Evaluation of gender stereotype enforcement in G4's E3 coverage

I was working during E3, and to catch up I turned on G4's replayed E3 coverage to play in the background as I cleaned the house. I'm vaguely familiar with G4's reputation as somewhat of a joke in the serious gaming community, but I'd never actually seen any of their programming. The twenty or so minutes I could choke down were.... enlightening. Jesus, are they serious?

Although it was a shitstorm in its entirety, I was particularly shocked at their covert (and overt!) portrayal of women as vapid eye candy, nothing more. None of their male interviewers struck me as particularly talented (certainly not GB caliber ;) ), but their female interviewers asked the type of questions I would expect from someone who has never picked up a controller before. (Example: a general "so what's this game about?" versus a more nuanced "how is this an improvement on the FPS genre?") What's more, the lady employees were on-screen most of the time during their interviews while male employees' interviews would switch between shots of the interviewer and the interviewee. I didn't care enough about my thesis to actually tally screen time usage, mostly because that would involve watching more G4.

Another thing I noticed was that most of the women were very similar to one another. Andy Allo and Sarah Underwood's voices are both high-pitched and nasal. Their physical features are slightly different, but both are slender and were wearing revealing clothing. Shots of the G4 party were stocked with more-attractive-than average women wearing less clothing than average.

So what's my point in all this? Stereotypes arise or are reinforced when seemingly homogeneous groups are presented. By providing a collection of very similar women, G4 is presenting a prototype for what a "gamer woman" is like: absolutely gorgeous, but unable to appreciate the finer points of gaming. I did find an exception that proved the rule: Morgan Webb. She interviewed a developer for a longer stretch of time, and the questions were more sophisticated (she asked about art direction and the game creation process) and screen time was split as it was for male interviewers. She showed that women are capable of playing games intelligently. If G4 found more employees that were more than year-round booth babes, they might be able to improve their image as denigrating to women.

EDIT: My argument isn't against hot women - sexy ladies exist! My argument is against the homogeneity of women as presented by G4 (that is, most "gamer women" are hot, but unable to be serious gamers). I also understand that G4 is a company trying to make money and that they have a target demographic of casual dude-bro gamers. Again, wanting to make money is an understandable motive. But when they present their demographic with these homogeneous female prototypes, the casual young gamer sees social scripts for appropriate behavior when interacting with gamer girls (i.e.: Tits or GTFO!).

I was working during E3, and to catch up I turned on G4's replayed E3 coverage to play in the background as I cleaned the house. I'm vaguely familiar with G4's reputation as somewhat of a joke in the serious gaming community, but I'd never actually seen any of their programming. The twenty or so minutes I could choke down were.... enlightening. Jesus, are they serious?

Although it was a shitstorm in its entirety, I was particularly shocked at their covert (and overt!) portrayal of women as vapid eye candy, nothing more. None of their male interviewers struck me as particularly talented (certainly not GB caliber ;) ), but their female interviewers asked the type of questions I would expect from someone who has never picked up a controller before. (Example: a general "so what's this game about?" versus a more nuanced "how is this an improvement on the FPS genre?") What's more, the lady employees were on-screen most of the time during their interviews while male employees' interviews would switch between shots of the interviewer and the interviewee. I didn't care enough about my thesis to actually tally screen time usage, mostly because that would involve watching more G4.

Another thing I noticed was that most of the women were very similar to one another. Andy Allo and Sarah Underwood's voices are both high-pitched and nasal. Their physical features are slightly different, but both are slender and were wearing revealing clothing. Shots of the G4 party were stocked with more-attractive-than average women wearing less clothing than average.

So what's my point in all this? Stereotypes arise or are reinforced when seemingly homogeneous groups are presented. By providing a collection of very similar women, G4 is presenting a prototype for what a "gamer woman" is like: absolutely gorgeous, but unable to appreciate the finer points of gaming. I did find an exception that proved the rule: Morgan Webb. She interviewed a developer for a longer stretch of time, and the questions were more sophisticated (she asked about art direction and the game creation process) and screen time was split as it was for male interviewers. She showed that women are capable of playing games intelligently. If G4 found more employees that were more than year-round booth babes, they might be able to improve their image as denigrating to women.

