Authorial deathroll

Dear Why Robbie Can't Dance, today you will be finished, or I will.

ETA: Over word-length now: good. Can't stop stuffing around on Tumblr: not so good. Cold Turkey: activate!

ETA: Draft Zero.

The Women in Television Research Findings

Just posted this to Gallifrey Base and thought I'd share it here too...

A perennial topic of discussion here on GB is why there are so few women writing scripts for Doctor Who. That has to be seen in the context of women doing less well in TV on the whole. But why?

Sorting out stuff for our house move, I came across the results of some actual research into this which I wanted to pass long. I'm summarising this from page 14 of an Australian book called Shared Visions: Women in Television. It dates from 1999, but I'll bet much of what the survey found is still very relevant.

Asked why there were few women in senior positions, surveyed women answered that men's informal networks are too strong ("They lunch, dine, and play golf together."); by comparison, women's networks are absent or weak. There are too few female mentors and role models. They also answered that women lack confidence, and that they are subject to unconscious discrimination ("Men in senior positions often don't think of women.")

Asked why some women did succeed in moving into senior positions, the surveyed women answered that those women were confident and persistent, with contacts, and strong backgrounds/experience in the industry. They also mentioned that the chance to do a senior job temporarily could help a woman succeed.

Asked what would help women move ahead in TV, three-quarters of the women recommended more informal networking opportunities; over half said a formal mentoring program would help, as would skills development workshops, such as leadership and management; many women mentioned "family-friendly strategies" such as assistance with child care; and case studies of successful women would help others to follow in their footsteps.

To me what stands out here is the mention of contacts and informal networking - I think those are probably far more important to the finding of scriptwriters for Doctor Who than many fans imagine.

Anyway, bookmark this, so the next time the subject comes round you'll have some data to throw in amongst all the speculation. :)