The Power that Women Wield Behind the Scenes of TV

We here at NiceGirlsTV have always valued the opinions of women, the power they wield within the entertainment industry – be it in front of the camera or behind the scenes – and how women are depicted in all genres of entertainment.

With that thought in mind, bi-monthly salutes to women behind the scenes have been posted here at our site for quite some time; but a more in-depth look at the impact women have behind the scenes was recently conducted by the San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film and that is the focus of my column today.

The study written by the head of the Center, Dr. Martha Lauzen, “tracks individuals working on prime-time dramas, sitcoms and reality shows” on the major networks: ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and The CW.

It is no longer a rarity (thank God) to find women in positions of power in all facets of the entertainment industry, but the percentage difference between men and women in the various higher-ladder positions still speaks volumes.

Case in point: according to the study there is still a big gap in men versus women directors with a whopping 89 percent being men and only 11 percent being women. The same can be said for women writers with 30 percent being female and 70 percent being male; in fact, the study proved that writers’ rooms are still primarily male-dominated with 68 percent of TV shows employing no female writers at all.

But on the good side is the fact that numbers in other key positions are on the rise (albeit slowly). The study showed that “women achieved historical highs” over last year as both series creators and executive producers. The latter advanced 8 percent to take on 25 percent of the executive producer roles on television while the former saw a 3 percent increase – now up to 26 percent. [More on the female series creators/showrunners shortly.]

The numbers are still low, however, for female producers and female editors with producers only jumping up one percentage point over last year with editors dropping over last year to only 13 percent overall. The same is true for female directors of photography with that position only being claimed by 4 percent of women.

One bright light in all of this data is that women are employed at a rate of 28 percent by sitcoms and dramas and 21 percent by reality programs. Granted those are not staggering totals, but given the fact that the entertainment industry is a tough nut to crack for anyone, the fact that women are making strides little by little is encouraging.

And now let’s go back to take an extra look at the women who are series creators and/or showrunners for many of the top series currently airing on the major and cable networks. Sure, Tina Fey and Shonda Rhimes are as much household names as the (other) actors who appear in their show(s); but they are not the only ones in the highest position of power for any TV show.

If you look at the current list of comedies and dramas that are on the air, the following ladies have one of the most demanding jobs in the world (and thanks to the folks over at The Hollywood Reporter for most of the information that follows):

COMEDIES (Showrunners and/or Series Creators listed in alphabetical order):

Mara Brock Akil – The Game on BET

Whitney Cummings – Whitney on NBC

Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner – Girls on HBO

Tina Fey – 30 Rock

Dana Fox – Ben and Kate on FOX

Eileen Heisler and DeAnn Heline – The Middle on ABC

Lauren Iungerich – Awkward on MTV

Mindy Kaling – The Mindy Project on FOX

Emily Kapnek – Suburgatory on ABC

Elizabeth “Liz” Meriwether – New Girl on FOX

DRAMAS (Showrunners and/or Series Creators listed in alphabetical order):

Betsy Beers (along with Shonda Rhimes) – Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Scandal all on ABC

Ann Biderman – Southland on TNT (picked up after NBC cancelled it)

Cynthia Cidre – Dallas on TNT

Sherri Cooper and Jennifer Levin as well as Kelly Souders (along with Brian Peterson) – Beauty and the Beast on The CW

Katherine Fugate – Army Wives on Lifetime

Leila Gerstein – Hart of Dixie on The CW

Gina Girolamo (along with (Mr.) Leslie Morgenstein and Charles Pratt, Jr). – The Lying Game on ABC Family

Brenda Hampton – The Secret Life of the American Teenager on ABC Family

Callie Khouri – Nashville on ABC

Marlene King (along with Oliver Goldstick) – Pretty Little Liars on ABC Family

Michelle King (along with Robert King) – The Good Wife on CBS

Elizabeth Kruger (along with Craig Shapiro) – Necessary Roughness on USA Network

Carol Mendelsohn and Pam Veasey – CSI franchise on CBS

Erica Messer – Criminal Minds on CBS

Adrienne Mitchell (along with Michael MacLennan) – Bomb Girls on Reelz Channel (and on Global ITV in Canada)

Abi Morgan – The Hour on BBC America

Julie Plec (along with Kevin Williamson) – The Vampire Diaries on The CW

Stephanie Savage (along with Josh Schwartz) – Gossip Girl on The CW

Caroline Skinner (along with Steven Moffat) – Doctor Who on BBC America

Jenny Snyder – Emily Owens, M.D. on The CW

Greer Shephard – Longmire on A&E

Janet Tamaro – Rizzoli & Isles on TNT

Lizzy Weiss – Switched at Birth on ABC Family

Needless to say, this list should be seen as impressive for women who are working their way up the ladder within the entertainment industry as well as those women hoping to break into the industry. We have come a long way; and while there is still a long way to go to break through that glass ceiling, but since we are women, it will happen.