EDIT: My argument isn't against hot women - sexy ladies exist! My argument is against the homogeneity of women as presented by G4 (that is, most "gamer women" are hot, but unable to be serious gamers). I also understand that G4 is a company trying to make money and that they have a target demographic of casual dude-bro gamers. Again, wanting to make money is an understandable motive. But when they present their demographic with these homogeneous female prototypes, the casual young gamer sees social scripts for appropriate behavior when interacting with gamer girls (i.e.: Tits or GTFO!).

women are more than vapid eye candy? 
 

Don't tell me you didn't sit back, fondle your balls and watch the twitter lady move those lips.. That chick was too hot. 
 
On a serious note, i agree. Just look at this stupid woman right here : 
  

Sadly, video games are a very male dominated industry at the moment.  It's getting better, but sadly the ladies just don't get the respect they deserve, and this is exacerbated by mainstream coverage by G4, the VMA's and others in which women are primarily eye candy.  Case in point... 
  

Ep 2 is the one with the cut interview, right? That shit was golden.

@Coombs said:

women are more than vapid eye candy?

You dick.... You gosh darned hilarious dick... XD

I know none of what I said was a revelation, nor do I think that the booth babes necessarily mind being treated as such. However, when stereotypes are reinforced, it makes it more difficult for outliers to fight against the preconceived notions. It contributes to the "Tits or GTFO" environment so common in online multiplayers. I know denigration of EVERYONE is part of the online experience, but it's something that a subsection of the population is ready to move beyond.

Oh, and @Ahmad_Metallic :

Don't tell me you didn't sit back, fondle your balls and watch the twitter lady move those lips.. That chick was too hot.

I agree she's hot, but no balls-fondling here. I'm a lady too!

@Ahmad_Metallic :

Don't tell me you didn't sit back, fondle your balls and watch the twitter lady move those lips.. That chick was too hot.

 

I agree she's hot, but no balls-fondling here. I'm a lady too!

@Ahmad_Metallic: Dude, it's cool. If I had balls, I'd fondle them nonstop.

One of their high profile hosts, Sara Underwood, was Playmate of the Year, so yeah they concentrate on a specific demographic.  Sexuality sells and as much as all of us here on Giant Bomb might like to believe otherwise, the content on this site would not be enough to keep a 3rd rate cable network afloat.  So, G4 does what they have to in the hopes of breaking even and keeping their jobs.  I'm not so high minded to have a problem with it.  I know it's all fantasy and frivolity. 

@Ahmad_Metallic: Dude, it's cool. If I had balls, I'd fondle them nonstop.

@okoctothorpe said:

@Ahmad_Metallic: Dude, it's cool. If I had balls, I'd fondle them nonstop.

You got boobs,  
Get Fondling

@PenguinDust: Ah, I didn't know she actually WAS a playmate! That explains a lot.

I realize that the video game industry is, above all else, an industry and needs to make money. And of course, sex sells! I'm guessing Sarah Underwood appeals to a large section of G4's audience or she wouldn't be on. But I don't think sexiness precludes intelligence. Look at Morgan Webb - she's an attractive woman as well as able to provide meaningful content. My argument is not against sexy or even vapid and sexy. It's in favor of greater heterogeneity.

@Stonecutter: I'm glad we live together so I can go punch you in the face :P

It's been a long-running problem with G4 and I find it frankly patronising. I don't think there's anything wrong with a little eye candy now and then but what G4 are doing doesn't just make for what is in my opinion is bad TV, but genuinely reinforces discriminating gender stereotypes in young males. I'd like to be able to think better of the journalism outlets out there but this is a problem that's only going to change on the whole as we see more females actually become consumers of "core" games and even then I don't think it's something we're ever going to be completely free of, not that we shouldn't at least try to voice our collective opinion on this one. I'm just glad that there are places out there like The Escapist, Gamasutra and Gamespot who have female journalists that aren't just used for eye candy and are genuinely intelligent.

G4? Try all of them. IGN, Spike, G4... They all do it. It's stupid, but the males aren't any better, to be honest, just vapid idiots.

When they went around and talked to all the booth babes, I really thought to myself "Seriously are these woman, normally hookers the rest of the year?"

G4 tends to be everything that is wrong with the game industry and gaming journalism. They had a booth babe contest going a while back so that people could "win" the chance to be a booth babe, my ex nana didn't make the cut even though she knows more about gaming than I do and is gorgeous to boot. Instead they awarded it to one of those vapid, I don't have to know anything as long as i look good in the outfits kinda girls.

actually, OP, the only good people on G4 are Adam Sessler (Morgan Webb isn't that bad either, comparatively, but...)

