More than half of moviegoers and new streaming music users are women. Yet the overwhelming majority of critics are male. Male critiques are attuned to the existing default: male voices, male stories, male storytellers. Women’s voices are seen through the filter of “other”. This limited perspective skews how media by and for women is related to the public and affects its success. In this panel from CherryPicks, a new venture expanding the critical landscape, top voices from the film and music world will talk about the impact of representation in this crucial link in the media chain. Creating parity in the critical sphere is essential to paving the way for more inclusive, female-centered media and to growing the number of women in all aspects of the media industry. It’s time to start building the media world of the future, one that recognizes the multi-tiered problem of gender bias and fights it every step of the way. 

[Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.]