Representations of Women in the Media
The Bristol Fawcett and Bristol Feminist Network's Representations of Women in the Media project takes place each year throughout the month of November. Volunteers undertake research tasks ranging from 30min to one-month observations.
Participants document representations of women within a chosen medium, such as newspapers, radio, TV etc. Data is gathered and analysed to provide evidence for campaigners. The project is also interested in women’s and girls’ experiences of the media and encourages creative, accessible presentations of the evidence.
The 2009 research was collated on 27th November ahead of a public presentation on the 28th at the Malcolm X Centre. Findings were also presented at the Cube Cinema on Mon 18th Jan 2010. Evidence will be circulated by the National Union of Journalists in support of action to end gender bias in the media. For more information please contact women_inthemedia@yahoo.co.uk
What is Representations of Women in the Media?
The Representations of Women in the Media project (“Reps” to its friends”) is now three years old. It is a grassroots volunteer project which takes place in Bristol to investigate how women are represented, misrepresented and not represented at all in the media. The project brainstorms ideas to challenge and question these images and think through how positive respresentations might look.
The Representations of Women int the Media project began in 2007 with a day of action. By 2008 it had developed into a month of research culminating in public exhibitions and workshops. Findings were presented to the NUJ Women’s Conference and have recently been picked up by the Home Office. This year the project twins with activists in New Zealand who will be compiling evidence from their own media to compare with the findings from Bristol.
More details and reports of findings can be found on the Bristol Fawcett group's website.
How does this research help women?
No one is surprised to find there is still a significant gender bias in the media; but the evidence and observations generated by this research helps to legitimise calls to address the problem. We know that magazines value women as pretty faces for their front covers, but it’s much more useful to be able to cite that women are featured on covers 86% of the time because of their appearance, and only 15% for what they do. We can see how often women are being represented as things to be looked at. It helps us to understand the impact of the media on gender bias in our culture and how it is damaging the identity of women.
Can I participate?
Yes please! Reps takes place every year and we are looking for teams and individuals to take on research tasks such as those listed below. We are also keen for people to design their own research and ask their own questions. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact women_inthemedia@yahoo.co.uk
The Bristol Fawcett and Bristol Feminist Network's Representations of Women in the Media project takes place each year throughout the month of November. Volunteers undertake research tasks ranging from 30min to one-month observations.
Participants document representations of women within a chosen medium, such as newspapers, radio, TV etc. Data is gathered and analysed to provide evidence for campaigners. The project is also interested in women’s and girls’ experiences of the media and encourages creative, accessible presentations of the evidence.
The 2009 research was collated on 27th November ahead of a public presentation on the 28th at the Malcolm X Centre. Findings were also presented at the Cube Cinema on Mon 18th Jan 2010. Evidence will be circulated by the National Union of Journalists in support of action to end gender bias in the media. For more information please contact women_inthemedia@yahoo.co.uk
What is Representations of Women in the Media?
The Representations of Women in the Media project (“Reps” to its friends”) is now three years old. It is a grassroots volunteer project which takes place in Bristol to investigate how women are represented, misrepresented and not represented at all in the media. The project brainstorms ideas to challenge and question these images and think through how positive respresentations might look.
The Representations of Women int the Media project began in 2007 with a day of action. By 2008 it had developed into a month of research culminating in public exhibitions and workshops. Findings were presented to the NUJ Women’s Conference and have recently been picked up by the Home Office. This year the project twins with activists in New Zealand who will be compiling evidence from their own media to compare with the findings from Bristol.
More details and reports of findings can be found on the Bristol Fawcett group's website.
How does this research help women?
No one is surprised to find there is still a significant gender bias in the media; but the evidence and observations generated by this research helps to legitimise calls to address the problem. We know that magazines value women as pretty faces for their front covers, but it’s much more useful to be able to cite that women are featured on covers 86% of the time because of their appearance, and only 15% for what they do. We can see how often women are being represented as things to be looked at. It helps us to understand the impact of the media on gender bias in our culture and how it is damaging the identity of women.
Can I participate?
Yes please! Reps takes place every year and we are looking for teams and individuals to take on research tasks such as those listed below. We are also keen for people to design their own research and ask their own questions. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact women_inthemedia@yahoo.co.uk
Television
1 hour task:
Zap through the channels and write down the approximate age of the person you see each time you change the channel and whether its a man or a woman.
Zap through the channels and write down the approximate age of the person you see each time you change the channel and whether its a man or a woman.
2 hour task:
Ask some people who are over 40 about their perceptions of how the representation of women in the media has changed over their lifetime and record this information.