This, coming from the network behind Abbie Heppe's "ZOMG SEXIST" Other M review.

Heh.

Welcome to the 

G4 knows their market, as does Spike.

(Example: a general "so what's this game about?" 

@Hailinel said:

This, coming from the network behind Abbie Heppe's "ZOMG SEXIST" Other M review.

Heh.

God I remember that. I don't even watch G4 but I was flipping around and saw that they were reviewing it so I tuned it. My jaw was on the floor when I heard that review. Reminding me of that and now looking at their E3 coverage makes my mind go crazy!!!

Victor Lucas is the only guy on G4 who I can stomach anymore. I miss the old TechTV days. ):

I can't make it through more than maybe two minutes of Attack of the show

G4? Try all of them. IGN, Spike, G4... They all do it. It's stupid, but the males aren't any better, to be honest, just vapid idiots.

@Pinworm45 said:

@MordeaniisChaos said:

G4? Try all of them. IGN, Spike, G4... They all do it. It's stupid, but the males aren't any better, to be honest, just vapid idiots.

No, the guys are far, far better. It's not even comparable, and I don't particularly like the dudes on any of those sites. I've yet to be even moderately impressed by any chick in gaming news or whatever. In fact, every single one annoys me and I find their writing and/or interviewing horrendous. If that's not their fault and it's the networks or companies hiring hot but dumb chicks, that changes nothing and isn't my fault. If that makes me a sexist pig, alright. I'd rather be honest.

There are good ones, but the ones that aren't hot either don't get attention or don't work in those specific capacities. For example, the lone person doing G4's esports content is a woman, got featured on the SC centric State of the Game podcast, and sounded intelligent, both in general, about the game, and about "esports". Most of the ones on G4 actually are just TV personalities/models, so it's not really their fault. They got hired to read a script basically.

I was working during E3, and to catch up I turned on G4's replayed E3 coverage to play in the background as I cleaned the house. I'm vaguely familiar with G4's reputation as somewhat of a joke in the serious gaming community, but I'd never actually seen any of their programming. The twenty or so minutes I could choke down were.... enlightening. Jesus, are they serious?

Although it was a shitstorm in its entirety, I was particularly shocked at their covert (and overt!) portrayal of women as vapid eye candy, nothing more. None of their male interviewers struck me as particularly talented (certainly not GB caliber ;) ), but their female interviewers asked the type of questions I would expect from someone who has never picked up a controller before. (Example: a general "so what's this game about?" versus a more nuanced "how is this an improvement on the FPS genre?") What's more, the lady employees were on-screen most of the time during their interviews while male employees' interviews would switch between shots of the interviewer and the interviewee. I didn't care enough about my thesis to actually tally screen time usage, mostly because that would involve watching more G4.

Another thing I noticed was that most of the women were very similar to one another. Andy Allo and Sarah Underwood's voices are both high-pitched and nasal. Their physical features are slightly different, but both are slender and were wearing revealing clothing. Shots of the G4 party were stocked with more-attractive-than average women wearing less clothing than average.

So what's my point in all this? Stereotypes arise or are reinforced when seemingly homogeneous groups are presented. By providing a collection of very similar women, G4 is presenting a prototype for what a "gamer woman" is like: absolutely gorgeous, but unable to appreciate the finer points of gaming. I did find an exception that proved the rule: Morgan Webb. She interviewed a developer for a longer stretch of time, and the questions were more sophisticated (she asked about art direction and the game creation process) and screen time was split as it was for male interviewers. She showed that women are capable of playing games intelligently. If G4 found more employees that were more than year-round booth babes, they might be able to improve their image as denigrating to women.

Wait, G4 still has ANY programming relating to games?
 
Holy shit, I thought it was just cheaters and cops now!

What you say with the interview stuff is more a matter of inexperience. Adam and Morgan have been doing it for over a decade, tehehehehehe, so they are seasoned interviewers, while the other air heads are just the always circulating stable of boobs that G4 employees. Not sure if they kept up with it, but they generally change them out every year or two as the 13 year olds they cater to grow tired of them around then and the only reason they are there is eye candy. G4 caters to the 13 year old boy and the dude bros. 
 
Makes me sad that someone as awesome and talented as sessler, and a couple of the other guys that are on feedback, are stuck there.

