Hunting, K., Grumbein, A., & Cahill, M. (2018). Watch and learn: Gendered discrepancies in educational messages on television channels targeted at boys versus girls. Mass Communication & Society, 21(1), 115–141. doi:10.1080/15205436.2017.1370114
Female characters were more common within girl targeted channels, however, male characters did not show any drastic differences in boy targeted or gender neutral channels. Therefore, female characters are highly represented in girl targeted channels, whereas male characters were neutrally represented. RMG
The channel CN, a boy targeted channel, had the least about of educational words consistently represented. Although it still had data showing there were educational aspects within their shows, it was significantly lower than girl targeted channels like Disney, or gender neutral channels like Nickelodeon, RMG
STEM topics were more consistently represented across children's channels than humanities subjects were. Although it is good to hear girls are being shown it is acceptable to want to be in the science realm, it is unsettling knowing humanities is not an important subject to teach in children's television shows. Humanities is the heart of all our actions and how we perceive life, it should be represented as such. RMG