer than the 73.4% of male characters. The Netflix platform yielded an even greater number of male characters that held power with 79.6%, however, only 20.4% of characters with power were female.’

Topic: Role of Women in and on American Televised News

Baitinger, Gail. “Meet the Press Or Meet the Men? Examining Women’s Presence in American News Media.” Political Research Quarterly, vol. 68, no. 3, 2015, pp. 579-592. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.prx.library.gatech.edu/docview/1706180070?accountid=11107.

This source analyzes why women are still a minority presence on America’s televised news networks. In the publication, author Gail Baitinger conducts a study which finds the presence of women to be significantly less than the presence of men on American’s news network. Her research focuses on the quantity of each gender within 4,200 Sunday morning appearances across the many American news networks.  One reason this source stands out and holds a particular value is that it identifies the factors determining who gets chosen to be a frequent guest on these networks instead of simply explaining how women are represented on the news or by the networks. The source is also peer-reviewed and provides quantitative data and other useful statistical figures which will assist in creating an effective infographic. It was also published in 2015 meaning Gail’s data depicts information relative to the climate of today’s newsrooms. Lastly, and most interestingly, Gail argues the fact that women appear less on these news networks is not a result of overt sexism. Therefore, this publication could provide a counter-claim to other sources with similar data but dissenting explanations.

Desmond, Roger, and Anna Danilewicz. “Women Are On, But Not In, the News: Gender Roles in Local Television News.” Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, vol. 62, no. 11-12, 2010, p. 822+. Gender Studies Collection,  http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A231826032/PPGB?u=gainstoftech&sid=PPGB&xid=8cc2e.

This source is an academic journal detailing the results of an investigation conducted by Roger Desmond and Anna Danilewicz which analyzed 580 news stories of the primary three TV news programs in the northeast U.S over the span of two weeks. Desmond and Danilewicz examined whether there was a relationship between the gender of a reporter and the type of story they reported on and whether there was a large gender difference within that correlation. They found that women were more like to report on stories that relate to public welfare and health-related stories. In addition, males are much more often asked to report on television as experts on a topic rather than females. Their findings are very significant to the topic of male dominance on television news networks, and the report reveals either sexist or subconscious choices to perpetuate the portrayal of the male gender as more knowledgeable.  The investigation was conducted eight years ago and thus lacks current political climate. However, the article was peer-reviewed and published in a Sex Roles research journal which establishes academic credibility.

Sandler, Lauren. “Beauty Tips and Politics: Hot Media News: Women Want Hard-Hitting Reports on Issues that Affect them.” The Nation, vol. 275, no. 7, 2002, pp. 24-28. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.prx.library.gatech.edu/docview/59911397?accountid=11107.

In this article, author Lauren Sandler argues that women desire to report issues with depth and relevance rather than make-up brand superiority. The article was written in 2002, during the prime age of Cosmo and MTV, therefore it goes against the stereotype of women at the time. Sandler asks that women be given relevant issues upon which to inform the public so that their presence in the media may have some significance. Sandler attempts to break the domestic chains of women in the media and ensure their stories are not limited to which shaving cream or Swiffer product works best. The source holds a different value than my previous two sources because it is not a study or investigation with specific results. Instead, this publication is a straightforward argument against locking women into a cycle of airy, plush, materialistic reports. However, the source is fairly outdated and relies on the regularity of the early 2000s reporting trends. Also, the source lacks any measurable data which can be demonstrated in an infographic, but it does provide a strong opinion.

Blyth, Myrna. Spin Sisters: How the Women of the Media Sell Unhappiness and Liberalism to the Women of America. St. Martin’s Press, 2004. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.prx.library.gatech.edu/docview/59863368?accountid=11107.

