And they’re not trying to communicate anything subliminally either.
2022 has been a hard year so far.
Between the cost of living crisis, concerns about bodily autonomy, and the ongoing deterioration of our planet, it’s up to media organisations to get to the heart of the issues, and thankfully yesterday’s Liveline tackled one incredibly important topic.
I’m talking, of course, about the stance of newsreaders. No, not in terms of their political or religious beliefs, but their physical stance. As in, how they stand when they present the news, because it’s a hot topic apparently.
On the lunchtime show, one caller got in touch to share concerns with host Katie Hannon that Irish newsreaders are delivering a possibly subliminal message through their, erh, stance.
Lots of breaking news this evening. I hope I remember to stand, eh, narrowly. @RTE_PrimeTime @rteliveline
— Sarah McInerney (@SarahAMcInerney) July 5, 2022
This particular caller stated that she has witnessed news presenters standing with their feet “two feet apart” in a way that is bordering on “vulgar”. She advocated for a more “demure” or “ladylike” position, in which they stand with their legs together, with one foot slightly in front of the other.
Needless to say, the caller’s remarks didn’t go down too well with other listeners, many of whom called in to debate her. However, another rang in with a similar complaint. While this subsequent caller took no issue with how news presenters stand (phew!), she had a personal vendetta against one female (!) sports presenter who has the audacity to sometimes sit with her legs crossed.
I mean, won’t someone inform the church elders immediately?
Caller number two believes the proper way for presenters to sit is with their knees together and with one foot in front of the other. Another big concern for her is cleavage, which is “just awful”, in her opinion.
“Who wants to see someone’s cleavage?” she said in her rallying cry.
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The conversation ignited a (thankfully, largely one-sided) debate on Twitter, but some media personalities have issued responses of their own, in an attempt to put the issue to bed.
Muireann O’Connell used her Instagram platform to workshop a few new stances.
“Female telly presenters trying to make simply existing be acceptable to liveline listeners,” she wrote in the caption.
Sarah McInernay also addressed the issue on Twitter writing: “Lots of breaking news this evening. I hope I remember to stand, eh, narrowly.”
