And relax. It’s only cable news. Basically an entertainment industry, measuring success by ‘ratings’—what does that say? You can shake a tree in this country and plenty of attractive faces will fall out who can read teleprompters.

But who gets the well-paying, high-profile jobs and why? That’s my point to the posts (duh). I raised the issue and some act like I dropped a bag of s&%t on the floor in the middle of their dinner party.

I suppose next you’ll be telling me felons and the dead don’t vote, reporters never make up stories, and polls can’t be skewed to produce predetermined outcomes. Nepotism, and similar practices, do not exist.

Please…

I answered with, “who has worked at FNC longer than 8 years that should have gotten the slot instead of Jane?”

You followed up with, “#7-Why should longevity be the only criteria? If that were the case, then Lauren Green should probably have any job she wants on camera because she actually predates every one, doesn’t she?”

Ok, so you think Lauren Greene should have the 2pm slot instead of Jane? Thanks for the answer.

Before FNC even aired, wasn’t Lauren hired to read mock news scripts on camera while they were getting the graphics, studio and production equipment set up and working? So, technically, she’s been there longer than any one else.

But, I hardly think that criteria alone means she should have a slot of her own. My Mom worked for Ma Bell in the 1950s, but I don’t think that entitles her to an executive vice presdient’s position at AT&T.

(In the end, FNC liked Lauren Green so much during the run-throughs, they asked her to stay. And I’m happy she did.)

Does she read a teleprompter better, more efficiently, than anyone else without their own show? Does Skinner have the lowest mispronunciation rate? Can she write her own copy? Has she been there longer than other anchors with an interest in their own time slots?

Does she have a particular type of degree (MA, PhD, JD) in broadcast journalism or public affairs that would make her more highly qualified to handle content that’s not scripted? Can Skinner also cover a story in the field, making her a more flexible contributor to the news operation?

Define “class”? Does that mean she shows less cleavage than the rest? More? Skirts shorter? Longer? Clothes nicer, more expensive? Require less makeup? Have a better stylist, wardrobe consultant? Does she ‘giggle’ less? Or make fewer inappropriate remarks?

When Skinner’s been on the air in the past, what were her ratings compared to others–during the same time slot, day of the week, given roughly the same story profiles? How does she individually do with focus groups, compared to other anchors? Do the anchors who score the best get the jobs?