Most of the Women on TV Are Being Directed By Men

The last couple of years have been pretty good for women on television, with new ladycentric programs like The Mindy Project, Girls, New Girl, 2 Broke Girls (so many girls) and Don’t Trust The B— In Apt. 23. But while women are more visible in front of the camera, a recept report claims that they’re completely missing from power positions behind the camera.

According to research done by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, women remain a minority when it comes to working as creators, directors, writers, producers, executive producers, editors, and directors of photography.

In fact, as Rachel Feldman writes for Women And Hollywood:

90% of American broadcast television programs employed NO women directors, during the 2011 – 2012 television season!!
How can it be 2012 and not a single female was hired to direct on the majority of prime time dramas, comedies, or reality series airing on ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, and NBC? Why are we not outraged?

It’s interesting to note that The Mindy Project is being directed by a man. New Girl has had four different directors — all men. Out of six episodes of Don’t Trust the B— that aired this year, two were directed by a woman. Up All Night, created by Emily Spivey, has had six male directors and one female. Scandal has been directed by both a man and a woman; and as far as we can tell, 2 Broke Girls has never had a female director.

Lena Dunham directed five episodes of Girls, but that is on cable, where, you know, that kind of stuff happens.

Feldman, who is co-chair of the The Women’s Steering Committee of the Directors Guild of America, points out that USC’s School of Cinematic Arts student body is currently half female — women studying to direct — and notes:

According to the most recent edition of the DGA Directory of Members, there are 1100 women directors. These are not women who want to direct, but experienced directors. A veritable army is waiting.