In Spin Sisters: How the Women of the Media Sell Unhappiness and Liberalism to the Women of America, Blythe argues that those few women who do hold positions in the mass media, specifically on television, broadcast their opinions through their positions which influence and shape how American women see themselves and their gender role in the world. This source is another journal article which argues a stance rather than presenting the results from an investigation or study. However, it provides an interesting viewpoint which holds its value in its disagreement with popular public opinion. The stance may seem abstract and less prevalent, but that may the exact irony of what the author wants to communicate. The very idea that this seems like a differing viewpoint may be a result of how our opinions on women and their role in society were shaped by the few women that do hold positions in mass media. However, the source is biased and loses some validation and credibility due to its strong argument against one political party. Even though it asks good questions, the article only presents points against the imposition of a political ideology through the influence of women in the mass media.

Persaud, Subriena. “Gendered Representations and Portrayals in Technology Advertisements: Exploring Variations by Age, Race and Ethnicity.” Gender Issues, vol. 35, no. 2, 2018, p. 137+. Gender Studies Collection, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A540797231/PPGB?u=gainstoftech&sid=PPGB&xid=5cade6c8.

This academic journal is an extremely extensive report capturing qualitative and quantitative data which analyzes the gender images represented in television or other technology advertisements produced by top technology companies.  The report found underrepresentation and misrepresentation of the female gender in these technology advertisements. A huge portion of this article’s significance is that its main focus is the intersectionality of underrepresentation or misrepresentation in gender, race, and age within the advertisements. Therefore, Persaud’s ultimate argument based on his research data is that African American and Latino women were missing almost completely compared to white women, and of course, white men. He also found that as age increased, the gender and race parity decreased. Even though this source is not directly related to women in the news, the source holds high value because it demonstrates with both qualitative an quantitative data how TV advertisements reinforce the association between technology and whiteness, youth, and masculinity.

Correa, Teresa; Harp, Dustin.“Women Matter in Newsrooms: How Power and Critical Mass Relate to the Coverage of the HPV Vaccine.” Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 2011. https://doi.org/10.1177/107769901108800205.

In this study Correa and Hard explore how female journalists affect news content when holding positions of power, reaching a critical mass in the newsroom, and covering an issue that appeals to them. It focused specifically on how male-dominated news companies covered the HPV vaccine versus more gender-neutral news companies handled coverage of the vaccine. Correa and Hard found that the more gender-neutral organizations covered the vaccine more frequently and more extensively. This source does not address television reporters, but it does provide insight on women in the news industry and women who obtain the power to dictate what gets reported in the news and how often or in what manner. The source is not the most value out of all six sources, but it does analyze the presence and role of women in a correlating and equally relevant area of mass media.

Source 1: Allan, K., & Coltrane, S. (1996). Gender display in television commercials: A comparative study of television commercials in the 1950s and 1980s. Sex Roles, 35(3), 185. Retrieved from http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1308101890?accountid=11107

There are two main research questions that this study investigates. The first is whether gender representation has changed in television commercials from the 1950s and 1980s, and the second is when and how often nontypical gender presentation occurred. While the ratio of female to male main characters decreased over time and many of the commercials’ narrators remained male, women’s representation changed in terms of activity. In the 1980s, a greater percentage were seen working, as opposed to parenting, and in a greater variety of jobs too. Nontypical gender display improved for women and decreased for men over time, and activity/work was the most significant factor in how masculine or feminine a character appeared.

This may not be about children’s television, but this is still a relevant read because commercials are an important aspect of TV, and children watch more than what’s specifically marketed toward them. Plus, in understanding how commercials handled gender in the 1950s through the 1980s, both through its own data and the results of other, related studies, it provides perspective on how TV’s handling of gender now reflects in the grander scheme of time.

Source 2: Berg, Leah R. Vande and Diane Streckfuss. “Prime-Time Television’s Portrayal of Women and the World of Work: A Demographic Profile.” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 36, no. 2, Spring92, p. 195. EBSCOhost, prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=syh&AN=9208170546&site=ehost-live.

This journal article’s aim was to examine the portrayals of women and men in the workplace, in terms of both representation and activity, on primetime TV during the 1980s. For both analyses, the same set of variables were used. Male characters were found outnumbering female characters in both representation and workplace activity. Male and female characters were more commonly seen in different types of industries. Female characters were less likely to be high up in the workplace’s power hierarchy—and when they were, they performed less actions than male characters did in the same positions—and they were more likely to be depicted as students and home caretakers.