Ask some people who are over 40 about their perceptions of how the representation of women in the media has changed over their lifetime and record this information.
2 hour task:
Walk up your high street and ask the shop managers how much they earn from pornography magazines (including "lads mags") as a percentage of their overall magazine takings and by how much they think it has increased/decreased over the past 5 years.
Walk up your high street and ask the shop managers how much they earn from pornography magazines (including "lads mags") as a percentage of their overall magazine takings and by how much they think it has increased/decreased over the past 5 years.
1 week task:
Read the key text "Decoding Advertising" by Judith Williamson, and then watch advertisments and break down and analyse them in the way that book does. This will broaden your knowledge of the advertisng industry as well as provide valuable information for the project!
Read the key text "Decoding Advertising" by Judith Williamson, and then watch advertisments and break down and analyse them in the way that book does. This will broaden your knowledge of the advertisng industry as well as provide valuable information for the project!
Newspapers
2 hour task:
Interview a journalist at the Evening Post/Venue etc, tell them about the information gathered through the Representation of Women project last year (quote website here) and ask them about their views of how women are represented, how these decisions are made and by whom. Ask them whether they think there have been changes over time.
Interview a journalist at the Evening Post/Venue etc, tell them about the information gathered through the Representation of Women project last year (quote website here) and ask them about their views of how women are represented, how these decisions are made and by whom. Ask them whether they think there have been changes over time.
Magazines
30 min task
Turn lad’s mags around and take a photo!
Turn lad’s mags around and take a photo!
1 day task
Collect and count anti women headlines on magazines.
Collect and count anti women headlines on magazines.
1 week task
How many articles in a mag are about body shape?
How many articles in a mag are about body shape?
Film
1 week task
Break down story lines of films listed in Venue. How do they group? Men’s stories (rights of passage, gangsters, sports heroes etc), action/violent movies; ‘Women’s stories’; soft porn; balance of gender interest etc
Break down story lines of films listed in Venue. How do they group? Men’s stories (rights of passage, gangsters, sports heroes etc), action/violent movies; ‘Women’s stories’; soft porn; balance of gender interest etc
2 week task
Count the total number of films listed in Venue for 2 weeks in November. Record the ratio of films directed by men or directed by women.
Count the total number of films listed in Venue for 2 weeks in November. Record the ratio of films directed by men or directed by women.
1 month task
Using Venue for the 4 weeks of November, do a break down of the headline ‘stars’. How many are men and what is their age range? How many women and what age range?
Using Venue for the 4 weeks of November, do a break down of the headline ‘stars’. How many are men and what is their age range? How many women and what age range?
Children's
Media
Media
1 hour task
Photograph toys, magazines and books on sale in Bristol. Or you could place warning cards on products that ‘contain harmful stereotypes’ or that “can lower self-esteem”.
Photograph toys, magazines and books on sale in Bristol. Or you could place warning cards on products that ‘contain harmful stereotypes’ or that “can lower self-esteem”.
1 day task
Be creative. Make a cartoon, book or toy. Alternatively, use a children’s craft kit to make something and add your own subversive touches.
Be creative. Make a cartoon, book or toy. Alternatively, use a children’s craft kit to make something and add your own subversive touches.
1 month task
Count how many characters are female in a selection of children’s programmes or films. Gather and present data on characters’ roles, characteristics and appearances.
Count how many characters are female in a selection of children’s programmes or films. Gather and present data on characters’ roles, characteristics and appearances.
Radio
1 hour task
Tune into a radio show which is presented by a male and a female DJ duo. What are the subjects of conversation and who is doing the most talking / laughing / listening etc?
Tune into a radio show which is presented by a male and a female DJ duo. What are the subjects of conversation and who is doing the most talking / laughing / listening etc?
2 hour task
Using one, or a handful, of music radio shows, make a list of the language that is used to discuss/describe female artists and male artists.
Using one, or a handful, of music radio shows, make a list of the language that is used to discuss/describe female artists and male artists.
1 day task
Tune in to three radio stations throughout one day: how many times do you hear a male DJ/presenter, a female DJ/presenter, a male and a female DJ/presenter together?
Tune in to three radio stations throughout one day: how many times do you hear a male DJ/presenter, a female DJ/presenter, a male and a female DJ/presenter together?
1 week task
Listen to one radio show every day for a week (eg the Chris Moyles breakfast show): record (written or audio) snippets of conversations/quotes.
Listen to one radio show every day for a week (eg the Chris Moyles breakfast show): record (written or audio) snippets of conversations/quotes.
Minority Ethnic Women in the Media
If you are interested in volunteering on any of these tasks, please contact women_inthemedia@yahoo.co.uk