Women's Cable Networks

Television's Response to Second Wave Feminism

Second wave feminists helped reshape media images of women in popular culture, especially television, through their demands for greater gender equality in all spheres of life (e.g., education, work, family). Feminists achieved success not only in these areas but also within the realm of representation, as their influence on society and culture were reflected in the growing number of images of financially independent career women (e.g., Cagney and Lacey and Ally McBeal).

Previously, television images of women were limited to that of housewife and mother. The changes brought on by feminism empowered large numbers of women to pursue high levels of academic and professional achievements, which in turn established the working woman with a disposable income as a desirable commodity audience to be sold by television producers to advertisers.

During the 1980s, the television industry, like many American industries at the time, underwent a process of deregulation that loosened many of the restrictions around ownership. These changes facilitated an unprecedented expansion in viewing choices, often referred to as the multichannel universe, and signaled the move from mass broadcasting to market segmentation and niche audiences.

For instance, whereas broadcast networks such as NBC or CBS focus on attracting and maintaining the widest audience possible, especially during the primetime or evening schedule, cable networks are in the business of narrowcasting. Cable networks target a particular niche audience or demographic, often one that is not well served by mainstream television broadcasters (e.g., children, gays and lesbians, ethnic minorities).

The idea that women, in particular, are viewed as a niche audience within the cable television industry has been criticized because women make up more than half the population (approximately 51 percent). However, the coveted female viewer within the television and advertising industry has changed little over the years. She is 18-34 years old, college-educated, with a household income of approximately $50,000. Cable networks campaign hard to attract this demographic because advertisers pay the most money for these female audiences, which in turn shapes the quality and quantity of stories told about and for women.

The Big Three

Women's cable networks have grown steadily since the 1980s, but the three most successful are Lifetime, Oxygen Media, and WEtv (Women's Entertainment Television). Premium-subscription cable networks such as HBO and Cinemax have developed niche sister channels (e.g., HBO Signature, WMax), while others such as SOAPnet specialize in TV formats traditionally popular with female audiences (e.g., soap operas).

Lifetime, the longest running of these cable networks, was launched in 1984 and has undergone [Page 1566]many changes throughout the years in an attempt to establish and solidify its brand identity. One of Lifetime's strategies included the creation of the popular campaign slogan, “Television for Women.” The network is also well known for producing female-driven movies of the week and dramas.

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