This source is a valuable one in examining how gender representation has evolved in children’s TV over multiple decades. The analyses conducted identify trends in an important aspect of representation on TV—the workplace—and the article is helpful in clarifying how the identified trends compare to previous research. While the research was on primetime TV and not children’s TV, primetime TV is still watched by children, and primetime TV affects children’s TV’s programming, so these trends are worth considering when evaluating children’s TV’s evolution.

Source 3: Case, S. (2015). Tough turtles and pretty princesses: A content analysis of gender representations in popular children’s media (Order No. 1587267). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I; ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Full Text. (1679935870). Retrieved from http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1679935870?accountid=11107

This study sought to answer several questions. It explored gender representation in the top-rated children’s shows of 2014 and whether representation differs by preschool versus school-age shows, animated versus live action shows, TV networks, and gender makeup of the shows’ audiences. Overall, 60% of characters in these shows were male and 40% female. School-age shows tended to have more balanced gender representation than preschool shows, and live action shows had more balanced representation than animated shows. In preschool shows and animated shows, there were more male characters portrayed. In comparing Disney Channel, Nickelodeon, and PBS, Disney had the most equal representation, and Nickelodeon—by a slight margin—had the least balanced, most male-dominated representation. More teenage characters were female on children’s TV, but more child and adult characters were male. Female characters’ behaviors included more gender stereotypes than behavior in male characters.

This source has a lot of relevant data on gender representation in children’s TV today. It’s especially helpful in how it analyzes children’s TV shows by many variables. However, the amount of data present can be overwhelming, and it can be hard to pick and choose which data is relevant.

Source 4: Mary, S. L. (2001). Interactions, activities and gender in children’s television commercials: A content analysis. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 45(1), 41-56. Retrieved from http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/227290365?accountid=11107

This source examined gender representation and portrayal in commercials that air during children’s TV shows. Of identifiable characters, there was no significant difference in the number of girls and boys portrayed. Significantly less commercials are girls-only than boys-only, and in mixed commercials, there were slightly more boys than girls. The settings were statistically different based on the gender makeup of the commercials, and so were the interactions featured between characters. Activities performed also varied significantly between commercials; girls-only commercials featured more playing and less eating than either boys-only or mixed commercials. Finally, the presence of violence and aggression, and the product types advertised, differed significantly depending on the commercials’ gender makeup.

This source is very valuable for determining how gender presentation has evolved in children’s TV. Commercials are an integral aspect of TV, as the study points out, so this study is relevant to the question. This study has a fair amount of data, and yet the study summarizes it well. This study’s discussion section also does a great job of connecting their results to previously-obtained results, which allows for a better understanding of how gender representation has actually evolved over time.

Source 5: Signorielli, Nancy, and Aaron Bacue. “Recognition and Respect: A Content Analysis of Prime-Time Television Characters Across Three Decades.” Sex Roles, vol. 40, no. 7, 1999, pp. 527-544. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/225370372?accountid=11107.

This study examined the recognition and respect that were demonstrated to male and female characters to evaluate whether there’s been any change in gender portrayals from primetime TV in the 1970s to the 1990s. It was found that while women remained underrepresented by the 1990s, representation had significantly improved from during the 1970s. Women appeared most frequently in sitcoms and least in action adventures. Consistently, female characters were judged as being younger than male characters. More male than female characters were portrayed as having work outside the home consistently, though this difference decreased over time. The percent of women working outside the home increased from the 1970s to the 1980s before stalling in the 1990s. Representation of gender-nontypical work for both male and female characters increased from the 1970s to the 1980s before decreasing again in the 1990s.

This source was an informative read. One thing it did especially well was contextualize the changes in social history that occurred from the late 1960s to the 1990s to explain the study’s importance. While this wasn’t about children’s TV, it’s likely that the same trends were present in children’s TV from the 1970s-1990s and influenced children’s TV today.

