Epress.am News from Armenia
Female television viewers in Turkey say that TV productions, including TV series and commercials, most commonly present women in either a maternal role or as a sexual object, according to a recent poll conducted among women by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), reports Today’s Zaman.
The poll is the second leg of an RTÜK study that focuses on female audiences’ attitudes towards television shows. The majority of women who participated said they were disturbed by how women are portrayed in most television productions made in Turkey.
In response to a question on the viewers’ opinion on what role women are most commonly given in Turkish television series, 57 percent replied “mother,” 22.9% replied “sexual object,” 18.6% said “oppressed woman/victim of violence,” 11.9% said “business woman” and 8.8% said “wife.” The study was conducted in 21 provinces among 2,523 women who were 18 or older.
The respondents answered questions on their television-watching habits, including the frequency and duration of their television watching, the most frequently watched channels, their favorite types of programs, their opinions on television programs and what they would like to see on television.
The survey found that married women watch more television in comparison to single women. Similarly, primary school graduates watch more television than women with a higher education while unemployed women watch more television than those who are employed.
Women residing in urban areas also spend more time watching television than those who live in rural areas. Not surprisingly, the survey also established that retired women and homemakers watch more television than women who are currently employed outside the home.