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How to get more older women on TV How to get more older women on TV
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I enjoyed my life in news and current affairs, which started at Granada TV in 1974 and ended at the BBC in 2006.I enjoyed my life in news and current affairs, which started at Granada TV in 1974 and ended at the BBC in 2006.
I was privileged to have visiting rights in many different worlds. I interviewed every prime minister from Harold Wilson to Tony Blair, was entertained at Chequers and Nos 10 and 11, and over the years had access to people and places most people never have the luck to experience. It meant being paid to read all the papers every morning. Language and clear communication were a passion, as were politics and examining how and where power is exercised. I liked the buzz of the newsroom and I'm a natural (and comfortable) outsider, intrigued by society in all its layers and the eternal difference between what people see as the truth, and what the real truth might be. Appearing on screen wasn't the bit I enjoyed most but I could do it and felt a calm presentation style was what fitted. Yes, there were bullies and sexual harassment that was, on the whole, not dealt with by the bosses. You fought your own corner, which is not a good management system.I was privileged to have visiting rights in many different worlds. I interviewed every prime minister from Harold Wilson to Tony Blair, was entertained at Chequers and Nos 10 and 11, and over the years had access to people and places most people never have the luck to experience. It meant being paid to read all the papers every morning. Language and clear communication were a passion, as were politics and examining how and where power is exercised. I liked the buzz of the newsroom and I'm a natural (and comfortable) outsider, intrigued by society in all its layers and the eternal difference between what people see as the truth, and what the real truth might be. Appearing on screen wasn't the bit I enjoyed most but I could do it and felt a calm presentation style was what fitted. Yes, there were bullies and sexual harassment that was, on the whole, not dealt with by the bosses. You fought your own corner, which is not a good management system.
I worked hard, I hope did a good job, I made friends, and left voluntarily at 63 to do other things.I worked hard, I hope did a good job, I made friends, and left voluntarily at 63 to do other things.
I was told once by Sir Robin Day that I got my job because "men wanted to sleep with me". If he was right, were men chosen on the same basis? Did some ageing old-school dame and trusty of Lord Reith secretly lust after David Dimbleby's youthful body? Or was it that he was already part of a male dynasty with the right connections, Oxbridge education and voice of authority? Have the criteria changed?I was told once by Sir Robin Day that I got my job because "men wanted to sleep with me". If he was right, were men chosen on the same basis? Did some ageing old-school dame and trusty of Lord Reith secretly lust after David Dimbleby's youthful body? Or was it that he was already part of a male dynasty with the right connections, Oxbridge education and voice of authority? Have the criteria changed?
Forty years ago, attitudes were different, and I and other women were breaking the barriers down. Angela Rippon at the BBC, then me at ITN. The papers had a field day, one comparing our hair and eye colours, ages, bust sizes, heights and so on, and giving us marks out of 100. We met privately and laughed, we thought things were moving forward, although one question on an entrance exam for trainees at Merrill Lynch in 1972 read: "When you meet a woman, what interests you most about her?" The correct answer was "beauty". Low scores were given to those who answered "intelligence". I don't see a great change in parts of the City today.Forty years ago, attitudes were different, and I and other women were breaking the barriers down. Angela Rippon at the BBC, then me at ITN. The papers had a field day, one comparing our hair and eye colours, ages, bust sizes, heights and so on, and giving us marks out of 100. We met privately and laughed, we thought things were moving forward, although one question on an entrance exam for trainees at Merrill Lynch in 1972 read: "When you meet a woman, what interests you most about her?" The correct answer was "beauty". Low scores were given to those who answered "intelligence". I don't see a great change in parts of the City today.
But other barriers have been overcome. Prime minister, supreme court member, leader of the TUC, senior police officers, home secretary, foreign secretary are all jobs filled by talented women in the past few decades.But other barriers have been overcome. Prime minister, supreme court member, leader of the TUC, senior police officers, home secretary, foreign secretary are all jobs filled by talented women in the past few decades.