@gafasibm: When you grow up you'll realize that adults actually do care about the topic and how it reflects on them besides its overall social implications.

when u grow up, you'll realise adults that game dont give a crap about this topic.

Why do people care so much about grammar and spelling on the internet? Do you honestly think this guy cannot spell you? If he was turning in an essay I am sure he would not type like that, but this is a forum on the fucking internet. I was easily able to understand him and he got his point across clearly, fixing his errors would not have made things any different. I personally try to type well most of the time because I am so used to doing it at work and in other things, but who honestly gives a fuck how they type if it's faster for them and you can get what they are saying without a problem. In my opinion correcting grammar on the internet is a pointless waste of time. 
 
Am I the only one who feels this way?

@Hailinel said:

This, coming from the network behind Abbie Heppe's "ZOMG SEXIST" Other M review.

Heh.

It is fucking disappointing that she quit to work at Respawn Games. When I heard the news I was not surprised she would take the opportunity but damn, she was the only one besides Adam Sessler who knew what they were talking about.

Why do people care so much about grammar and spelling on the internet? Do you honestly think this guy cannot spell you? If he was turning in an essay I am sure he would not type like that, but this is a forum on the fucking internet. I was easily able to understand him and he got his point across clearly, fixing his errors would not have made things any different. I personally try to type well most of the time because I am so used to doing it at work and in other things, but who honestly gives a fuck how they type if it's faster for them and you can get what they are saying without a problem. In my opinion correcting grammar on the internet is a pointless waste of time.   Am I the only one who feels this way?

@Dany said:

@Hailinel said:

This, coming from the network behind Abbie Heppe's "ZOMG SEXIST" Other M review.

Heh.

It is fucking disappointing that she quit to work at Respawn Games. When I heard the news I was not surprised she would take the opportunity but damn, she was the only one besides Adam Sessler who knew what they were talking about.

I never heard the reasons for why she left. I just assumed that she got fed up with the backlash from the Other M review. :P

It's nothing new from them. Here's a G4 video. Over 13 million views:

The only legit person on G4 is Sessler. He needs to get out of there.

G4 is shocking I watch for info on the games and funny commentary not anyone's grandiose opinion on why derp is derp to derp or to look at women who are TV presenters who don't play games

@ImperiousRix said:

Sadly, video games are a very male dominated industry at the moment.

The oddest thing is that it just barely is male dominated, on the consumer end it's getting really close to a 50-50 split (in Japan it seems it's almost exactly evenly split), if we count casual games (and I really don't see why we shouldn't), Consumer Electronics Association estimates 65% of American gamers are female, while the more conservative estimate, that doesn't count the casual market, signed Entertainment Software Association, is that 39% are female. But still, marketing and things like this E3 broadcast continues to act as if female gamers are the odd exception.

Edit: Oh, yes, those were 2007 numbers by the way, before the casual market really exploded.

It's nothing new from them. Here's a G4 video. Over 13 million views:

One of their high profile hosts, Sara Underwood, was Playmate of the Year, so yeah they concentrate on a specific demographic.  Sexuality sells and as much as all of us here on Giant Bomb might like to believe otherwise, the content on this site would not be enough to keep a 3rd rate cable network afloat.  So, G4 does what they have to in the hopes of breaking even and keeping their jobs.  I'm not so high minded to have a problem with it.  I know it's all fantasy and frivolity. 

@ImperiousRix said:

Sadly, video games are a very male dominated industry at the moment.

The oddest thing is that it just barely is male dominated, on the consumer end it's getting really close to a 50-50 split (in Japan it seems it's almost exactly evenly split), if we count casual games (and I really don't see why we shouldn't), Consumer Electronics Association estimates 65% of American gamers are female, while the more conservative estimate, that doesn't count the casual market, signed Entertainment Software Association, is that 39% are female. But still, marketing and things like this E3 broadcast continues to act as if female gamers are the odd exception.

Edit: Oh, yes, those were 2007 numbers by the way, before the casual market really exploded.

Another thing I noticed was that most of the women were very similar to one another. Andy Allo and Sarah Underwood's voices are both high-pitched and nasal. Their physical features are slightly different, but both are slender and were wearing revealing clothing. Shots of the G4 party were stocked with more-attractive-than average women wearing less clothing than average.
 
I thought I was the only one who noticed this! G4 seems to have a cloning facility where they mass produce attractive women and then throw them on television despite their total lack of knowledge about what they're even covering!

Things like Game Crush just reinforce this as well. :/