We are all familar with the Robin Huebner story.
Today (Dec 23) there is a short letter to the editor that says a lot in a few words about the whole kerfuffle that Management at KVLY set off when they told Huebner she was being demoted in favor of a 26-something on the ten o’clock news at that station. The letter writer said that perhaps professionalism is a lot more important for the majority of viewers than being able to giggle at the end of her gig when she turns and says “how about that weather for the weekend?”
But the in-house emails reveal a lot about how Management manages. Robin is over 50 years old now and is not quite the “eye candy” that seems to be required of newswomen on the KVLY staff.
Her “calm demeanor” was a postive factor to the writer of the letter….a clear demonstration of her professionalism even though the Management said in an email that “she lacked energy”. What do they want in a newswoman? Cartwheels on the news set????
The male viewers who are the ones most considered and apparently the male news audience would love a few cartwheels if the woman’s skirt went over her head in the process.
The emails revealed in the news story about Huebner’ federal discrimination lawsuit tell a lot about the mentality of TV managers who decide which female is worthy of reading the news at ten. The male audience is most important at that hour and the managers think that male viewers want to see a young blond who wears low cut blouses or sweaters …..and can giggle like a junior high girl…the better to make the male viewers think they are being flirted with!
I hope Huebner wins her lawsuit and socks it to the managers at KVLY.
I would be willing to guess that there are a lot of folks who agree with me, too.
Hi B Gal, I hope she bankrupts them..it would serve them right. She was like an institution in the FM area..she was confidant and pleasant to listen to..I remember her reporting during the floods of 1997 when her home was surrounded by flood waters too.. KVLY management are idiots:(
everything you say is SO TRUE. She is a true professional from the times that seem to be past in the “girls” being hired out of school nowadays.
Most of the young ones are NOT professional in their behavior or appearance or delivery of news. There is a piece of eye candy on WDAY
who has a terrible voice. She ought top be editing and writing news at a desk far from the studio.
I agree with you both. The management might have decided to get rid of Robin because of her longevity — the longer you’re at a job, the more you generally get paid. They can probably hire the sweet young things at quite a reduced rate, quality be damned.