So why are we women, who are 51% of the population, still subject to appalling discrimination? Why are we so absent from the places where power lies and decisions are made? Why aren't there more women over 50 gracing our screens? Just 18% of presenters at major broadcasters belong to this demographic was the finding of this week's research. Why aren't there more women in the cabinet, or being appointed as high court judges or joining the boards of companies? How is it that we've had an Equal Pay Act for 40 years and women are still not paid equally for doing the same work as men? How can it be that women are still deemed unemployable because they have babies? Whose babies do they have? Why is it that in these times of austerity, the majority of people who will pay the price of the cuts are women, and poorer women in the regions? Why, when large numbers of women experience violence and rape, are conviction numbers so paltry ?So why are we women, who are 51% of the population, still subject to appalling discrimination? Why are we so absent from the places where power lies and decisions are made? Why aren't there more women over 50 gracing our screens? Just 18% of presenters at major broadcasters belong to this demographic was the finding of this week's research. Why aren't there more women in the cabinet, or being appointed as high court judges or joining the boards of companies? How is it that we've had an Equal Pay Act for 40 years and women are still not paid equally for doing the same work as men? How can it be that women are still deemed unemployable because they have babies? Whose babies do they have? Why is it that in these times of austerity, the majority of people who will pay the price of the cuts are women, and poorer women in the regions? Why, when large numbers of women experience violence and rape, are conviction numbers so paltry ?
Who in Britain speaks out for women and who takes notice? (Women's ministers have often been excluded from the cabinet and the job too often has been an "add-on", bundled in with something else.)Who in Britain speaks out for women and who takes notice? (Women's ministers have often been excluded from the cabinet and the job too often has been an "add-on", bundled in with something else.)
Feminists do speak out but they get a bad name and are often dismissed with a barrage of derogatory words, for which there are no male equivalents. Is a man ever referred to as strident, high-pitched, shrill or a battleaxe? There's a firmly held conviction in our society that women "talk a lot", often about trivia and gossip. And yet research has shown that men, in many different situations, talk far more than women and expect women to listen.Feminists do speak out but they get a bad name and are often dismissed with a barrage of derogatory words, for which there are no male equivalents. Is a man ever referred to as strident, high-pitched, shrill or a battleaxe? There's a firmly held conviction in our society that women "talk a lot", often about trivia and gossip. And yet research has shown that men, in many different situations, talk far more than women and expect women to listen.
I'm reminded of a full-page headline that was written about me: "Angry Anna hates men." This is not true, now or ever, but was the result of my having criticised sexist adverts. I got used to being portrayed as a man-hating woman for ever "hitting out" at powerful men. So is this what happens when you step out of the box of femininity?I'm reminded of a full-page headline that was written about me: "Angry Anna hates men." This is not true, now or ever, but was the result of my having criticised sexist adverts. I got used to being portrayed as a man-hating woman for ever "hitting out" at powerful men. So is this what happens when you step out of the box of femininity?
Yes, and too often the degree of bullying involved confines and constrains women. To quote Jeanette Winterson: "Women have become adapters to an environment that doesn't suit us."Yes, and too often the degree of bullying involved confines and constrains women. To quote Jeanette Winterson: "Women have become adapters to an environment that doesn't suit us."
So what are we missing? What would women of the age of John Humphrys (69) or David Dimbleby (74) or David Attenborough (87) bring to our screens?So what are we missing? What would women of the age of John Humphrys (69) or David Dimbleby (74) or David Attenborough (87) bring to our screens?
Women of age often (but not always) have wisdom, beauty, tolerance and humour, intelligence, experience, empathy, understanding, are highly qualified and show boundless energy. Even more importantly, they bring another point of view. So why aren't they being chosen when they want to be? Why has equality of opportunity proved so hard to achieve?Women of age often (but not always) have wisdom, beauty, tolerance and humour, intelligence, experience, empathy, understanding, are highly qualified and show boundless energy. Even more importantly, they bring another point of view. So why aren't they being chosen when they want to be? Why has equality of opportunity proved so hard to achieve?
