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"Thumbs Down" Report
Men write the overwhelming majority of film reviews in the nation's top newspapers, according to a study released today by Dr. Martha Lauzen, Executive Director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University. Men penned 70% and women 30% of all reviews in the newspapers considered.
Entitled "Thumbs Down: The Representation of Women Critics in the Top 100 U.S. Newspapers," the first-of-its-kind study examined the numbers of women and men reviewing films at the top 100 U.S. daily newspapers during Fall 2007. The study found that of the newspapers featuring film reviews, 47% had no reviews written by women critics, writers or freelancers. In contrast, only 12% had no reviews written by men critics, writers or freelancers.
The Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film released the study today on the Web site of the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Inc., www.awfj.org, a professional organization of leading female film critics and journalists from across the United States.
According to AWFJ President, Jennifer Merin, "Film critics interpret, contextualize and make recommendations about one of the world's most popular and influential forms of entertainment, and one of the nation's largest industries. This important study shows in concrete and shocking terms that women—more than 50% of the population— are still being left out of a national discussion of sweeping cultural and financial significance. "
The Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University conducts an extensive agenda of original research on film and television directors, writers, producers, cinematographers, and editors — who happen to be women. For more information about the Center's research or other activities, contact Dr. Martha Lauzen at (619) 594-6301 or lauzen@mail.sdsu.edu.
The Alliance of Women Film Journalists is a nonprofit nationwide association of prominent professional female movie critics, reporters, features writers and academics who support work by and about women - both in front of and behind the cameras - through intra-group promotional activities, outreach programs and by presenting the annual EDA Awards in recognition of outstanding accomplishments (the best and worst) by and about women in the movies.
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