The gender imbalance in current affairs TV programmes : text, production and audience responses on TVM programmes

Abstract

This dissertation focuses on how and why women are outnumbered by men in current affairs television programmes. It has three objectives that look at the text, production and audience responses in their leading current affairs programmes broadcast on PBS. This study illustrates that women are heavily under-represented in current affairs television programmes both quantitatively and qualitatively. Textual analysis based on the sample of twelve programmes was performed, together with semi-structured face-to-face interviews with the producers/presenters. This dissertation shows that women were rarely asked to share their opinion in interviews and vox pops. When they were present on panels, they were asked fewer questions than men and they were interrupted the most. This dissertation finds that even though there is an available online directory with profiles of women experts to facilitate a balanced representation, producers do not use it. In their answers they refer to time constraints, they shifted blame on women and their work practices were influenced by established routines and familiar networks. The dissertation concludes that the regulator, i.e. the Broadcasting Authority, needs to raise awareness among producers by being proactive, taking the lead, and exerting pressure to influence their policies. Results emerging from the audience responses show that 69% of the total audience responses analysed were by women. To date, overall audiences are not critical of the gender imbalance in current affairs television programmes and they never criticised women’s lack of representation in these programmes. Thus, such under-representation is taken for granted. This shows the lack of gender awareness not only among the producers but also among the viewers themselves.