According to a report released on Tuesday by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, women performed better on reality programs and game shows compared to scripted programs in 2022-23.
The latest “Boxed In” report revealed that women accounted for 50% of the characters or contestants on unscripted programs, while they only made up 43% of characters on scripted programs featured on broadcast networks and streaming services.
“These findings suggest that the percentage of females on screen will increase this year as television platforms rely more heavily on unscripted programs due to production disruptions caused by labor strikes,” explained Martha Lauzen, executive director of the center.
Out of those working behind the scenes, women accounted for 32% of individuals involved in both scripted and unscripted programs. However, women had more success as directors on scripted programs, with a percentage of 22%, compared to 11% on unscripted programs. Lauzen also noted that women were more likely to be employed as producers on unscripted programs (47%) compared to scripted programs (41%).
When examining the platforms, Lauzen found that original programs on streaming services and broadcast networks had almost identical percentages of female characters in 2022-23. Women represented 45% of all speaking characters on original streaming programs and 44% on broadcast programs, which showed only a slight decrease from the previous year.
“The percentage of female characters on broadcast television has remained relatively unchanged for over a decade,” Lauzen commented. “In 2007-08, females accounted for 43% of all characters. In 2022-2023, that number rose to 44%. The trend is similar for streamers, with females making up 44% of characters in 2016-17 and 45% in 2022-23.”
The study also highlighted the need for improvement in the employment of women behind the scenes. The proportion of women creators decreased from 29% in 2021-22 to 23% in 2022-23 on original broadcast network series, and from 30% to 29% on streaming series.
In 2022-23, the study analyzed over 3,500 characters and more than 4,500 behind-the-scenes credits. Over the past 26 years, from 1997-98 to 2022-23, the study has examined over 56,500 characters and more than 70,000 behind-the-scenes credits.
For over two decades, Martha Lauzen has conducted research on the representation and employment of women in film and television. The Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University is a renowned institution known for its extensive studies on women working in the entertainment industry.
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