Women reporters and image

Great Debates
1

We have a woman reporter here in town. When she first came on everyone commented on how good she was. She has started to gain weight and people are commenting on how she shouldn’t be doing the news anymore for that reason (she is doing more behind the scenes work now). I just saw a local commercial that she did. Everyone commented on how much weight she gained and she shouldn’t be doing anything on tv anymore. These are the same people who raved about how good she was.

I would like to know why it is such a bad thing that a woman has to be young and thin to do reporting but men like Howard Cosell can get away with it. I’ve seen overweight and bald men do the news. Why is that ok?

Before we discuss this, I would like to clarify something. I do not mean to troll (that is why I didn’t post in the pit. I don’t want arguments or flaming. I want an intelligent discussion). I do not want to discuss why thin women are considered the “ideal” in society. I want to discuss why WHEN IT COMES TO THE NEWS why the rules differ for men than women.

I believe there was a story about a newswoman suing to get her job back because she was fired because she was too old. Yet men her age are doing the same job.

Comments?

MaryAnn
No, stupid, it’s a boat!

2

Hey, what do ya mean everyone thought she should be thinner? People on TV, or people you hang out with? Either you should throw out your TV or you should hang out with different people. :slight_smile:

3

By the way, I think Howard Cosell is extremely sexy.

I don’t want to make people think like me, I want them to think like me of their own free will.

4

Christine Craft. Her book’s called Too Old, Too Ugly, and Not Deferential to Men - the justification she was given for her dismissal.

I don’t suppose “Because there’s a double standard” would be a satisfactory answer to your question, but it’s just about all I can come up with.

5

The television station will reflect the viewing habits of its locality. If people in your town (viewing area) tune it to the hottest looking female reporter, she is the on the air because she has what the public wants. The TV station is not interested in raising the consciousness of its viewers, it is interested in getting viewers to sit their butts down and expose themselves to advertising. Journalism is not a factor, in television news. Hell, accuracy and reliability are not even factors in most news shows. If the newswoman you speak of was not aware of this fact, she was surprisingly innocent for a journalist.

<P ALIGN=“CENTER”>Tris</P>

“How long does getting thin take?” Pooh asked anxiously.
–A. A. Milne

6

I echo Triskadecamus’ post.

Why are most weather reporters attractive females?
To keep people watching that channel for the ads.

Why doesn’t the sun come out at night when the light would be more useful? (Pratchett)

7

Does ANYONE really think that the newsreaders are some form of journalist?

So why don’t the local network affiliates have the news read by half-naked models of both sexes? “Now, for the latest on the impending transit strike, we go to Miss Hotpants LaRue at the 42nd Street station.”