Fewer Women Are Creating TV Shows Now Than They Were Nearly a Decade Ago, Study Finds

The report, which tracked over 2,500 characters and more than 3,600 behind-the-scenes credits during the 2025-26 television year, was penned by Dr. Martha Lauzen, executive director of the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University.

She found that the amount of women creating shows across streaming plummeted from 36 percent in 2024-25 to 24 percent in 2025-26, which was a stark contrast to the increase the year prior (27 percent in 2023-24 to 36 percent in 2024-25). The new findings indicate that last year’s increases were a momentary surge, rather than the beginning of a positive trend. As for broadcast, women creators also declined slightly from 20 percent in 2024-25 to 19 percent in 2025-26.

“The numbers of women creating shows on both platforms are now lower than they were almost a decade ago in 2017-18,” Lauzen said.

When it came to the percentage of women directing streaming projects, the report found that number also dropped from 32 percent in 2024-25 to 22 percent in 2025-26, following the temporary increase after 2023-24 (23 percent). Women directing broadcast programs also dipped from 18 percent in 2024-25 to 16 percent in 2025-26.