Let’s put the Erin Andrews’ case in perspective. Andrews is the attractive sports reporter who was secretly videotaped by some low life. Then it got to YouTube. Then academia and the media weighed in.
The comment that resonated with me was that of Christine Brennan, the USA Today sports columnist. “Women journalists need to be smart and not play to the frat house,” she noted on Twitter.
Brennan should have directed that comment to the networks, including ESPN, Andrews’ employer. That’s because the networks want — and actually court – frat-house appeal. And, yes, frat house appeal transcends the frat-house years. That’s what female sideline reporters are for.
Networks know their demographic. And they know they don’t need “journalists” to report that the back-up quarterback is warming up or that it’s rumored that Tim Tebow has a girlfriend. Networks want babes.
Of course, it doesn’t excuse what some slugs might do, but it does explain why some of them watch.