Frostrup: More women needed on panel shows
- Published: 24 August 2008 13:59
- Author: Jon Rogers
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- Last Updated: 24 August 2008 14:16
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Edinburgh 08: Broadcaster and writer Mariella Frostrup has called for positive discrimination on panel shows so that women are better represented on screen.
During the debate Women Know Your Place at the Edinburgh TV festival, Frostrup said: "There needs to be positive discrimination on panel shows, to get more intelligent women on TV. We need more women."
Frostrup cited the example of the BBC's comedy quiz show QI, hosted by Stephen Fry, which mainly had men as the panelists with occasional appearances from comedian Jo Brand.
Dave controller Steve North, also sitting on the debate, said that there was an age gap with on screen talent. He said there were the younger "eye candy" women and then older women appearing on TV but there was a gap in the middle mid 35-to early 40-year-olds as women took time out of their careers to raise a family.
The other panelists, which included Silver River head girl Daisy Goodwin and BBC1 controller Jay Hunt, agreed there was a female "brain drain" across the whole TV industry for both on and off screen talent as women made choices about raising a family.
Hunt said: "It's about a decision to have a family or not. Women have to really want to get on in this industry."
"Having it all is really quite crap at times," added Hunt. "It's a tough gig. We [women] take it all on though."
