This study was designed to analyze the representation of gender roles in Austrian television commercials, attempting to replicate and update past investigations done all over the world. For this purpose the content analysis method was used to analyze 407 advertisements broadcast during prime time over 4 selected TV channels (ORF eins, ATV, Sixx, Pro7 Maxx). A series of variables common to similar investigations were coded in order to allow comparisons with other countries. The findings were

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... d on chi-square analyses and indicated a high prevalence of gender differences and stereotypes in Austrian television advertisements. For example, more women in Austrian television advertising were portrayed as young (82,9% vs. 51,0%) and as nurturing children (23,3% vs. 14,1%) and more males were shown in a work related background (20,9% vs. 5,8%). Males were generally more often fully clothed (90,4% vs. 57,7%), whereas females were more often suggestively dressed (29,9% vs. 4,8%) and more males than females delivered voiceovers (62,8% vs. 33,5%). The only exception to these traditional, stereotypical gender portrayals was the equalized representation of female and male primary characters in television advertisements (50,9% vs. 49,1%). Contrary to their public mission, public TV channels do not show less gender stereotypes in advertisements compared to private TV channels. The Comparison of results with those of other researchers shows that television advertising in Austria reveals gender stereotypes very similar to those found in advertising from countries with a geographic or cultural proximity. Austrian society has changed a great deal in recent decades, but the analyzed images do not accurately reflect the current situation. Therefore, television advertisements are a delayed social indicator of role changes.