Source 6: Steyer, I. (2014). Gender representations in children’s media and their influence. Campus – Wide Information Systems, 31(2), 171-180. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/CWIS-11-2013-0065

This source summarizes research done on gender representation in different forms of children’s media—literature, TV and commercials, the Internet, and computer program—spanning multiple decades. For TV and commercials: one point made was that women have historically been underrepresented, with representation decreasing from the 1930s-60s and increasing from the ‘60s to the ‘90s. Another point made was that women are typically portrayed as more physically attractive and intelligent than men, and that women are seen more as mothers and significant others while men are seen more as single. The last point made was that children have the potential to conform to the stereotypical or nontypical behaviors reflected in TV.

This source, overall, provides valuable information. It provides information on a variety of children’s media, which is helpful in linking trends in children’s TV to children’s media in general. The source is also concise and not difficult to read. One issue that is noticeable is that it is inconsistent in mentioning or not mentioning the decades that the identified trends span from. Overall, though, this provides relevant background and topical knowledge on how gender representation has evolved in children’s TV over time.

*All peer-reviewed but #6*

1:

Signorielli, Nancy, and Susan Kahlenberg. “Television’s World of Work in the Nineties.” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 45, no. 1, 2001, pp. 4-22. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.prx.library.gatech.edu/docview/227280555?accountid=11107

“Television’s World of Work in the Nineties” examines the accuracy of the television world labor force.  The article analyzes the over- or under-representation of minorities and women in certain industries when depicted on television.  Specifically, Nancy Signorielli and Susan Kahlenberg find that married women do not have as many occupation options while single women are portrayed as having gender-neutral or traditionally male jobs.  When compared to the U.S. labor force, men, by contrast, have no correlation between occupation and marital status.  Studies continue to find that women have limited opportunities on TV due to the scarcity of employed married women.

This source outlines the discrepancy between what is presented on TV and reality.  It is unfortunate that stereotypes restrict roles from some and define a false social norm.  As the article suggests, this also has a negative impact on today’s children, adolescents, and heavy television viewers.  The career choices of young viewers can be affected, and the received message is that women cannot hold better paying jobs while maintaining a healthy marriage.  The external effects proposed by this assertion are significant and are crucial to our group’s research question.

2:

Signorielli, Nancy, and Aaron Bacue. “Recognition and Respect: A Content Analysis of Prime-Time Television Characters Across Three Decades.” Sex Roles, vol. 40, no. 7, 1999, pp. 527-544. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.prx.library.gatech.edu/docview/225370372?accountid=11107.

This document brings to light the lack of recognition received by women on television between the fall of 1967 and the spring of 1998.  Compared to the numbers in the U.S. population, women have been largely underrepresented in television.  One of the arguments made in the article investigates the occupations in which men and women are cast.  Network programming of the 1970s and 1980s depicted fewer women working outside the home, and those with jobs were often cast in traditional “female” occupations such as secretaries, nurses, and teachers.  Expectedly, men were more often presented as employed and in higher status jobs than women.

“Recognition and respect: A content analysis of prime-time television characters across three decades” highlights an important claim.  The struggle of women in the film industry and the misinterpretation of women roles is unsettling.  The prime-time network programs studied have flaws that aren’t always seen by the typical audience.  Beyond the points made in the text and how they pertain to our research, this article is worth reading to grasp the injustice within such a large sector of American life.

3:

Matthes, Jö, Michael Prieler, and Karoline Adam. “Gender-Role Portrayals in Television Advertising Across the Globe.” Sex Roles, vol. 75, no. 7-8, 2016, pp. 314-327. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.prx.library.gatech.edu/docview/1819312024?accountid=11107, doi:http://dx.doi.org.prx.library.gatech.edu/10.1007/s11199-016-0617-y.

This source dives into the gender-role portrayals in television advertising.  Jörg Matthes, Michael Prieler, and Karoline Adam collect data from thirteen Asian, American, and European countries and study the stereotypical depiction of men and women within television advertisements.  The conclusion indicated stereotypes present world-wide, independent of each country’s respective gender equality measures.  In other words, the specific culture of a country in preventing gender discrimination had no effect on the apparent stereotypes among the advertisements.  The study also examines the working role of primary television characters.  Results showed that stronger depiction of female characters in home settings was evident in countries such as Brazil, China, Germany, etc.

