The Belgian Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA), a member of ERGA (the European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media Services), has produced thie report. It is based on the replies of EU audiovisual regulators to the survey launched by EPRA (the European Platform of Regulatory Authorities) who will produce a full report, to be published in July.
This short report shows that, according to the audiovisual regulators, women are often associated on-screen with the private sphere (as mothers and housewives) and frequently defined by youth, slimness and attractiveness. At the same time, the legal obligations and legal powers vary among the different regulatory authorities when it comes to the on-screen representation of women (ranging from imposing sanctions to more limited powers such as publishing reports, organizing workshops, launching media campaigns).
Off-screen, a number of issues emerge: the existence of a glass-ceiling that prevents women from climbing the professional ladder, a general under-representation of women in creative off-screen roles and a clear under-representation of women in certain positions such as managerial, technical, and production roles. Overall, it seems that the presence of women off-screen has been less monitored and analysed.
Nevertheless, the issue of diversity and equality in broadcasting is far from being a superficial one. The various answers given by the regulatory authorities on the subject prove that this issue is at the heart of their concerns.