In a brazen attempt to attract attention to Paula Zahn’s new CNN morning show, the channel aired racy commercials touting the anchor’s sex appeal. The sultry advertisements come at an inopportune time. The 24-hour news cycle and the Internet have increased the number of media watchers and the forums for them to debate journalists’ credibility more than ever. Selling serious news — and Zahn’s show is not the usual entertainment package — has reached a new low of desperation when anchors are promoted for their sex appeal rather than intellect.
The 20-second commercial featured a male announcer asking viewers: “Where can you find a morning news anchor who’s provocative, super-sexy, oh yeah, and just a little sexy?” Then, in bright red letters, the word “sexy” appeared while an image of Zahn came onto the screen.
How are women supposed to be taken seriously in the patriarchy of broadcast journalism when advertisers promote them as sexual objects instead of serious intellectuals? CNN quickly pulled the ad, and company executives released a statement condemning the spot, saying the advertisement didn’t get the necessary final approval from them. However, no amount of backtracking will counteract the integrity issues now facing both Zahn and CNN.
An aging demographic and glossier competition are sinking ratings for the original cable news channel. And to increase ratings, CNN has been roped into using sexist tactics to get viewers to tune in and “turn on.”Fox News Channel fired Zahn in early September for breach of contract, and CNN quickly snatched her. Now it seems CNN is trying to keep up with the sexier, glossier Fox News with low-brow tactics.
There is no word on whether Zahn knew of the advertisement or its connotations. Now CNN executives will be stuck finding ways to apologize for the debacle, Zahn will have to defend her reputation as a serious anchor and viewers will have to second guess whether they’re going to watch “American Morning with Paula Zahn” because it’s informative or because she looks hot. Either way, everyone comes out feeling a little dirty.
Nothing’s sexy or cool about CNN’s sexist ads
Daily Emerald
January 9, 2002
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