It is no surprise to us in this class that the media uses strategies
to sell products and specific ideals to society. As Kilbourne and Wolf have
explained, these tactics include the beauty myth, the sexualization of women,
and the conditioning of the public to viewing these kinds of things as normal.
The news media is not innocent of using these same tactics to appeal to their
audiences. Female news anchors are put in low cut shirts, teeny tiny skirts and
sky-high heels to take full advantage of the ‘sex sells’ philosophy. Most of
these anchors conform to the usual images that are given to us in other forms
of media such as advertising and in the movies.
It is also very important to note the change in the
use of women sports anchors. This combines men’s two favorite things: sexy
women and sports of course. An example of this idea specifically that I have
noticed comes from sports anchor Sam Ryan. Sam is a female anchor that was
formerly reporting sports for CBS news. As a baseball fan, I caught a
historical show about New York baseball on the MLB network and saw a familiar
face…it was Sam. However, she was in a tight leather shirt that left ittle to
the imagination. It was disheartening to see her dressed that way because it
totally demeaned her and took away from her informed news bulletin about a
possible trade.
Sam's appearance on CBS
VS. her lower shirt and very "warm" outifit on MLB
We saw a similar change in an article one of the groups handed
out during their presentation about Anne Curry. She felt forced to dress and look
a certain way while hosting the Today show. Or even the anchor we studied that
was criticized about her weight, the young anchors on the CW network, doused in
makeup…and it doesn’t stop there, the list goes on and on. Continually, the
substance of the news is lost and the focus turns to which network has the
hottest anchors and the
reporter’s credibility is affected and they are not taken as seriously as their
male counterparts. For example, in “Broadcast News:
When Women Became Two Out of Three” Filgate, he examines the critique Katie
Couric received after becoming a solo news anchor on CBS’ evening news. Rather
than being applauded for her reporting, her appearance was picked apart.
When examining these examples, it is very
important to understand the ownership of the news organizations. In “Media Ownership: Impact on Minority Ownership and Localism” by Carol
Jenkins, she brings up the ‘Invisible Majority’, which she defines, “…women in
this country account for 51% of the population, yet own less than 5% of
television stations and 6% of radio stations.” The stories and who delivers
them are chosen by the white men who own the networks. Even stories that focus
on women have a male gaze (or haze) that skew the image of what women really do
care about. Jenkins piece gives a list of shocking statistics that examine the
gender gap within news media. Also, the “Women
in Media Fact Sheet” website states, “Nearly 90 percent of reporters/writers
and newsroom supervisors are white and about two-thirds are male. Hundreds of
newspapers in this country employ NO minorities as full-time staff.” Struggles
continue for both women and minorities (especially female minorities). And the
executives only are representing one kind of person and this trickles down to
all levels in news media.
An alternative news resource is the Women News
Network (WNN). This organization says that it is dedicated to bringing
International women’s news that is not in the mainstream (according to the About
page). It covers global news about women suffering and hardships and this
organization has an almost all female staff including the founder and editor in
chief Lys Anzia. The staff also spans across many racial
boundaries and they are very diverse.
The network reaches out to women from other countries and exemplifies an alternative gaze (reminiscent of the oppositional gaze) to view world issues regarding women and their status across the globe. These articles focus on important topics of substance. These issues lack presence in mainstream news media. Bell-Hooks states in “Making Movie Magic” that media has the “capacity to create…awareness, and to transform culture…” The WNN is successful in transforming the news and creating awareness to important and sometimes overlooked women in society. It is successful, also because it does not feed into the mainstream coverage and presents an alternate news source for women looking for representation in news and a more equal news coverage for women's issues. I also think that it is inspiring to read some of these articles since women struggle to gain equality, which reflects the struggle within the media.
The network reaches out to women from other countries and exemplifies an alternative gaze (reminiscent of the oppositional gaze) to view world issues regarding women and their status across the globe. These articles focus on important topics of substance. These issues lack presence in mainstream news media. Bell-Hooks states in “Making Movie Magic” that media has the “capacity to create…awareness, and to transform culture…” The WNN is successful in transforming the news and creating awareness to important and sometimes overlooked women in society. It is successful, also because it does not feed into the mainstream coverage and presents an alternate news source for women looking for representation in news and a more equal news coverage for women's issues. I also think that it is inspiring to read some of these articles since women struggle to gain equality, which reflects the struggle within the media.
Images that come up when you search 'hot news anchor'
Bibliography
Hooks, Bell. “Making Movie
Magic.” Reel to Real: Race, Sex, and Class at the Movies.
New York: Routledge, 1996.
Women in Media fact sheet
FreePress Media Ownership Policy
Katie Curic leaves CBS
I was going to comment first about your post and something I notice on a daily basis in the media, however I must first say WHOA the second image below your essay of the woman in a blue shirt with I assume a skirt? What is the actual point of even wearing a skirt?
ReplyDeleteNow back to what I was thinking when I was reading your piece. My father flips between sports and political shows on any given day. Most of the sports shows he watches that are not games usually do not have women anchors. Women are completely under represented in this field despite many of us have such love for sports such as I do as I have been an athlete all my life, from softball at the age of 7 and now a long distance runner.
The political shows he watches have women anchors who fit a specific mold, one that when you look at them you see a woman perfect enough to be a model. Though I am happy to see them using their knowledge and defending their beliefs quite rigorously against the men on the show it sets an image that in order to get on a nationalized television show and show off your knowledge and defend your beliefs that you must look a certain way. I wonder if these stations were approached by a woman who didn't look like a model but were equally as smart and dedicated if they would put them on the show? I hate to think that the answer I believe is correct is no.
Good for WNN, now we just need to get them more into the mainstream so that practices are changed across the board in media.