Gender's role in American Media
Full Screen option at the top

This graphic clearly illustrates the disparity between men and women in the media. Considering the fact that women watch more television than men and women make up 46% of the work force, these are definitely sobering statistics. So why is there such a large difference in the diversity of the media? Suprisingly, new research on twitter use may offer some light on the subject. After looking at research on social networking and who uses these sites most, the numbers show that women hold a good advantage over men, but who women follow on twitter was somewhat suprising. Here is a link to the original article, from Harvard.
http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/cs/2009/06/new_twitter_research_men_follo.html
Does this suggest, however, that the trend of media usage is to prefer male sources? Or is this just another anomaly among media producers who are mostly male?
-James Rutherford

The gender roles projected through various media outlets are subtle. They are neither completely overt nor entirely subliminal. The lens of education helps to clarify what exactly it is the consumers of media are being told. Men are nearly always conveyed as strong an in control. Women are nearly always beautiful compliments to their strong man. In sports they are given the shortest airtime possible while their male counterparts nonchalantly relax and make informative conversation about the sport at a hand. In cartoons they are often times reduced to an air-headed object to be rescued. Velma is often times the smartest person in the gang but she is unattractive and nerdy, not a strong intelligent woman to be desired. These are the stories of what is to be a man or woman in America. These are the myths of gender. This is the haze that needs to be dispersed through education and increased analysis of the messages we allow ourselves to consume.
-Scott

Women in ads targeted towards men

The woman’s role in beer and cigarette ads is to be a trophy, props for male characters. In these ads women are often in groups surrounding one man, a common established stereotype of the roles of males and females in society. In men's magazines, women bodies are usually the focal point and women usually play the stereotypical role of a seductress. By playing the role of a seductress in various men's magazines, women are naturally seen as sex objects.
-Stephanie S.

Men in ads targeted towards men

Popular Men's magazine

In print advertisements, the roles of men and women are usually offensive as they are often stereotypical. The contents of various men’s magazine are “reviews of films, music, video games and books…Loaded [magazine] celebrates watching football with a few beers for example, but the Men’s Health reader would forego the drinks, and play the game himself. FHM encourages quality of sex, whilst Front stands for quantity” (Gauntlett, 2002). When men appear in ads they are generally seen as active, providers and macho. In men's magazines, men are usually engaging in physical activities and are usually associated with strength and power. The physical roles that men play in ads are often various types of athletes (tennis, football, baseball players) engaging in sport or as a ladies' man in a club.

-Stephanie S.