In a world where more than half of the population is female, women are still a media minority — not only on the screen but behind it as well. Yet from "Working Girl" to "Wonder Woman," the portrayal of women at the movies, on television and in the news continues to evolve.

This long-awaited issue of Media&Values features creators, critics and consumers exploring the contradictions and challenges facing women in a media world: sexism in advertising and MTV, the myth of female "techno-phobia," media portrayals as role models for young girls, the shocking absence of women in the news. Included also are guidelines for what makes a good female character and how to use film and video made by women, for women.