Partly because those who do the choosing (not always men) do not see or value those qualities, and partly because society has an obsession with a narrow form of youthful beauty (which doesn't explain Humphrys et al, but they are deemed to have authority and gravitas often misconstrued as male attributes).Partly because those who do the choosing (not always men) do not see or value those qualities, and partly because society has an obsession with a narrow form of youthful beauty (which doesn't explain Humphrys et al, but they are deemed to have authority and gravitas often misconstrued as male attributes).
Audiences have said they want to see more older women on screen as positive role models, yet despite years of broken promises the BBC has not acted. I hope Tony Hall, the new director general, and his peers in other organisations will see the problem and fix it.Audiences have said they want to see more older women on screen as positive role models, yet despite years of broken promises the BBC has not acted. I hope Tony Hall, the new director general, and his peers in other organisations will see the problem and fix it.
All this is not a deficiency in women but in the systems we inhabit, and the change to these systems needs to be for everyone. Men too suffer from harsh, demanding and family-unfriendly work environments, where corporate interests have gained supremacy. For the invisibilty of women over 50 isn't just a problem of representation on television. It's far more deep-seated than that. It's to do with levels of misogyny that lie so deep as to remain unrecognised and as yet not fully explained. It's the "male-as-norm" with men always in the foreground, thereby relegating women to the slightly out-of-focus background.All this is not a deficiency in women but in the systems we inhabit, and the change to these systems needs to be for everyone. Men too suffer from harsh, demanding and family-unfriendly work environments, where corporate interests have gained supremacy. For the invisibilty of women over 50 isn't just a problem of representation on television. It's far more deep-seated than that. It's to do with levels of misogyny that lie so deep as to remain unrecognised and as yet not fully explained. It's the "male-as-norm" with men always in the foreground, thereby relegating women to the slightly out-of-focus background.
As to remedies, first we need quotas for women's advancement in politics, law and business. A company director said to me recently that quotas would lead to mediocrity, but they wouldn't: the UK is bursting with hidden female talent.As to remedies, first we need quotas for women's advancement in politics, law and business. A company director said to me recently that quotas would lead to mediocrity, but they wouldn't: the UK is bursting with hidden female talent.
Second, we need an independent, high-level public investigation into the place of women in our society, to look into why we are so poorly represented, and so poorly served, with some legally binding recommendations. (I keep being told the next generation will be different, that women will rule the roost. To that I would say: we thought we'd done that in the 60s.)Second, we need an independent, high-level public investigation into the place of women in our society, to look into why we are so poorly represented, and so poorly served, with some legally binding recommendations. (I keep being told the next generation will be different, that women will rule the roost. To that I would say: we thought we'd done that in the 60s.)
Third, we need more female writers for front-page articles to help change the portrayal of women in the newspapers.Third, we need more female writers for front-page articles to help change the portrayal of women in the newspapers.
Fourth, we need to change the ways we make decisions so power is less centralised and shared more equally. And finally, we need early education about gender and how "equality of opportunity" must mean just that.Fourth, we need to change the ways we make decisions so power is less centralised and shared more equally. And finally, we need early education about gender and how "equality of opportunity" must mean just that.
Oh, and enforcement of existing discrimination laws please.Oh, and enforcement of existing discrimination laws please.
I'm reminded of the bravery of the suffragettes who won us the vote. Women from all classes broke the law by walking down Bond Street breaking windows with hammers and then endured sickening levels of violence in prison.I'm reminded of the bravery of the suffragettes who won us the vote. Women from all classes broke the law by walking down Bond Street breaking windows with hammers and then endured sickening levels of violence in prison.
One hundred years ago Ethel Smyth, suffragette and political prisoner, said: "There is something hateful, sickening in this heaping up of art treasures, this sentimentalising over the beautiful, while the desecration and ruin of the bodies of women and little children by lust, disease and poverty are looked upon with indifference."One hundred years ago Ethel Smyth, suffragette and political prisoner, said: "There is something hateful, sickening in this heaping up of art treasures, this sentimentalising over the beautiful, while the desecration and ruin of the bodies of women and little children by lust, disease and poverty are looked upon with indifference."
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