Wondering whether we need more women in media? Listen to this….

Frank Deford’s sexist, tone-deaf commentary on today’s Morning Edition on NPR really pushed me over the top this morning. The commentary just aired a half hour ago so it’s not posted online yet, but it should be tomorrow. The you can listen in to Deford’s incredulous pondering of why people are so worked up by the misdeeds of Ben Roethlisberger and other millionaire celebrity athletes who have been accused of violence and misogyny. Deford basically said, so the guy was accused of sexual assault…at least it wasn’t a gun charge. He wondered why do we hold athletes to such an unrealistically high standard of behavior? I hope you’ll listen to the segment when it becomes available and then send an email to NPR if you agree that this commentary was offensive. Deford is entitled to his opinion and we’re entitled to tell him we think he’s an idiot. The question is whether NPR is serving its listeners with a fair menu of commentators representing a spectrum of opinions–and so far the research shows they are not.

Here is the letter I whipped off to NPR in response to Deford’s commentary. For once I just sat down and wrote out my response rather than “waiting to get it perfect” and then not getting it done:

Dear Morning Edition,

I’ve put up with Frank Deford’s patronizing commentary for years but today’s defense of Ben Roethlisberger was beyond the pale. I could not believe my ears as his jokey, offhand commentary unspooled. Why should athletes be held to a standard of behavior? Because they are paid millions of dollars and worshipped as celebrities, “warriors” and “heroes.” They can’t have it both ways, expecting their image to sell products but at the same time have their reprehensible behavior not count.

Since when did rape become part of “taking in the night air?” Should women really feel grateful that Roethlisberger was accused of sexual assault rather than a gun charge? Deford seems to think we are holding athletes to a higher standard of behavior when we are holding them accountable for violence against women and other crimes.

Why is Deford given such a prominent spot for all these years? Where are your female commentators who would have a very different point of view? Listen to On the Media from April 16 [the story examining "NPR's woman problem"]. Not only is Frank Deford a sexist jerk, but NPR has a real problem in representing commentator voices other than the same old white men we’ve been hearing from for decades.

I have been listening to NPR for 20 years, often for 6-10 hours a day in my workplace, and I have not been this angry since I sat through live coverage of the Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill hearings. At least then NPR was not responsible for the content.

You really need to get a clue if you are going to bring along the next generation of listeners.

Sincerely,

Amy Tiemann, Ph.D.
Chapel Hill, NC
WUNC listener and volunteer

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Update, 4/29/10

Here is the link to Deford’s commentary, “Not All Role Models Need be Positive.”

Be sure to read the comment section which contains many articulate rants written in opposition to Deford’s point of view.

You can add your voice to the backlash by posting a comment, or emailing your feedback to Morning Edition via the NPR Contact Form.