Swimsuit Model Turned Anchorwoman Stirs Controversy

As if the world needs another reality television program, Fox will debut “Anchorwoman” – the chronicles of a swimsuit model named Lauren Jones trying to make it in television news – on August 21.

Apparently, Jones’ first scheduled appearance Monday on Tyler, Texas’ KYTX 5PM news -- also taped for later viewing on Fox -- has created quite a controversy.

According to Monday’s Hollywood Reporter (emphasis added throughout, h/t Lost Remote TV Blog, strap yourselves in for some chuckles):

"One of the last sacred grounds of integrity in local television is the local newsroom, so I guess I would say I'm disappointed to see a station, much less one in our own community, that has evidently sold its integrity," said Brad Streit, vp and GM for KLTV-TV, the ABC affiliate in Tyler.

Adds KETK-TV GM Mike DeLier of the NBC affiliate: "I see this as a stunt, and it's a self-admitted stunt and not a journalistic endeavor."

Al Tompkins, broadcast group leader for the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla., is more blunt: "It devalues the work of real journalists who are trying to do real work. It doesn't do anything to help the reputation of journalists there and around the world."

Pretty funny, don’t you agree. Fortunately, the station’s General Manager Phil Hurley sees things our way, deliciously commenting:

“Journalism credibility? I think that’s somewhat amusing when all I see today on the cable news is Paris Hilton, nonstop,”

Great point, Phil. Yet, maybe the best quote on this issue was the following:

Barbara Cochran, executive director of the Radio-TV News Directors Assn., said that among her concerns is viewers will get a distorted picture of what goes on in a newsroom.

"At a time when journalists are getting a lot of criticism, it's going to present a picture that doesn't show the hard work and deep thought that goes on in every newsroom," Cochran said.

Deep thought? In newsrooms?

Actually, what Barbara and others are probably most concerned about is the likelihood that Jones will be able to read those teleprompters and smile for the cameras with equal aplomb as those making millions doing the very same thing.

For those interested, here is video newscast regarding her first appearance on KYTX.