2008 Woodie Awards
Rising Star of Women in News
Norah O'Donnell Leads the Way for Other Newswomen
DeStefano, Wendy
Issue date: 10/28/04 Section: Opinion
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On the first airing of the O'Reilly Report, Bill O'Reilly asked the world, "How did it happen? How did television news become so predictable, and in some cases, so boring?"
Though O'Reilly was speaking about the media in general, his shows have been dramatically improving the quality of male-anchored news shows.
Simultaneously, female-anchored news shows still have been practicing 1950's journalistic standards.
As documented in the book Spin Sisters by Myrna Blyth, the media has been shortchanging women by selling them propaganda about their "needs" for material possessions and Barbie doll-like looks and brains.
Personally, I see at least two other examples in addition to the book's examples.
The first example is The Fox News Channel since it has been heavily promoting Greta Van Susteren and Rita Cosby - two Barbie doll-like anchors - for reporting "women's news" - sleazy tabloid stories about Laci Peterson, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jackson.
The second is book retailer Barnes and Noble, for the way it classifies its gender-specific magazines into categories of "Men's Interests" and "Women's Interests."
Under the "Men's Interests" banner, one finds magazines about fitness, outdoor life, and history.
But under the "Women's Interests" banner, one finds magazines about house life, fashion, and celebrity gossip.
Did I miss something? I thought American women have been politically active since the creation of this country.
Haven't an increasing number of women been entering the workforce and enrolling in colleges?
So isn't it reasonable to conclude that politics is one of "women's interests?"
Ironically, women are a crucial swing vote group in the 2004 presidential election.
The Bush and Kerry camps are trying to appeal to women with empty, rhetorical, and juvenile emotional appeals as if women are overly-emotional and politically ignorant boneheads.
Such examples include First Lady Laura Bush and Teresa Heinz-Kerry appearing on Live with Regis and Kelly and The View, respectively.
Though O'Reilly was speaking about the media in general, his shows have been dramatically improving the quality of male-anchored news shows.
Simultaneously, female-anchored news shows still have been practicing 1950's journalistic standards.
As documented in the book Spin Sisters by Myrna Blyth, the media has been shortchanging women by selling them propaganda about their "needs" for material possessions and Barbie doll-like looks and brains.
Personally, I see at least two other examples in addition to the book's examples.
The first example is The Fox News Channel since it has been heavily promoting Greta Van Susteren and Rita Cosby - two Barbie doll-like anchors - for reporting "women's news" - sleazy tabloid stories about Laci Peterson, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jackson.
The second is book retailer Barnes and Noble, for the way it classifies its gender-specific magazines into categories of "Men's Interests" and "Women's Interests."
Under the "Men's Interests" banner, one finds magazines about fitness, outdoor life, and history.
But under the "Women's Interests" banner, one finds magazines about house life, fashion, and celebrity gossip.
Did I miss something? I thought American women have been politically active since the creation of this country.
Haven't an increasing number of women been entering the workforce and enrolling in colleges?
So isn't it reasonable to conclude that politics is one of "women's interests?"
Ironically, women are a crucial swing vote group in the 2004 presidential election.
The Bush and Kerry camps are trying to appeal to women with empty, rhetorical, and juvenile emotional appeals as if women are overly-emotional and politically ignorant boneheads.
Such examples include First Lady Laura Bush and Teresa Heinz-Kerry appearing on Live with Regis and Kelly and The View, respectively.