ABSTRACT

Researchers studying film and prime-time TV characters from 2006-2011 found that family films rarely show women as C-suite executives, high-level politicians or editors-in-chief at news organizations. The researchers’ report notes that in real life, 25.5 percent of chief executives in 2010 were women-that is one in four. Furthermore,

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

the study’s1 authors point out that of the 4.5 percent of females who were high-level politicians, none were central characters. Women featured in prominent roles are even fewer when we consider older women and women of color. While society has greatly changed, media generally show that men are firmly in charge.