“Gender-Role Portrayals in Television Advertising Across the Globe” certainly adds concrete evidence of women stereotypes in the television world.  This experiment focuses on unique details and controls variables to offer a convincing verdict.  It’s critical to be cognizant of the world outside U.S. television, and this article contributes to a broader perspective.

4:

Witt, Susan D. “The Influence of Televison on Children’s Gender Role Socialization.”Childhood Education, vol. 76, no. 5, 2000, pp. 322-324. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.prx.library.gatech.edu/docview/210380519?accountid=11107.

This text investigates further into one of the subtopics of other studies.  Susan Witt discusses the television influence on children and how it may be affecting their race and gender.  According to this piece, television is the most impactful form of media to today’s youth.  In fact, by age sixteen, kids will have spent more time watching television than time at school.  With the rapid pace in which children assess information and develop cognitive standards, the attitudes and experience they witness on TV can quickly spawn stereotypes in the minds of teens.  The idea that only women are nurses and only men are doctors can be falsely reinforced by television media.  The inaccuracy in representation on television is having an impact on the perceptions of many at a young age.

The items discussed in “The influence of television on children’s gender role socialization” are worth pondering because they present future implications.  Not only does the article discuss the existence of gender bias on television, but also what it could mean for future generations.   Nations are often judged by education and attempts to prepare children for life.  If television is corrupting this process, it is a poor reflection of the U.S. and elsewhere.

5:

Press, Andrea, and Terry Strathman. “Work, Family and Social Class in Television Images of Women: Prime-Time Television and the Construction of Postfeminism.” Women and Language, vol. 16, no. 2, 1993, pp. 7. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.prx.library.gatech.edu/docview/198874239?accountid=11107.

“Work, family and social class in television images of women: Prime-time television and the construction of postfeminism” focuses on how the issues raised by the feminist movement are articulated in television.  There’s no denying that television images have shifted with time to reflect real world changes.  However, the alterations made by television to depict the workplace, family, and women’s relation to each, do not always parallel reality.  For example, modern television narratives fail to acknowledge the struggles faced by women with balancing work and family, providing child care, and balancing family budgets.  In the television realm, single mothers are middle or upper-class, and poor families are almost non-existent.  Facts oppose this false narrative; 69% of homes headed by women are poor while the median income for two-parent families is $30000.

These assertions are a reality check for most, myself included, who like to imagine the fantasy in television as fact.  As viewers, we begin to conceptualize the typical American family from the plentiful illustrations on TV.  As an experienced television watcher and as a researcher, this document was fascinating to read.  Taking a step back and using skepticism when watching popular TV can sometimes be a convenient skill.

6:

Working Women on Television: A Mixed Bag at Best. NPR, Washington, D.C., 2013. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.prx.library.gatech.edu/docview/1352860925?accountid=11107.

This source consists of an NPR broadcast discussing various popular television programs and the roles of women within each.  First, Modern Family was debated because none of the adult female characters work outside the home, which hardly reflects the fourteen percent of U.S. women who are stay-at-home mothers.  In addition, age is not properly mirrored on many TV shows, as forty and older account for almost half of the population yet only 26 percent of women on television.  However, in shows such as The Big Band Theory and Parks in Recreation, women are characterized as having jobs a young girl or boy might aspire to have.  The commentators also stated that in terms of gender parity, TV does a much better job than family movies.

The talking points in this NPR cast bring up flaws in TV but also give credit to the producers who are conducting shows properly.  This is worth reading—or listening to—because it offers a different view than most reports.  While TV is not perfect in its gender equality, there are many instances of exceptional representation.  Perhaps some aspects are not as bad as perceived or what they could be when considering movies and other media.

Work Cited

Peer Reviewed

Berg, Leah R. Vande and Diane Streckfuss. “Prime-Time Television’s Portrayal of Women and the World of Work: A Demographic Profile.” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 36, no. 2, Spring92, p. 195. EBSCOhost, prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=9208170546&site=ehost-live.

