One need only look at most beer commercials to see that this is true. I think there's more going on there, though. Simply by being a man, a male character already has a higher value than a female character.

Someone upthread pointed out that a lot of straight women, while watching TV, tend to desire the male figures and project themselves into the female. When this happens, we tend to excuse the object of our desires his foibles, but simultaneously castigate the character we project ourselves into for not living up to our ideals.