If you were chained to your TV set for 48 hours and had to watch it full-time, would you come away with a positive or negative impression of how women are depicted? Explain your answer.

"It would depend on what I got to watch. Am I allowed to channel surf? Seriously, TV's portrayal of women is such a mixed bag. There are strong women there, but they are pretty and sexy before they are smart and capable. I would be left feeling fat, stupid, lazy, and with a horrible sense of style."
--Jessie Daniel, 38, a realtor from Glouster

"I think that women are represented to be 'Mean Girls' on reality TV shows. Shows like 'The Real Housewives' represent women like high-school adolescents. However, it does make for great entertainment."
--Laleh Honar, 22, a student from Athens

"Negative. Even when women are shown in positions of authority and power, they are still almost always portrayed as sexual objects. In advertising, it is even more blatant. In back-to-back commercials, I've seen an ad for Victoria's Secret followed by an ad for shoes that shape your thighs and glutes just by your wearing them. Women are the target marked for both products, but the advertisements were clearly geared toward men (shots of breasts, lips, eyes, and posteriors; all "perfect" of course). It's as though they're telling women that the only reason to buy the products is to be more attractive to men. As though that's the one thing we truly need in our lives; for men to be more attracted to us. IT'S EXTREMELY INSULTING!!"
--Erin Hyman, 28, an office manager/delivery driver from Athens

"Probably negative. Women (just like any other minority represented on television) are sometimes represented as extremes (i.e., "Sex in the City") or cliches. Some shows have an honest portrayal, but what is an honest portrayal? Everyone is different, so those cliches and extremes exist in our society."
--Catherine Maynard, 22, graduate student at Nelsonville

"Honestly, I can't answer this question because I haven't really watched TV in about six years. My guess, just based on mainstream news, etc. that women are depicted in a negative image (materialistic, seeking status, inferior, insecure). We need more ladies with guns!"
--Amanda Sharrai, 33, a community organizer from Athens

"That depends on what I am forced to watch. Although I will catch flak for this, I am sure, I am actually enjoying 'She's Got the Look' the modeling competition for women who are over 35. So far, I have watched women who are my general age actually competing in an industry that would have thrown them on the pyre by now in recent years. I especially liked the fact that the contestant who had the more robust, womanly figure (at least, by modeling standards) won two out of the four modeling jobs that were up for grabs."
--Amie Nogrady, 42, a freelance writer from Glouster

"I would probably die of anger or boredom before the two days passed if I had to watch 'regular' TV. But then, I don't watch sitcoms, except sometimes "The Closer." I watch public TV and a lot of old movies, especially the ones from the supposedly unenlightened 1930s-1950s, which featured MORE women, and often more sympathetically, than the endless military and crime violence which has mostly taken over TV 'fiction' to appeal to men, supposedly. It is good to see women as TV commentators but must they talk on and on about the latest polls and adventures of the Tea Party? I miss Bill Moyers. The young reactionary women on Fox news are definitely unappealing."
--Lois D. Whealey, 78, a citizen activist/independent humanities scholar from Athens

"If I were chained to my television for 48 hours, I think I would go insane. It isn't just the portrayal of women which overall is incredibly limited in its scope but the portrayal of all people. There are certain molds, certain character archetypes that television characters have to fit in, certain advertising gimmicks that companies know grab attention. The portrayal of people as disposable media sucks men and women alike but until we tell producers, advertising execs, the media as a whole what we want to change, it's going to continue."
--Caitlin Seida, 21, a freelance writer from Nelsonville

"I wouldn't have a chance to watch anything! My family would interrupt me with all kinds of crazy! As for what is on television, it has changed greatly since I was a child. I remember when President and Nancy Reagan went to Russia to meet the Gorbachev family. The newscaster talked about the important issues the men were to discuss. As for the ladies: only their clothes and accessories were discussed. I was only 13 or 14 at the time, but I remember how it angered me that the wives of such influential men were only important because of who designed their dresses. Now, many woman have many opinions, whether we like 'em or not! From news to talk shows to reality TV! You can get an opinion on just about any topic. I am thankful that we are given differing views and can decide for ourselves what is important."
--Jennifer Cooper, 42, with a non-profit from Stewart

"If I was only to sit and watch TV for a couple hours I see the negative impression of how women are depicted. It is everything from a Bratz commercial to re-runs of 'Sex and the City.' Women are depicted as sexual creatures who want to flaunt their new Victoria Secrets bras and buy the new Lingerie Barbie for their daughters. Anything female-oriented focuses on appearance and how important that is to be 'beautiful.' Media controls the way women think of themselves, others and not usually for the better."
--Kari Lowery, 18, a student from Athens

"Oh, extremely negative... Let's face it, aren't we ALL just Barbie Bimbos who haven't a brain in our wee little heads? OR, we are old crones who aren't worth a plugged nickel anymore except for advertisements for Depends undergarments and the like."
--Anne Whitman, 60, an adjunct instructor from Athens

"I believe that women are beginning to portray a more realistic and positive role in television and media today. As we see more women in medical school, executive roles, administrative leadership and political arenas... that will also be seen on what we view on TV."
--Tomma Shuler, 37, in health care management from Athens

