I have to repeat my observation that Fineman seems to have a history of criticizing women of color in broadcast news, and his site's feedback has been a magnet for women-of-color-bashers (folks who question whether so-and-so would be there if she wasn't female and of a certain background).

I wonder if he has also criticized Jilian (who's white), et. al., who have indeed turned the a.m. news into something more akin to "Entertainment This Morning" (and thus the great success of the wake-up shows on 5 and 11).

Also, it's not as if local television news doesn't have its share of beef-cake, particularly during sweeps, when you might see David Ono stretching a wetsuit over his abs in a how-to feature.

It's not that I disagree that news should be news; I'm just questioning why Tay is being singled out when this kind of stuff (Jilian's been in many mags) is all over the dial and all over the racial rainbow.

Dennis, for what it's worth, since Fineman's site is pay only and not available to be casually perused...yes, he has criticized Jillian Barberie too. He had something on her wardrobe last week. From what I can tell, he just doesn't like TV women dressing sexy.

Fair enough. I noticed that too, from his headlines. (I don't subscribe). There were concerns in the past over his constant criticism of a certain Latina news director. Maybe he's just a critic.

"Don't get me wrong when I tell you that [Sharon Tay], while being a very nice [woman], is the devil." --Albert Brooks, Broadcast News (1987)

Sharon Tay is a good PR excuse to recycle old news about the blurring of entertainment and news, but she isn't really the story here, is she? Isn't this more of an unapologetic L.A. Story about its own specialized obsession with youth, beauty and (acting) ambition? Or about (some similarly obsessed) L.A. blogs and websites increasingly generating L.A. news stories?

"Sorry . . . . sex, tears . . . . this must be the news." (Albert Brooks, ditto)

Sharon Tay's degrees and credentials do seriously qualify her as a beautiful and girly L.A. journalist, anchor and ambitious aspiring actress, so what's the L.A. problem here? San Francisco's Marcia Brandwynne knows that youth, beauty and dreams of acting aren't necessarily the primary job requirements for local women anchors in other major markets. (I love L.A.)

Kevin is correct. I don't think TV news women should dressy sexy on the air, or model with sexy clothing.

I have been complaining about incompetence in local news for nearly five years, and I have complained about people of all colors. It's true that many have been minority females, like Tay, Mia Lee, Lauren Sanchez and Claudia Trejos, to name a few. It would be quite naive to think that news directors don't consider color and ethnicity when they hire. When I believe affirmative action plays a role which hurts local TV news (like letting Claudia Trejos anchor sports at KTLA several years ago), I am not afraid to say so. And I am no bigot. I have a reporting track record which I'll match against anyone else's when it comes to covering racial discrimination.
I do have one question for Dennis Romero, who seems to have no problem implying that I am racist with no proof to back it up. Just what Latina News Director are you talking about?

Sharon Tau has any credibility? What a joke. She's obviously as dumb as a post.

[snarky comment about blown-dry local TV newsreaders being little more than readers of news self-deleted]

I do not watch either show, but isn't Sharon Tay supposed to be a Real Newsreader, whereas Jillian is a Wacky Weathergirl?

Parenthetically, that Sharon Tay ad (as seen on busses: "Real news for real people" or "Real news. Real people." or something) is quite funny.

I don't remember the news director's name. It was a few years ago, before Ron's site went pay. I remember the criticism upsetting some of us in the Latino journalism community. I'll find out her name and post it.

Ron, if you're not afraid to say it when you think affirmative action hurts local TV news, do you also point it out if and when underqualified whites get jobs in the biz as well?

Dennis - I already said in my prior post that I complain about people of all colors. If you read my site now, or when it was free, you would know that.

Please tell us all the name of this Latina News Director that I was allegedly unfair to, so that I can further show how baseless your implications are.

It was KCBS executive producer Annette Zapata to whom I was referring.

Ron, that's cool, and I believe you. I'm just questioning whether you've ever opined that it was someone's white male-ness or, let's say, white affirmative action, that got them the gig.

Dennis - if you know of anyone in LA TV who got their job because they are white, how about naming some names? If I knew about that, I would certainly expose it.

All due respect, it is unfortunate that you don't have your facts together before spouting off in a public forum. I knew you had it wrong when you complained that I had somehow maligned a Latina News Director, since I knew there has been none in the five years I've written my column. So it turns out you meant Executive Producer Annette Zapata. Fair enough; I'm sure that was an honest mistake on your part.
But are you even aware that the major portion of critcism about Zapata in my column two years ago come from people who had worked with her? Do you in the Latino journalism community who were so upset think that those who complained about her` are racist? If not, then why even bring up ethnicity?
People complained about her unprofessional style of dress and her competence. As I recall, that was fully discussed in my column, pro and con, without any suggestion of a racist agenda.

But now here you come throwing it out there trying to justify your initial irresponsible suggestion that I am some sort of bigot.

I have discussed the role of race and ethnicity in hiring practices. It's a fair subject and I certainly would not discourage debating it.

I blast people all the time in my column, and I am certainly willing to hear from those who disagree with me. It's part of my job.

But before you put out such charges of racial/ethnic bias in the future against anyone, I suggest you think twice about it, and make sure you have some facts to back up your accusation.

There's no accusations here. Just questions. And, yes, facts. As far as Zapata goes, I recall that she certainly had her defenders, and yes, I credit Ron's site with allowing feedback to that extent after indeed publishing concerns about the way she dressed (sound familiar?). I'm just asking the questions that maybe we should all ask once in a while.

-So, let's see, whites are clearly overrepresented in the news business (in the old days, they used to call it "discrimination," but let's just be nice call it a de facto form of affirmative action), but so far not one was underqualified for the job? Not one person "in LA TV" ... "got their job because they are white?" Wow. That's quite a question. Only people of color have been hired as a result of their background? Only people of color are subject to having their qualifications questioned vis-a-vis their ethnicity? Huh.

I'm not anti-white at all. Some of my greatest mentors have been white, and some of my favorite journalists are white. My mother's white. I'm just asking if being white is ever an advantage, because the numbers sure say it is, despite the ironic criticism of folks who question the qualifications of those few people of color who made it into the club (but can't find any white people who got a leg up as a result of their background).

Ron, I'll leave it up to you to "expose" this story. I'm sure you'll get more play on Romenesko if you do. I'll be the first to applaud you.

If you know of anyone who was hired BECAUSE they are white...say so! I believe it would be a violation of the law. Otherwise, you're just race-baiting. I've written so many times here to defend my integrity and expose that you haven't got a clue as to what you are talking about.
I'm done.