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It's a woman's world.
The musicians that most defined this era were Taylor Swift and Beyoncé. The highest-grossing film in recent memory is Greta Gerwig's Barbie. And the hottest basketball star is Caitlin Clark.
Entertainment created and focused by women is more than just a way to pass the time. With once-in-a-generation talent redefining the outdated narratives that once relegated female-centric entertainment to second-class status, this entertainment is proving to be here to stay, with once-in-a-generation talent across a variety of media.
Look no further than the music business. Swift and Beyoncé have already dominated 2023 and will continue to do so in 2024. Beyoncé's first country album, Cowboy Carter, topped the Billboard charts, selling nearly 500,000 copies in its debut week. This success made her the first black woman to earn the number one spot on Billboard's Top Country Albums list.
Meanwhile, Swift is set to release her long-awaited album “The Tortured Poets Department'' on Friday. Her 11th album, this work couldn't be more talked about. iHeartRadio boss Tom Pohlman even told CNN's Ari Rosenbloom, “This is probably the most anticipated album of my career.”
“This is more than just a music event. This is a pop culture event that I think everyone across America will be talking about and celebrating together,” Pohlman said.
And of course, it's not just the music field where women are leading the way.
In recent weeks, Clark has focused a lot of attention on the women's NCAA Tournament. The tournament drew incredible viewership and broke records leading up to the championship game. That game, in which the Clarks-Hawkeyes faced the undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks, drew an average of 18.9 million viewers, making it not only the first time in history to surpass the men's championship, but also the most-watched basketball game in any league. It was a match. And this week, the WNBA Draft broke viewership records, drawing an average of 2.5 million viewers.
Needless to say, the incredible talent that each artist, performer, and athlete brings to the table is what causes so much interest from the audience. But the various feats also highlight significant changes in culture. Female-led entertainment is no longer considered a niche for some people. It is currently, in many ways, more fashionable than men's entertainment.
Its strong gravitational pull toward female-centric entertainment reflects the new normal. While men have long dominated Hollywood and sports, society has advanced far beyond those days, and women are reaching unprecedented levels of stardom and acclaim. The public now expects entertainers to reflect the diversity that exists in the country and the global community.
There is also a cross-pollination effect. The influence of a once-in-a-generation star like Swift is sure to spark interest in other female-led performers, creating even greater appetite and opportunity. This financial success and audience growth should encourage media executives to invest even more in this space.
Unfortunately, all aspects of society have not yet caught up with cultural changes. Yes, both Swift and Beyoncé are profiting from their music. However, the same cannot be said for other entertainment sectors.
Women's sports are often harder to find or don't receive as much exposure and glamor in mainstream media as men's athletics. The Wall Street Journal noted that the NCAA women's tournament exceeded the men's tournament, but the latter's television rights fees were $873 million, compared to $6.5 million for the women's tournament. Much of this difference is due to the significantly lower cost paid by broadcasters in broadcast rights fees.
Meanwhile, while Barbie was widely praised for its cultural commentary (and huge box office success), Gerwig was ignored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was not even nominated for Best Director. (“Barbie'' is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, which shares the same parent company as CNN.)
Clark, the WNBA's No. 1 overall draft pick, signed a four-year contract with the Indiana Fever for just $338,000. Compare this to Victor Wembaneyama, the NBA's top pick, who signed a $55 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs.
“There's something deeply disturbing about this,” Today co-host Hoda Kotb said on Tuesday's show.
“I mean, I picture girls holding signs that say 'Caitlyn!' But is this what her contract is worth?” she added.
Society is progressing. But we have a long way to go.
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