There is “clear evidence” that BBC is “biased against older women”, peers claim as they criticise corporation over sacking ex-Countryfile host Miriam O’Reilly.
Lords Dobbs, the Conservative peer and author of the original House of Cards series, said the dismissal of ex-Countryfile host Miriam O’Reilly raises “disturbing questions” about the BBC’s management.
“It’s folly to blind ourselves to the value of women presenters of a certain age whose looks and voices convey all the wisdom and experience of their years,” he told the House of Lords.
“Being a great newscaster isn’t simply a matter of getting lip gloss around the words of the teleprompter. Experience and understanding count.”
Now let’s consider the young totty that does get the job precisely because she can get the lip gloss around the teleprompter. Does this happen?
Well, seen any British TV recently? So, yes it does. And there’s always going to be that ageist anti-female discrimination while there’s that pro-totty bias at the other end. As the lay with the overly-pointy elbows pointed out only the other day.
Why can’t you have both intelligence and totty? TV is a visual medium.
Look at the presenters on Italian, Spanish and Greek news, lots of stunners (the ladies that is). I see no reason why we can’t have such lithe olive skinned beauties here.
The men as well, though I’m not equipped to judge on their merits.
That dark haired lady off the breakfast telly was lovely though.
“As the lay with the overly-pointy elbows ” was that meant to be lady or do you know something we don’t? lucky you!
Aka “Job for life please”
“Being a great newscaster isn’t simply a matter of getting lip gloss around the words of the teleprompter. Experience and understanding count.”
Experience does count, it’s just that within a decade, newscasters have learnt the job and can do it at the highest level and aren’t going to learn much more. At which point, why do you want a 50 year old when a 30 year old has the bonus of being more pleasing on the eye?
Is this another case of old wrinkly women who, having first got the job solely on looks, are now complaining young pretty women are taking their jobs?
Lip-gloss front of house yes.
But is top totty really needed on Cuntryfile?. Do many people watch that show for sexual stimulation?
Tim Newman – “Is this another case of old wrinkly women who, having first got the job solely on looks, are now complaining young pretty women are taking their jobs?”
Like Airline hostesses – one generation of which got all the jobs, and then got the Supreme Court to prevent them being fired once they turned 30 like prior generations had been. So they could have a job for life.
Mr Ecks – “But is top totty really needed on Cuntryfile?. Do many people watch that show for sexual stimulation?”
Yes. Freudian slip? And I have no idea how many watch it for sexual stimulation. Pretty girls are easier to watch than old and wrinkled ones. Older women have nothing to offer younger ones do not – except the younger ones are nicer and sexier. So naturally, all other things being equal, you should fire the older ones. The added advantage is that the younger ones are often cheaper.
The exception is where there is a bonus in experience. With most of the jobs women choose, that is almost never true. Jaded and bitter airline hostesses are not fun. Nor are cynical and burnt out teachers. It is certainly not true that experience of reading an autocue amounts to a hill of beans.
Fire them all and replace them with younger totty.
Mr Ecks,
“But is top totty really needed on Cuntryfile?. Do many people watch that show for sexual stimulation?”
That’s not the point. It’s more: if you’ve got a capable presenter who is pretty and a capable presenter who isn’t, why wouldn’t you pick the pretty one?
Personally, I hate Countryfile. It’s a twee metropolitan perspective on the countryside and stuffed full of stories that almost without fail include some cunt saying that they need more government money. But my wife quite likes it. And some bit of totty means I’ll put up with it (Dr Who’s assistant is always a pretty young girl to keep the dads happy).
Countryfile has Ellie Harrison on it, so I’ll forgive it almost anything for that.
No pointy elbows on Ellie.
“Being a great newscaster …”: there is no such thing, Dobbs you fool.