“Prime-Time Television’s Portrayal of Women and the World of Work: A Demographic Profile.” analyses prime-time shows and their respective representation of women in the working world.  Indicates that women in television are underrepresented and forced into limited possible occupations. Women are also typically shown as performing more interpersonal actions whereas men are shown as working in political and decisive positions.

This article will be useful in the fact that it defines the type of jobs that women are typically limited to and help to further identify potential stereotypical occupations.  The results revealed in this study will be used specifically as support for the idea that Women’s occupational roles in television are not accurate of societal norms since this article directly compares popular television representations to actual industry statistics.  Further, this article will provide numerical data for the ideas of women being underrepresented in television due to it’s largely quantitative set of statistics provided throughout the article.

Peer Reviewed

Gregori-Signes, Carmen. “”Apparently, Women Don’t Know how to Operate Doors”: A Corpus-Based Analysis of Women Stereotypes in the TV Series 3rd Rock from the Sun.” International Journal of English Studies, vol. 17, no. 2, 2017, pp. 21-43. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1977738284?accountid=11107, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.6018/ijes/2017/2/257311.

“Apparently, Women Don’t Know how to Operate Doors” analyses the portrayal of women and their roles (including occupations) in the American sitcom “3rd Rock from the Sun”.  The article focuses on the reliance of the writers on using stereotypes regarding women as a constant source for humor. The data provided in the article is both qualitative and quantitative providing many examples from which one could draw.

This article is imperative to the research being conducted since it is specific to female portrayal in an American sitcom.  Although occupational portrayal is not the main focus, it is part of the spectrum of which the author of the article examines stereotype enforcement.  This article will also be a helpful source due to the large amount of examples the author provides from “3rd Rock from the Sun”. These examples will be used to compare television portrayals to societal actualities which will eventually provide evidence towards an answer for the overall question regarding female occupations in television as compared to reality.        

Peer Reviewed

Lacalle, Charo, and Beatriz Gómez. “The Representation of Workingwomen in Spanish Television Fiction/La Representación De Las Mujeres Trabajadoras En La Ficción Televisiva Española.” Comunicar, vol. 24, no. 47, 2016, pp. 59-67. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/1781327887?accountid=11107, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3916/C47-2016-06.

“The Representation of Workingwomen in Spanish Television Fiction” is an article that examines 709 female characters in fictional spanish programs.  This project uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the roles in the show of female characters including their occupation. Results of the study showed that many female characters remain in stereotypical situations being caregivers or members of customer service, whereas other female characters are shown as skilled professionals.  Subsequently, the female characters shown in non-traditional roles are often associated with negative representations of the character.

This paper is crucial to investigating the at hand topic by providing evidence and examples for female characters locked into traditional occupations.  Also, this paper is interesting in the way in which is shows the “connection” the exists between traditional roles and positive representation by exhibiting female characters of power who are associated with the negative aspects of the story.  Although this source is not exclusively regarding sitcoms it still remains important since it includes examples from spanish comedies (sitcoms).

Peer Reviewed

Lippa, Richard A., et al. “Women’s Representation in 60 Occupations from 1972 to 2010: More Women in High-Status Jobs, Few Women in Things-Oriented Jobs.” PLoS ONE, vol. 9, no. 5, May 2014, pp. 1–8. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0095960.

“Women’s Representation in 60 Occupations from 1972 to 2010: More Women in High-Status Jobs, Few Women in Things-Oriented Jobs.” explores trends in 60 occupations over a course of 38 years to see the growing representation of women in the working world.  The study separated occupations into categories by status, people-things orientation, and data-ideas orientation. Results showed that women are increasingly entering occupations of high status, but their participation in thing oriented jobs (mechanics, construction, etc) remained low and unchanged throughout the years.   The article uses evidence to compare sex segregation theories and stereotypes to reality.

This article will be crucial to research since it will be used as a representation of reality.  Unlike other sources, the focus of this paper lies on statistics regarding the working world rather than television.  All data and research into television will be compared and contrasted to this source to assist with the papers conclusion.  