"I do not believe that television is something that should be used to seriously decide how women are viewed. It is television; it is for entertainment. I mean, most of the time I am not watching a show contemplating how the women come across. I watch television for something to entertain me. I do not think we should be looking to television to tell us how women are seen."
--Kate, Nelsonville, 24, a cook/dietary aide from Nelsonville

"I really do not watch much TV, so this is a difficult question. In general it appears that most TV shows and movies tend to exaggerate the negative attributes and portray women as weak, 'catty,' etc."
--Missy Brown, 40, an RN Clinical Manager from The Plains

"Negative. Women are presented very sexual, less intelligent, and subservient to men."
--Amber Skorpenske, 20, a student from Pittsburgh

"Negative. Although the portrayal of women on television has improved over the years, I still see a lot of stereotyping in which women are seen as sex symbols. Rarely do you see an average-looking, average-sized woman playing a significant role on TV."
--Billie Handa, 29, Director of Development, NBIA, from Nelsonville

"There are definitely some instances of women negatively depicted on TV but some people take it too seriously. For example, I'm sure many more feminist opinions would think 'America's Next Top Model' is a negative but those people don't understand the modeling world. There are plenty of shows that portray strong women, such as Olivia on 'Law and Order: SVU.' Also, there are many female journalists, even on ESPN."
--Daniella Limoli, 20, a student from Athens

"Assuming I still had my sanity afterward... I would have to say it would depend greatly on the channels the TV was tuned to. Unfortunately, it seems women are depicted in over-sexualized roles where they are pursued, as victims of crime or stupid choices, as ignorant or bossy or, if they are intelligent, as having Asperger's Syndrome. There are few women on TV who are as good, resourceful, intelligent, and hardworking as those I know in real life. Unfortunately, the same can be true of men, who are depicted as criminals, edgy cops who bend the rules, sophomoric farting and swearing comics, or super-smart guys who are better than anyone else and choose sexy over smart in their female partners. Perhaps this is the nature of TV as it isn't easy to market a show where people try hard and overcome the ups and downs of life and raise a family. I guess the thing is with TV is that it is marketed to the many individuals who live in many places in our country, and so it will reflect, inevitably, things that seem true and untrue to any of us. Overall, though, I do think women are patronized by the male characters, and it is difficult for male viewers to appreciate how guy-centric most TV shows are. Even when the women are depicted fairly, their job is to be the supporting role to the male characters. Don't get me started on roles for women over 50!"
--Janice Phelps Williams, 54, a publisher, writer, illustrator from Athens

"I think that would depend on what you chose to watch. Sure, if I chose to watch a 'Jersey Shore' marathon, I would probably come away being 20 percent dumber. However, if I chose to watch someone like Oprah or Ellen, I think that I could get a positive impression because those are two very strong women who are changing the world everyday and probably at least one women's life everyday as well. But, if we were to include commercials that played during either of those shows I watch, then that's a completely different story. There is no way someone could come away with a positive impression of women depicted in commercials because it just doesn't exist. Period."
--Shana Snyder, 22, graduate student/substitute teacher from Athens

"It depends on what I was watching, although my impressions would probably lean towards the negative. Reality shows in particular are bad about this. Women are portrayed in stereotypical ways and these portrayals simplify our gender into something less than the complex people we are. And I'm not even delving into all of the commercials and advertising that belittles women."
--Marisa Welch, 23, a sales associate and student library assistant from Athens

"It truly depends on the type of programming that the viewer is watching. If a person chooses to watch reality TV, then they would definitely come away with a negative impression of women, because on those shows, there are only two types of women portrayed: moronic bimbos or conniving (enter word for female dog here). It is rather disgusting, and these types of programs take the equal rights movement's progress backward. However, if a person views scripted television shows, these programs (for the most part) show strong, intelligent, capable women that give the female population something to be proud of and provide good role models for young girls. A perfect example is Kate Beckett on 'Castle.'"
--Ellen Lambert, 27, a full-time aunt from Albany

"Assuming I had use of the remote, I would be watching PBS and TCM to bypass commercials, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert when their shows came on, plus 'Breaking Bad.' So I would be enjoying on TCM historical depictions of women's roles in fiction, "unbiased" public television documentaries, satire and maybe a little 'Project Runway' for titillation. So my impressions are dictated by my choices, and they would, of course, be positive."
--Alexa Ross, Nelsonville, 63, a retired motel manager/actress from Nelsonville

"I believe that the current image depicted on any television station of women is negative. The emphasis is more about how a woman looks than what she says or does. I understand that you need to cater to the majority of the population but not all men are so shallow that all they think about is sex."
--Tabitha Bond, 40, a business owner from Coolville

"Negative. Katie Couric has got less 'cutesie' since she left the 'Today Show,' but we still have women who are just puppets in the media. Rachel Maddow dispels some of that, as does Stephanie Miller on her radio show. I much prefer talk radio to TV."
--Debbie Williams, 60, a paralegal from Millfield

"Women are perceived by looks and not by brains. Women have the ability to do anything that a man can do. I would hope to come away with a positive impression."
--Darcie Hartley, 36, office assistant -- ABH, from Albany