radio show prep: 'obese' news anchor fires back, is 6 months maternity leave too long? and where to get free kids meals

ShowStarters Tuesday 10.03.12

cuttin' cake

• Seann William Scott with two "n's" and two "t's" is 36
• Gwen Stefani turns 43
• Jack Wagner is 53

Today is Techies Day

primetime wednesday

All networks save the CW will air the Presidential Debate, R vs. O, tonight at 9... The CW has the season premiere of Supernatural

abc: The Middle and The Neighbors are new
cbs: Survivor: Philippines is also new
nbc: new episodes of Animal Practice and Guys With Kids
fox: The X Factor is new
cw:  Oh Sit!

pop quiz:  one-hit-wonder-wednesday

Back to 1991...name the one hit wonder

play

Answer:  3rd Bass "Pop Goes the Weasel"

joke of the day

Jim had been on a game show for one week straight, getting every question right. At the end of the week the host of the show said, "Jim, you've been excellent this week.

If you answer this question, you will win $60,000 and a new car!"

"OK,"answered Jim. "Now as you know," said the host, "You can answer part A or part B of the question first.

Which one would you like to take a shot at?" "Oh, how about part B,"answered Jim nonchalantly.

The host said, "OK. Here's your question-part B- And in what year did it happen?'"

One Week!

Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer had a baby boy on Sunday.  That's the good news.  Marissa Mayer had a baby boy on Sunday, and will be back to work next week -- and that's the bad news, according to Slate.com.  They say Mayer is setting a really, really bad precedent for women that would like to take a traditional maternity leave:

"Horrible bosses around the country will start expecting Mayer-level commitment, the thinking goes: “If Marissa Mayer could dial in to the 7 a.m. conference call from her private recovery room just a few hours after her first child was born, why can’t you?"

Is six months too long?  Is it even possible to go back to work after only one week?

Play this phone call 

News Anchor Fires Back

Do local news anchors have a responsibility to the community when it comes to their appearance?  A La Crosse, WI news anchor received an email from a guy calling her obese and a bad example for children:

"I was surprised indeed to witness that your physical condition hasn't improved for many years. Surely you don't consider yourself a suitable example for this community's young people, girls in particular. Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain. I leave you this note hoping that you'll reconsider your responsibility as a local public personality to present and promote a healthy lifestyle."

Normally anchors are told to brush this kind of stuff off... it comes with the territory.  But this one really got to her.  So the station let Jennifer Livingston strike back... in a four minute editorial, Jennifer responded:

Audio:  Kids receive these emails every day 
Audio:  The Internet has become a weapon 

"The truth is: you could call me fat. And yes, even obese, on a doctor's chart. But to the person who wrote me that letter: Do you think I don't know that?"

"October is is national anti-bullying month, and this is a problem that is growing every day in our schools and on the internet. It is a major issue in the lives of young people today. And as the mother of three young girls, it scares me to death..."

".... The internet has become a weapon. Our schools have become a battleground. And this behavior is learned. It is passed down from people like the man who wrote me that email. If you are at home, and you are talking about the fat newslady, guess what? Your children are probably going to go to school and call someone fat. We need to teach our kids how to be kind, not critical, and we need to do that by example."

At last check the station's Facebook page had close to 400 mostly-supportive comments.

Video


Facebook/Phones:  Where do you stand?  Should folks in the local media, and I include radio, set an example with their physical appearance?  Should overweight people be allowed on the air?

Free Meals for the Kiddies

Yahoo! put together a great list of 14 places kids can eat free!  There's pretty much a restaurant covering every day of the week with freebies... here are the first four:

1. Applebee's - Monday night's serve up a free kid's meal with the purchase of an adult meal.  Additional kids eat for a buck each
2. Bennigans - Buy an adult meal and kids eat free on the first and third Tuesday of each month
3. Buffalo Wild Wings - Kids eat free, but each location chooses a day, so call ahead
4. Denny's - Tuesday's from 4 to 10pm, you can get two kids' meals free with the purchase of an adult meal

There are 9 more here 

Facebook/Phones:  Where's the best place in town to get freebies, food or otherwise, for the kids?

ONE LAST THING!

We're heading into the thick of the political system, so how well do you know your audience's political affiliation? Care to take a guess?

 Take a guess in your head, and then head over here and check out the political party chart by format! By the way, that website will be my new home once I get everything transferred. Check it out today!