Peer Reviewed

McCauley, Clark, et al. “Sex Stereotyping of Occupations in Relation to Television Representations and Census Facts.” Basic & Applied Social Psychology, vol. 9, no. 3, Sept. 1988, pp. 197-212. EBSCOhost, prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=7301410&site=ehost-live.

The source “Sex Stereotyping of Occupations in Relation to Television Representations and Census Facts.” examines the effects of television on the distortion of social views regarding gender stereotypes of occupations.  This is done by surveying high schoolers, college students, and train passengers on their estimates regarding the demographic of commonly stereotyped occupational fields. These results were then compared to U.S. Census Data and gender portrayals on television.  Results showed that television was not responsible for the distortion of the perception of reality since the participants overestimated gender equality in occupations.

The value of this source lies in the fact that it was conducted in a scientific manner giving it empirical significance, and that the results undermine the popular belief that television changes social perception on gender in the working world.  The topic at hand is the portrayal of Women’s occupations in sitcoms, and what this article provides is a context for the importance of the topic. This article actually discredits the topic by saying that portrayal on television doesn’t affect personal beliefs.  This paper will be used as a counterpoint and as a source of data on the topic.

Peer Reviewed

Paek, Hye-jin, Michelle R. Nelson, and Alexandra M. Vilela. “Examination of Gender-Role Portrayals in Television Advertising Across Seven Countries.” Sex Roles, vol. 64, no. 3-4, 2011, pp. 192-207. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/850508440?accountid=11107, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11199-010-9850-y.

The study “Examination of Gender-Role Portrayals in Television Advertising Across Seven Countries.” is a meta analysis of 2,608 commercials looking at the uses of men and women in different situations.  The paper finds that women are typically portrayed as the product user, being dependent on others and often found at home. This paper then looks at how these portrayals correlate to common stereotypes relating to gender.

    Even though the focus of this paper lies in commercials it remains relevant because it lays a groundwork for the cause and effect relationship between television representation and the propagation of stereotypes in society.  The information provided in this article can be used to define portrayals that may or may not be stereotypical, as well as how to examine the impact this has on society. Also this information gives a cross cultural base from which the question at hand may be answered since it originates from 7 countries.      

Armstrong, Cory L., et al. “Female News Professionals in Local and National Broadcast News during the Buildup to the Iraq War.” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 50, no. 1, Mar. 2006, pp. 78-94. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1207/s15506878jobem5001_5.

This source, a peer-reviewed academic article, covers gender representation on TV news during the buildup to the Iraq War. Specifically, it talks about how women are (or are not) represented across different networks in terms of both simply being on the news and airtime. Additionally, it compares local and national news regarding the stories women typically tell compared to men.

The results of this study suggested that there is less of a gender disparity on the local front than the national front. Routinely, national news would run stories with female newscasters that ran shorter than those of their male counterparts and covered more “soft” topics like social stories or feel-good news instead of “hard” topics like war or the economy that men tended to cover. Local news was more equitable in their distribution of stories and story length, according to the study. However, it was still determined that younger female reporters did not get as much airtime or as long a story length as the more seasoned female reporters (or those who were perceived to be older). My research could use this study as it encompasses airtime and story nature of men compared to women.

Kern, Rebecca, and Suman Mishra. “(Re) Framing Women and Network News: A Comparative Analysis.” Women’s Studies, vol. 43, no. 6, Aug. 2014, pp. 712–732. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/00497878.2014.921513.

This source, an peer-reviewed article regarding the way women are depicted in network news, is a very interesting one that brings up important points about how gendered society’s views of female newscasters can be. The source specifically talks about how popular female TV personalities like Katie Couric and Diane Sawyer are covered and perceived by the public.

