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The portrayal of women in prime time, 1953–1977

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Abstract

A content analysis of 1314 television programs and 2444 starring characters appearing on prime-time television from 1953–1977 revealed that the number of females in starring roles has remained relatively constant over the last 25 years and that most women are still found in situation comedies. While the number of women shown as housewives or housekeepers has declined from the 1950s to the present, the makeup of the television labor force has consistently shown no relationship to the real-life employment patterns of women. The data seem to support the findings announced in a recent study by the United States Commission on Civil Rights, which concluded that women were underrepresented on television and were frequently seen in stereotyped roles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Henry W. Grady School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Georgia, USA

    Joseph R. Dominick

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  1. Joseph R. Dominick
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Dominick, J.R. The portrayal of women in prime time, 1953–1977. Sex Roles 5, 405–411 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00287316

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00287316

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