COMMUNICATION PAPERS –MEDIA LITERACY & GENDER STUDIES– Vol.12 - No.25 | 2023 | REVISTA | ISSN: 2014-6752 79 Communication Papers Media Literacy & Gender Studies Sexism and the Commodifcation of Women in Media: A Critical Analysis 1 Received: 06 October 2023; Accepted: 20 November 2023 Dr.Aybike Serttas Assoc. Prof. Dr., Istinye University aybikeserttas@yahoo.com https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3471-7264 Övünç Ege Research Assistant, Özyeğin University ovunc.ege@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2078-9008 Betül Çanakpınar PhD Canditate, İstinye University betulmar@gmail.com https://orcid.org/my-orcid?orcid=0000-0001-7373-8637 Affe İclal Bedir İstinye University bediraffe@gmail.com https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5093-6533 Abstract This study aims to investigate the pervasive issue of sexism within media and its role in the commodifcation of women. Through a critical lens, we seek to unravel the underlying mecha- nisms that perpetuate harmful stereotypes and objectifcation of women in media products, ultimately shedding light on the implications for societal perceptions and gender equality. Utilizing a comprehensive research approach, we systematically analyzed various media con- tent, including advertisements, flms, and television shows. Content analysis was employed to identify patterns, representations, and messaging surrounding women in media products. The study reveals a disturbing prevalence of sexism and the commodifcation of women in various forms of TV programs and to ensure the quality of our analysis, we tried to defne clear para- meters for collecting data. Our sample size is 30 TV programs from 3 TV broadcasters. We used random sampling on rating and share results. Prime time is chosen for the time frame. Three researchers do data collection by following the coding scheme. We found that women are frequently objectifed, reduced to superfcial attributes, and often portrayed in subordinate roles. These depictions not only reinforce harmful stereotypes but also contribute to the per- petuation of gender inequality and discrimination. The study underscores the urgent need for media producers, consumers, and policymakers to recognize the detrimental impact of such portrayals and work collaboratively to promote more diverse, empowering, and equitable repre- sentations of women in media. Doing so can contribute to a more inclusive and just society. Keywords: sexism; commodifcation; objectifcation; gender equality; representation 1 This study was presented at 5th International Congress CONGENERE: Culturas globales, comunica- ción y género, held on October 3-5, 2023.