In Western society, media influences the way we feel, look, and behave. The representation of the body ideal of men and women is omnipresent in the magazines we read, on television and on the Internet. The media and an individual's self-esteem appear to play an important role in how satisfied one feels with their body. Previous research has also explored gender differences between men and women. This study examines how media and self-esteem are related to body image satisfaction (BIS) among 49 male and female university students. Participants were asked to complete the Body Image States Scale (BISS) to assess body satisfaction and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale to assess self-esteem, before being shown images and videos ideal media for their body. Body satisfaction was assessed again after exposure. The results indicate that media has a significant impact on body image satisfaction in both men and women. Additionally, self-esteem is positively correlated with body image satisfaction in both men and women. There was no significant difference between self-esteem or body image satisfaction scores of men and women. Keywords: body image satisfaction; self-esteem; media; genderBody image satisfaction: the role of media, self-esteem and genderINTRODUCTIONLiterature reviewIn today's society, we are bombarded with media messages about how we should look, dress and feel include. The seemingly unattainable “ideal” body is broadcast on our television and cinema screens, in magazines and on the Internet, showing what men and women should look like. With such an abundance of images, many may view this ideal body as normal, with something less unacceptable. With advances in technology, many of these images are modified so that...... middle of paper ......li were presented on two large projection screens and both presentations lasted approximately 5 minutes. Participants were then asked to complete the BISS (after). The experiment ended and participants were offered snacks and thanked for their time. The total duration of the experiment was approximately 15 minutes. The participants' questionnaires were scored after the experiment. Rosenberg self-esteem scores were calculated by rating each question from 0 to 3. For example, Strongly Disagree scored 0, Disagree scored 1, Agree scored 2, and All strongly agree a score of 3. Items 3, 5, 8, 9, and 10 were reverse scored. A higher score indicates greater self-esteem. For the Body Image States scale, scores were calculated by rating each individual question from 1 to 9 (low to high) and finding the average of the 6 questions. A higher score indicates greater body satisfaction.