This chapter explains how the show "The Avengers," a popular British television program with an unusual female lead role, captured the imagination of women viewers in England from 1962 to 1964. After describing the show and then the research project investigating viewers' responses to it, this chapter explores the experience of watching…

Provides some support for the charge of sex discrimination in television humor in that males disparaged females significantly more than females disparaged males. Also found that sexual and hostile humor was as common during the Family Viewing Hour as during adult viewing hours. (PD)

Finds that women's preferences for comedy television programs were strongest immediately prior to and during menses when negative affect was also most evident. Finds also that at the midpoint of the menstrual cycle, when positive affect proved the strongest, an elevated interest in suspense drama programs was apparent. (SR)

Provides in-depth content analysis of six 1985-86 prime-time television shows which featured single professional women sharing the lead with a male partner in a working relationship. Concludes that these programs show a less stereotypical portrayal of working women than in the past and demonstrate a serious attempt to present the problems of…

This part of a series of reports in this issue traces the role and "image" of serial television's women. (CH)

Although college women were generally found to be more aware and critical of sex stereotyping than were college men, data indicated that viewers were not as sensitive to sex-role stereotypes in television commercials as advocates of feminism might hope. (KS)

Compares the content of female candidates' political spot ads with that of ads for a control group of male candidates in similar contests. Concludes that the biggest differences were in images, with females less likely to stress strength and more likely to stress compassion. (FL)

This study examined female adolescent characters portrayed in over 200 episodes of 19 prime time television programs aired in the spring of 1988, and analyzed the messages these programs conveyed about education and work. It was found that although adolescent girls outnumbered adolescent boys on prime time television, these female characters were…

Differences in formal aspects of television commercials aimed at boys and those aimed at girls were investigated. Formal attributes were defined as production techniques such as action, pace, visual effects, dialogue and narration, background music and sound effects. Two aspects of content were also examined: aggressive behavior and the gender of…

The total percentage of women employed in executive positions in television stations in the United States is substantially lower than previous studies indicate. Of the 1743 persons employed in those jobs in commercial and noncommercial stations in the top 50 markets, only 4.8 percent are women. This compares with 91.2 percent who are men (the sex…

A previous study (EM 009 547) found that the most favorable attitudes of boys toward aggression existed when there was high exposure to television (TV) violence, ambiguous family attitudes toward aggression, or low socio-economic status. This study sought to examine the same three variables with respect to girls. Subjects, who were 404 fourth…

Suggests that from 1972-1974 there was little change in the representation of women as authorative voice-overs or as on-screen experts in television commercials without voice-overs. (MH)

Classifies humor as hostile, nonhostile, sexual hostile, and sexual nonhostile. During one week of prime time television, males were portrayed as victims of hostile humor more often than were females. The frequency analysis of humorous disparagement does not reveal discrimination against either sex. Hostile humor was found to be more common than…

Examines forms of communication used in commercials to convey social stereotypes. (Forms refer to production techniques such as level of action or movement, pacing, camera techniques, and auditory features.) (PD)

Looks at the ways in which the relationship between women and work was characterized during the late 1940s in "Woman Speaks," a combination newsreel/television show in Chicago. Expands upon the work of other historians and critics who have examined the representations of gender in early television marketing ploys and variety/situation…