Did you know that women, in all age categories, outnumber men as far as the driving force of social media?

So what? you may say.

According to Johanna Blakely, Deputy Director of the Norman Lear Center (a media-focused think tank at the University of Southern California) this is changing the future of entertainment media. Blakely asks, “If social media is dominating old media, and women are dominating social media, does this mean that women are going to take over global media?”

In traditional media everyone is lumped according to demographics, and viewers over 54 don’t exist. Now with on-line media, people can escape their age, ethnic background and gender, as they aggregate around their shared interests, So it’s no longer age, gender and skin color that matters.

“Shared interests and values are far more powerful aggregators of human beings than demographics,” Blakely says. “Does this mean media companies are going to hire more women and we shall see more female characters in video games, TV, even chick flicks?” she asks.

I’m selfish, and yes, I hope that the entertainment industry realizes that they have a huge audience of females 40+  who are waiting to see movies they can relate to, women on TV they can relate to, marriages they can relate to, and of course family stories they can relate to.

I think connecting, sharing and especially “talking” to others is a female trait, so why am I not surprised to hear that women outnumber men in social networking? Do you realize the potential of social networking? Please share Johanna Blakely’s research with your friends. Lets get moving. This is HUGE!

I’m curious to hear your thoughts, whether male or female?