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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Television 'misrepresents' young people and older women | Television 'misrepresents' young people and older women |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Broadcasters have been accused of negatively stereotyping young people and failing to put enough older women on screen, according to a BBC-commissioned report. | Broadcasters have been accused of negatively stereotyping young people and failing to put enough older women on screen, according to a BBC-commissioned report. |
| The survey of viewers and industry experts found that more than 40% of young people were dissatisfied with the way they were portrayed on screen. | The survey of viewers and industry experts found that more than 40% of young people were dissatisfied with the way they were portrayed on screen. |
| Younger viewers complained that they were stereotyped as being "disrespectful" and living "unproductive and vacuous lives". | Younger viewers complained that they were stereotyped as being "disrespectful" and living "unproductive and vacuous lives". |
| Older viewers also thought they tended to be stereotyped on television, but of more concern was the lack of middle-aged and older women on the small screen. | Older viewers also thought they tended to be stereotyped on television, but of more concern was the lack of middle-aged and older women on the small screen. |
| The report comes a year after former Countryfile presenter Miriam O'Reilly won her landmark ageism case against the BBC after she was axed from the BBC1 rural affairs show. | The report comes a year after former Countryfile presenter Miriam O'Reilly won her landmark ageism case against the BBC after she was axed from the BBC1 rural affairs show. |
| "There was a particular and strong concern voiced about the lack of middle-aged and older female representation on television," said the report. | "There was a particular and strong concern voiced about the lack of middle-aged and older female representation on television," said the report. |
| "This view was expressed by both men and women of all ages but was much more ardently voiced by middle-aged and older women who believed that a person develops a 'face for radio' at a certain point in their middle years." | "This view was expressed by both men and women of all ages but was much more ardently voiced by middle-aged and older women who believed that a person develops a 'face for radio' at a certain point in their middle years." |
| More than a third of women over 55 said there were too few of them on television. | More than a third of women over 55 said there were too few of them on television. |
| The negative portrayal of older people revolved around the perceived incapacity of old people and "perceptions about a reluctance to move with the times and tendency to moan", said the report. | The negative portrayal of older people revolved around the perceived incapacity of old people and "perceptions about a reluctance to move with the times and tendency to moan", said the report. |
| Viewers accused the media of being "insulting" and "out of step" with the ageing society. | Viewers accused the media of being "insulting" and "out of step" with the ageing society. |
| "There is some concern about the way different ages are sometimes at best presented as slightly humorous but exaggerated caricatures and at worst as negative stereotypes," concluded the report. | "There is some concern about the way different ages are sometimes at best presented as slightly humorous but exaggerated caricatures and at worst as negative stereotypes," concluded the report. |
| It said the audience would "welcome more middle- and older-aged women on television providing positive role models and greater gender equality". | It said the audience would "welcome more middle- and older-aged women on television providing positive role models and greater gender equality". |
| The research was commissioned by the BBC on behalf of the Creative Diversity Network, a forum of UK media organisations set up to improve diversity across the industry and chaired by BBC director general Mark Thompson. | The research was commissioned by the BBC on behalf of the Creative Diversity Network, a forum of UK media organisations set up to improve diversity across the industry and chaired by BBC director general Mark Thompson. |
| It followed O'Reilly's high-profile tribunal victory in January last year. | It followed O'Reilly's high-profile tribunal victory in January last year. |
| The former Countryfile presenter parted company with the corporation earlier this month and will launch a support network for women facing discrimination in the workplace next month. | The former Countryfile presenter parted company with the corporation earlier this month and will launch a support network for women facing discrimination in the workplace next month. |
| The report, called Serving All Ages and carried out by independent social research institute NatCen, interviewed 180 participants, aged from 13 to 92, as well as industry experts. | The report, called Serving All Ages and carried out by independent social research institute NatCen, interviewed 180 participants, aged from 13 to 92, as well as industry experts. |
| It investigated how people felt they were portrayed in relation to their age in the media as a whole, including TV, radio and the internet. | It investigated how people felt they were portrayed in relation to their age in the media as a whole, including TV, radio and the internet. |
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