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Men are seriously outnumbering women on TV, but it doesnt have to be that way
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Men are seriously outnumbering women on TV, but it doesnt have to be that way - photo by Herb Scribner
TV gives people a glimpse into many different worlds.

But it seems TV itself may be a world run by men.

A new study from the United Kingdom found that men are twice as likely to appear on TV than women among all the major UK channels, The Guardian reported.

Whats more, there are as many as five sexist incidents every night during primetime, and women suffered more sexist jokes on TV than men despite men outnumbering them 2-to-1, the study found.

These sexist jokes were most likely found during comedy programs. But the worst genres for gender balance were among guest hosts, commentators and presenters at award shows, the study found. Movies shown on TV were also void of women, with just 26 percent of on-screen roles going to women, The Guardian reported.

And although some efforts have been made to increase womens roles on TV, the issue is far from over, Adam Crozier, Diverse TVs chief executive, told The Guardian.

If this was a five-day Test match, we would be half way through the first morning. Its far too early for anyone to be declaring victory, he said.

This isnt just an issue in the United Kingdom. Back in 2014, a report from the Womens Media Center found that women trail men in terms of onscreen roles for both film and TV.

In fact, 28 percent of female characters had a speaking role in 2012, and only 43 percent of women had speaking and major roles in primetime television during the 2012-13 TV season, Parade reported.

And theres still a gap when it comes to pay. The Womens Media Center report found that the highest-earning paycheck for men in 2013 was Robert Downey Jr.s $75 million check, whereas it was just $33 million for actress Angelina Jolie.

The report found that while progress has been made in some areas, women are still struggling for a voice and a presence in the entertainment industry, both on screen and behind the scenes, Parade reported.

These numbers come as a bit of a surprise since women watch TV more than men, according to Tech Crunchs report on a Nielsen TV study. The study found that women will watch 40 more minutes of TV than men about 4 hours and 11 minutes for women and 3 hours and 34 minutes for men.

Getting more women on TV wont be the easiest problem to fix. But some experts have at least one idea. As New York Magazine reported on its blog The Cut, a 2015 report from September found that one of the ways to get more women on TV was to get more women working in TV, specifically as industry executives and producers.

The report, done by the Center for the Study of Women in Television & Film, found that female executive producers tend to hire more female directors, writers, actors and editors, increasing the amount of women in television as a whole.

"For example, on broadcast programs with at least one female creator, women comprised 50% of writers," the report explained. But "on programs with no female creators, women comprised 15% of writers."

And though many people talk about getting more women in TV, people in Hollywood need to start doing it for there to be real change, The Cut reported.

"When people are feeling that things are moving in the right direction, you get slapped in the face with reality," Melissa Silverstein, artistic director for the Athena Film Festival, told The Cut. "Hollywood actresses are talking about it, People magazine is covering it, Sandra Bullock is talking about the gender crisis."
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New Medicare cards are in the mail and scammers are on the prowl
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has begun mailing new Medicare Health Insurance ID cards. The program no longer uses Social Security numbers to identify people. - photo by Lois M Collins
The federal government is beginning to send out new ID cards to the 58 million Americans who benefit from Medicare. But since many of the people who will receive them don't know they're coming or why, scammers are already gearing up to take advantage.

An AARP survey shows as many as three-fourths of Americans 65 and older have no idea the cards are coming, so some individuals may be duped with claims that they're supposed to pay a fee or provide personal information that will be used, instead, to defraud them.

The new cards are the first reissue in years, and the most striking part of the redesign is that the cards no longer carry the beneficiary's Social Security number. Congress mandated the removal of that number as an identifier for Medicare beneficiaries by next April. Instead, the card has a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier number, an 11-digit combination of numbers and letters.

The new Medicare cards are now being mailed out in batches, starting with the Eastern seaboard and moving west. Most Medicare beneficiaries will receive their cards over the next six months, as long as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has their correct mailing address. Once the cards are in hand, people can share the new identification number with their health care providers. During a transition period, either card is valid.

The old cards, which used Social Security numbers as the personal identification number, should be destroyed.

AARP recently launched an education campaign to warn consumers about scams related to the new Medicare cards.

The membership organization's "Fraud Watch" consultant, Frank Abagnale reformed con man, scammer and the subject of the movie and book "Catch Me If You Can" tells senior citizens the only time they need to carry the actual Medicare card is to health care appointments. Otherwise, it should be left in a safe place. If they want to carry one in their wallet or purse, he says, make a copy and black out the first seven numbers.

Since the cards were announced, scammers have already:

  • Called seniors and asked for their bank account information so that money on their old card could be returned. There is no money on the old card and CMS never asks for personal information over the phone.
  • Offered to send the new card after Medicare beneficiaries pay a $25 fee to cover expenses related to the card. The card is free.
  • Said the card will be mailed out as soon as the older person verifies his or her Social Security number, mailing address and other personal information. CMS already knows the beneficiary's Social Security number and it's no longer being used in conjunction with health care.
AARP and the Federal Trade Commission will hold a free online seminar about the cards and the fraud attempts they have spawned on Thursday, April 19, at 7 p.m. EDT. Register at: www.aarp.org/FraudWebinar. CMS also offers a "frequently asked questions" guide to the new cards.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network says consumers can sign up for its Watchdog Alert emails that deliver breaking scam information, or call a free helpline at 877-908-3360 to speak with volunteers trained in fraud counseling. Abagnale also hosts a weekly podcast for AARP, called The Perfect Scam.
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