Miss Representation

Watch the documentary Miss Representation and answer the following questions:

  1. “You can’t be what you can’t see.” What does this quote suggest about how representations of powerful women are, largely, absent from the mass media?

  2. What does Miss Representation suggest about the way women are represented in the media?

  3. According to Jean Kilburn, Jim Steyer and Katie Couric what message is the media sending young girls about their role in society?

  4. What is, according to Jean Kilburn, the objective of advertising?

  5. What is a stereotype? Which gender stereotypes are being repeated again and again in the media?

  6. In terms of representation of women, what is the problem with mainstream Hollywood films?

  7. What sort of stereotypes are used to represent female leaders?

  8. What does Caroline Heldman argue about representations of women like Lara Croft which, on the surface, may appear empowering?

  9. What, according to Gloria Steinem, is the side effect of representations created in a patriarchal system?

  10. During prime time television, what age group do the majority of female characters belong to?

  11. What does Jennifer Pozner claim about the representation of women on reality television?

  12. How are female news anchors represented and what discourse surrounds the way they are represented?

  13. How does the mass media represent female politicians and women in power?

  14. What proportion of media executives and media owners are women? What implications does this have for the operation of media organisations and the representations of gender in the mass media?

  15. Explain how the following factors may influence the representation of gender in the mass media:  cultural attitudes, media ownership, advertising, media regulation.