Women and Men on tv

In the 1950s 1960s and 1970s only 20 to 35 per cent of characters on tv shows were female.

By the mid 1980s there were more women in leading roles but still there were twice as many men on screen.

Men were seen as assertive or aggressive, and women were seen as passive.

Miles (1975) found that there were nearly equal opportunities of men and women in situation comedies although the gender roles could still be traditional and sexist.

A study by McNeil (1975) said that the womens movement had been largely ignorned by television with married housewives being the main female role shown. He also found out that female characters were unlikely to work especially not if they were wives or mothers. If they did work it would not be shown on screen.

Men were more likely to be assertive whilst women were passive. Gunter 1995

In the 1980s Gillian Dyer observed that the number of women in central roles in police and crime series had increased.

Films show female characters in supporting roles