Yes, I do know of the two journalists that you are speaking of and yes they do sport natural styles...however, you also have to realize that they have already "Made IT" Needless to say, I haven't.
I am still struggling to land my first job in the television industry and one thing that makes it hard for us is that news directors want us to look like their audience! SO, I guess if I could get hired in a small to mid market city where over 80% of that stations's viewer's are of an ethnic background and wore natural styles, then YES! It would make it a lot easier for me to wear the styles that I want, ie micro-braids. Many times, when you get into a station, they send you to a consultant anyway where they "make-you over" to what they think their viewers will like and what will make their viewers continue to watch thier station. I know that many viewers at the particular staion where Monica Kauffman is at watch just to see what color her hair will be that week and if her style has changed...this is highly unusual because most viewers like consistency and not something that changes every week. Yet, part of her marketability is the fact that she does change her hair color and style so often. I also know that she has struggled with a bout of breast cancer and the chemo and radiation treatments have damaged her hair greatly. However, because she has always had such a positive attitude about her, she just took it like a grain of salt.
Anchors and reporters have been suspended, fired, and even sued because sometimes in the contracts that we have to sign the stations that we work for own our image and we cannot change it until we go through them first! Station managers are very afraid of making their viewers mad, and losing out on the dollars that come in from the ratings wars.
However, I applaud our sisters like Monica who continue to pave the way for beginners like me; and I only hope that I can do the same once I get to where they are at....but as you know, first....I HAVE TO GET MY FOOT IN THE DOOR
Sorry Soror Moderators if this post was too long but as you all know Broadcast Journalism is my passion and was my major! Feel free to take this post and make it into another topic if you have to.
[This message has been edited by Conspiracy2 (edited June 12, 2001).]