Under Hanley’s leadership, Whip Media acquired Mediamorph, whose platform powered more than two-thirds of all global digital transactional revenue for the film and television industries. She has also created a culture of inclusion, diversity, equal opportunity and female empowerment starting at the top of the company. Nearly half of the executive team is female, which creates a culture of female leadership and mentorship. “Viewers are overwhelmingly voicing their desire for shows with strong female characters,” Hanley notes. “There is still much work to be done on this front, and representation and gender parity demand continued attention from our industry—especially when half of the viewers tuning in are female.”
How would you rate the industry regarding gender bias in shows/characters?
Viewers are overwhelmingly voicing their desire for shows with strong female characters. Our data shows that female TV characters have become more prominent over the last three years, with female characters accounting for 50 percent of the favorite characters among U.S. viewers in 2021. This is up from 36 percent in 2018. But there is still much work to be done on this front, and representation and gender parity demand continued attention from our industry — especially when half of the viewers tuning in are female. For networks and studios investing in content and who are in the midst of development and casting and wish to better understand how viewers respond to and engage with female characters and the genres in which they appear, the data over time indicates that viewers want more female characters in their shows. Further, viewers are responding to those shows and networks that showcase these characters in overwhelming favor.
Best advice for someone looking to re-enter the workforce after a hiatus?
My advice would be to use the time on hiatus to keep yourself relevant. Our industry is changing quickly so it’s important to continue to read the trades and stay in contact with your network. It’s critical to keep your skills up to date and maintain an active presence on LinkedIn, so when you’re ready to re-enter the workforce, you are perceived as still being relevant and having something valuable to offer a company. A hiatus is a great opportunity to reevaluate your career goals. I personally took a hiatus when I left my career in advertising and radio and used it as an opportunity to switch industries and transition into entertainment. Utilize the time to reflect on what career path you really want to pursue and then find a way to manifest it. I wrote a job description as a way of picturing myself in a new career. The day after I wrote it, I got a call from Korn Ferry asking me to interview for a leadership position that matched the job description I wrote so close it was eerie.
