Female
Sportscasters
by Laura Nachman
Philadelphia Metro<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"
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December 29, 2005
Female
sportscasters are slowly working their way into the starting lineup in the
world of television.
Within
the last month, two women – Jamie Apody and Jade McCarthy - were hired for
the sports departments for local stations 6ABC and NBC10.
Even
the latest “Survivor,” Danni Boatwright, gave exposure to her profession,
as her job title, “Sports Radio Talk Show Host” was plastered on the
screen for millions of households to see every week.
Former
WB17 news director, Rich Scott, the first Philadelphia broadcast news director
to hire a female for a regular sports role here five years ago (weekend sports
anchor Jenna Wolfe) has some reasons.
“Though
they still represent a minority, the number of female sports reporters and
anchors around the country has grown significantly since I hired Jenna nearly
five years ago. It’s only fitting, since there are an awful lot of
female sports fans and viewers out there. It stopped becoming a
"novelty" as more and more news directors understood how a
competent, knowledgeable, female sports anchor can help build audience.
Its really that simple.”
Comcast
SportsNet’s Dei Lynam, 39, is one of two female anchors for the sports
channel, which begin in 1997. Besides
her role as an anchor and sideline reporter for Sixers games, she has been the
play-by-play announcer for the Washington Mystics WNBA team for eight years.
“Things
have evolved since my first on-air job in 1992.
First, the industry has changed. With
cable, there are more opportunities. There
is never just one woman in a locker room anymore.
Second, there are more women playing sports today.” And there are
lots of women working in behind-the-scenes positions,” she said.
Next
year’s “Monday Night Football” broadcasting team on ESPN will feature
two men and two women – Suzy Kolber and Michele Tafoya.
There
are three women on ESPN who anchor and do play-by-play – Linda Cohn, Pam
Ward, and Beth Mowins.