Specifically, the article covered the extent to which gender and female characteristics were mentioned in stories about the respective personalities. The findings of the research were relatively surprising. It was found that coverage of Katie Couric had much more to do with things like her gender, her appearance, and her age (all qualities that are not as often talked about regarding men). Conversely, it found that coverage of Diane Sawyer was actually much more focused on her professional role with ABC, suggesting her gender was not as prevalent in the way people perceived her. This leads to the conclusion that women can have differing experiences at different networks. This is useful to my research as it shows gendered dynamics on TV news.

Finneman, Teri, and Joy Jenkins. “Sexism on the Set: Gendered Expectations of TV Broadcasters in a Social Media World.” Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, vol. 62, no. 3, Sept. 2018, pp. 479–494. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/08838151.2018.1484292.

This peer-reviewed academic journal article examines how our expectations of how certain genders should portray themselves in the TV news media shapes our perceptions of them. The study is specific to the era of social media, so we can assume some degree of social progress since the onset of TV news, but still recognize a lot of bias.

The article concluded that little progress has been made in the past few decades. The research found little evidence of a reduced amount of criticism of broadcasters’ appearances in the age of social media. Specifically, females faced more criticism for their appearance than males, suggesting that females face an added difficulty of constantly trying to look “good enough” for the audience to take them seriously. As such, we can conclude that social media has simply given people another method to perpetuate gender norms rather than question them. This is useful to my research as I am concerned with how female broadcasters face different challenges than their male coworkers.

Papper, Bob. “Little Change for Women, Minorities in TV/Radio.” RTDNA, 2013, www.rtdna.org/article/little_change_for_women_minorities_in_tv_radio.

This source references a 2013 study conducted jointly by Hofstra University and RTDNA regarding minority and gender representation in TV and radio programs. This highlights the intersectionality of feminism, as there are many dimensions across which discrimination can occur. As such, it is useful to my research because we are also concerned with other marginalized groups.

The findings were that nothing has changed too drastically within the timeframe of the past few years. The percentage of minorities represented in TV went virtually unchanged from 2012-2013, but the percentage of minority news directors at non-Hispanic TV stations was at its second highest level ever in 2013. Women overall in TV news rose slightly, reaching over 40% in 2013, and radio women directors rose slightly. They also found that men outnumber women for all ethnic groups except Asian-Americans. This study shows that we still have much to do to get to equitable representation in TV news (and radio, even though this isn’t part of my research).

Guskin, Emily. “5 Facts about Ethnic and Gender Diversity in U.S. Newsrooms.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 18 July 2013, www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013/07/18/5-facts-about-ethnic-and-gender-diversity-in-u-s-newsrooms/.

This source is an online article from pew research, citing various statistics regarding minority and gender representation in news media. This further underscores the importance of intersectionality in truly understanding any social justice movement. While my research is primarily concerned with gender, I am also interested in how ethnicity and race play a role in the television news landscape.

The core argument of this piece is that we still have a long way to go before we reach equity in either gender or ethnicity in news. One of the interesting figures this piece brings up is that overall, minorities still only account for about 12% of the overall workforce in newsrooms across the United States. While women are more represented in these environments, still only about one third of newsroom managers are female, suggesting that there are some hurdles for females who wish to rise in the ranks of these organizations. These figures will certainly assist me in determining the scope of gender representation in news through my research.

LaFrance, Adrienne. “I Analyzed a Year of My Reporting for Gender Bias (Again).” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 18 Feb. 2016, www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/02/gender-diversity-journalism/463023/.

This article from The Atlantic is perhaps less scientific in approach than the others, but still provides an interesting perspective on the way news media represents gender. The reporter in this piece cites complaints about how even unintentionally, she still quotes and mentions much less women than men.

In 2012, the writer of this piece analyzed many of his articles and found that about a quarter of the people he quoted or mentioned were women, suggesting men were much more commonly the focus of his articles. In 2016, the writer conducted the same sort of self- analysis and found that only 22% of the names she included or mentioned in her articles were women. Even after she became aware of her lack of adequate gender representation, she unintentionally continued disproportionately covering men in relation to women. This can carry over to TV media as well, which would be a logical assumption since the nature of the stories that are covered in both mediums are relatively similar. As such, this is a valuable perspective for my research into gender representation not only on the news, but in the news.