The report, which tracked over 2,500 characters and more than 3,600 behind-the-scenes credits during the 2025-26 television year, was penned by Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.
She found that the amount of women creating shows across streaming plummeted from 36 percent in 2024-25 to 24 percent in 2025-26, which was a stark contrast to the increase the year prior (27 percent in 2023-24 to 36 percent in 2024-25). The new findings indicate that last year’s increases were a momentary surge, rather than the beginning of a positive trend. As for broadcast, women creators also declined slightly from 20 percent in 2024-25 to 19 percent in 2025-26.
“The numbers of women creating shows on both platforms are now lower than they were almost a decade ago in 2017-18,” Lauzen said.
When it came to the percentage of women directing streaming projects, the report found that number also dropped from 32 percent in 2024-25 to 22 percent in 2025-26, following the temporary increase after 2023-24 (23 percent). Women directing broadcast programs also dipped from 18 percent in 2024-25 to 16 percent in 2025-26.
12 Comments
reddig33@lemmy.world · 32 pts · 1d
Likely another side effect of letting everything media-related merge into a handful of companies.
velma@sh.itjust.works · 11 pts · 1d
There's definitely less shows being made overall. I have to admit that I was surprised women only make up about 30% of people creating shows even a few years ago. That seems low when women are roughly half of the population.
skribe@piefed.social · 6 pts · 1d
It's a tough gig, no matter your gender. You spend years earning very little, doing just about everything except writing/producing in the hope that one day you'll be lucky (and good) enough to be tapped on shoulder for your (usually) one-shot at running a show. Women tend to be smart enough to not put up with that bullshit for long.
NuanceDemon@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 9 pts · 1d
I imagine there was probably an intentional push, both to appear progressive and to some degree for novelty, which then later wore off.
That might seem like a bad thing, that it wore off, but I expect it will contribute to a more gradual climb in the % figure over the long term.
searabbit@piefed.social · -3 pts · 1d
Did you even look up what the shows were before you assumed they were bad?
NuanceDemon@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 6 pts · 1d
Why do you think I've assume they were bad? That's not what I'm saying.
Cytobit@piefed.social · 7 pts · 1d
The article doesn't even include a link to the report.
https://womenintvfilm.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/2025-26-Boxed-In-Report.pdf
velma@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 1d
Thanks! I didn't notice that at first, I appreciate you linking to the study!
Tollana1234567@lemmy.today · 6 pts · 1d
probably the amount of sexism in the industry, plus the increasing amount of sexism from the audience, and outside the industry.
GaMEChld@lemmy.world · -15 pts · 1d
But how will we get more of The Acolyte?! What a blow to the culture!
WatermelonPaloma@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 1d
I guess only men are allowed to make garbage television?
ArgumentativeMonotheist@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 1d
Was it written by a woman/women or just had a lot of female characters in it? I'd rather think it was just a collection of disjointed chatbot prompts put together, lol, I'm not ready to accept the reality that an actual human mind might have been behind it. 😭