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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
ARTICLE VIEW:
/
Led by stars like Taylor Swift and Caitlin Clark, women keep breaking
boundaries (and records) in entertainment
By Oliver Darcy, CNN
Updated:
7:14 AM EDT, Thu April 18, 2024
Editor’s Note: A version of this article first appeared in the
“Reliable Sources” newsletter.
Source: CNN
It’s a woman’s world.
The most defining musicians of the era are Taylor Swift and
Beyoncé. The highest-grossing film in recent memory is Greta
Gerwig’s “Barbie.” And the most-watched basketball star is
Caitlin Clark.
Female-created and focused entertainment is not just having a moment.
It is proving that it is here to stay, with once-in-a-generation
talents across various media facets redefining dated narratives that
once relegated female-focused entertainment to second-class status.
Look no further than the music business. Swift and Beyoncé, having
already dominated 2023, are set to own 2024. Beyoncé’s first country
album, “Cowboy Carter,” with nearly half a million copies sold
in its debut week. The success made her the first Black woman ever to
have claimed the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Top Country Albums list.
Meanwhile, Swift is set to release her highly anticipated album,
“The Tortured Poets Department,” on Friday. The buzz around that
work, her 11th album, could not be higher. iHeartRadio boss Tom
Poleman CNN’s Alli Rosenbloom, “This is probably the most
anticipated album ever that I’ve seen in my career.”
“It’s not just a music event, it’s a pop culture event that I
think that everybody in America will be talking about and celebrating
together,” Poleman said.
And, of course, it is not just the music arena in which women are
leading the way.
Over the last couple of weeks, Clark drew enormous attention to the
women’s NCAA Tournament, which posted , breaking records in the
lead up to the championship game. That game, in which Clark’s
Hawkeyes faced off against the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks,
drew an average of 18.9 million viewers — not only out-rating the
men’s championship for the first time ever, but becoming the
most-watched basketball game of any league, including the NBA, since
2019. Then, this week, the WNBA draft , drawing an average of 2.5
million viewers.
It goes without saying that the incredible talent each artist,
performer and athlete brings to the table is responsible for drawing
enormous audience interest. But the various feats also underscore a
notable shift in culture. Female-led entertainment is no longer thought
of by parts of the public as niche. It is now, in many respects, more
in vogue than the entertainment from male counterparts.
That strong gravitational pull toward women-focused entertainment
reflects a new normal. While men have long controlled Hollywood and
sports, society has pushed far beyond those days, with women reaching
ever-greater stardom and acclaim. The public now expects that its
entertainers reflect the diversity that exists in communities across
the country and world.
There is also a cross-pollination effect at play. The impact of a
once-in-a-generation star like Swift will surely inspire interest in
other female-led performers, spawning even greater appetite and
opportunities. Those economic and viewership successes should also lead
media executives to invest more heavily in the space.
Unfortunately, not all aspects of society have yet to catch up with the
changing cultural dynamics. Yes, both Swift and Beyoncé are cashing in
on their music. But the same cannot be said about other wings of
entertainment.
Women’s sports are often difficult to find or rarely given the
massive exposure and pomp of men’s athletics on major media outlets.
The Wall Street Journal noted that while the NCAA women’s tournament
outshined the men’s, the latter was , raking in $873 million for the
television rights compared to $6.5 million for the women’s. Much of
that gap is due to the significantly lower cost outlets have paid for
the broadcast rights.
Meanwhile, as “Barbie” was widely celebrated for its cultural
commentary (and massively successful at the box office), Gerwig by
the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which didn’t even
nominate her for best director. (“Barbie” was produced by Warner
Bros. Pictures, which shares the same parent company as CNN.)
And Clark, the WNBA’s No. 1 overall draft pick, with the Indiana
Fever for just $338,000. Compare that to the NBA’s top pick Victor
Wembanyama, who signed a $55 million contract with the San Antonio
Spurs.
“There’s just something about this that’s so disturbing,”
“Today” co-host Hoda Kotb said on the show Tuesday.
“I mean, I picture all the little girls with signs that say,
‘Caitlin!’ but this is what her contract is worth?” she added.
Society is making progress. But there is a long way to go.
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