A total of 165 individual programs (including multiple airings of some shows) were analyzed by teams of feminist viewers across the country.

The teams were asked to analyze their assigned shows in each of four categories:

1. Violence: number and severity of violent acts.

2. Gender Composition: percentage of women in cast, with bonus points for diversity and positive role models, and deductions for stereotypes.

3. Sexual Exploitation: based on analysts' comments, shows were ranked within a range between:

very respectful treatment of women/girls with no exploitation

- and -

substantial exploitation with no positive value
 

4. Social Responsibility: based on analysts' comments, shows ranked anywhere from:

strong social content with relevance to people's lives

- to -

irresponsible content with no redeeming values
 

NOW compiled the results, ranking the 165 programs in the above categories, producing four different scores for each show, 1 being the best and 165 the worst. Ties were allowed when necessary.
 

Each of the four networks received a score in each of the four categories, based on the average of its programs' scores in each category. Those four scores were then averaged to determine the network's final score.
 

Each individual show's four scores were then averaged for a final score and then the shows were ranked overall.

Guide to reading this report:
 

Rank: #1 is always the best, most positive content; #4 the worst, most negative content.
 

Score: Lower score is always better. Shows were ranked in each category from 1 to 165.