Why do the media discriminate against men and constantly misrepresent them?

[celtish]

The media generally constantly denigrate men whilst gloryfying women. Men are being depicted as sweaty, unkempt, stupid, and old. Women are being depicted as pristine, good looking, young, and bright.

The fact is that men and women are not inherently any less good looking or less bright one from the other. Appearance-wise, the media airbrush women and plaster them with pancake makeup. Men too often appear to be old and tired because of social pressures and in earning a living and providing for their families.

The media are clearly being opportunistic and dishonest and misleading public perceptions.

Should we take control of the media and expect better of them?

... and the US President Hoover once exclaimed "God help us if broadcasting ever falls into the hands of commercial interests!"
God help us, indeed!

[othsmaro]

the media is controlled by women, and that's what women want.

[D.Dox]

Because women usually feel inferior to men that's why they portray men this way. This way women think they are better than men and feel good about themselves. Otherwise they wouldn't buy the product or watch the show.

[shortshoe436]

The shows that actually succeed...such as Lost, Dexter, Angel, CSI have intelligent male characters. I agree that shows like King of Queens and whatever that other crappy show is called make men look bad. But they are crappy shows...like I said, who use the most basic cut-out characters and continue to re-use the same concept...stupid man, nagging wife. Doesn't make either sex look good.

[bugala1t]

Its all a part of the goverment's agenda. Make men look stupid and unstable, and the world will go to pot. Who are you gonna trust? Cant trust women for odvious reasons.... and now the media has everyone brain washed into thinking that men are less hairy gorillas. Who do you have to turn to? So now we will all follow what the goverment saids like a bunch of brainwashed zombies...

[tink]

I think a better question would be why is it that there is so much age-ism surrounding women that they always have to be make-up'ed and airbrushed? How many commercials do you see that have a woman with grey hair? Shoot, even the ones you do see have a minimum of wrinkles...

I see "bright shiny good looking" men on tv, ads, etc all the time.
Perhaps you are simlpy looking for examples that confirm your beliefs?


Perhaps its time we question the media all around as far as how people are portrayed. Take a look at movies in the 70's. Some great actors came out that era (gene hackman, dustin hoffman, etc) and if they were to go to hollywood now we would never see them on screen because they are not pretty enough....

thats something to think about

[Gavin R]

There are media of all types. In cinema there are plenty of good looking men, just as there are plenty of good looking women. There are also successful actors who are average looking, like Dustin Hoffman and Ugly Betty. The same is true in the world of music.
TV is rather different. The stories are generally worse, the drive to make money regardless of good taste, and the need to sell beauty products makes it different from cinema. If you don't like shows like 'Married with Children,' don't watch them. The Simpsons make Homer look like a complete goof, but he is a loyal family man, and he shines in comparison to the other men in the comedy series. The Simpsons is totally merciless and levelling ridicule at every group.
Stop complaining and enjoy the world.

[Wondering]

I don't think all men are being portrayed that way... apart from the sweaty, unkempt, stupid and old ones...someone sent me an email the other day including pictures of what the pristine, good looking young and bright women REALLY look like without the makeup and the airbrushing... I must say they looked just as raggedy as...shock horror.. us mere mortals... maybe it is sexual equality gone mad.... it seems the media find it easier to prey on men...and god knows why but give them the real bad end *wanted to write something else there* of the stick... Even i see that and i am female!!!

[Lord Voldemort]

Feminism controls just about everything, and that includes media. The otherwise very neutral BBC is known to be feminist.

http://www.freewebs.com/feminism-evaluated/

The media, especially in sitcoms and TV serials, portrays men as bumbling fools or oppressive villains who need a dose of feminism. The women, on the other hand are pure angels, supermoms who are the only ones who care about everybody and remember every anniversary. The women must tame the ogres that are men.

For 40 years, people have been brainwashed into thinking men are just above the animals, women just below the angels and Gods.

Most of the popular sitcoms or serials in India involve nothing other than oppressive men and innocent, helpless women whose love and purity changes these oppressive monsters into perfect gentlemen.

As trite and mindlessly popular these sitcoms are, they have the very sad effect, if not the intention, of convincing people that men are bumbling fools or oppressive misogynist b*st*rds while women are virtuous, pure and divine.

It's all about money, not responsibility for the media. Feminism is sensationalism, and it sells, so it is used. I doubt half the people tuning into a sitcom to watch another round of oppression by a man would watch a sitcom with reversed roles. They'd dismiss oppressive women as fantasy. Oppressed women get sympathy (in media terms, read viewership) while oppressed men can expect indifference at best and laughter along with blatant dismissal at worst.

We know we're living in a twisted world when people laugh at a man getting slugged by a woman for no reason. That has to change. We have to make it change.
http://www.rulymob.com/

[Zeep]

I have not noticed this, and think the emperor has no clothes.