Sexy photos expose TV news as a glamor game
They’re some of Chicago’s biggest television news personalities as you’ve never seen them before: Wearing white T-shirts and camisoles, showing off biceps and bra straps and bare shoulders, sporting sexy smiles and come-hither gazes.
The text accompanying these black-and-white images of Kathy Brock, Mark Suppelsa, Anne State, Anna Davlantes, Tera Williams, Anthony Ponce and Paula Faris lists their personal “obsessions,” written in a style that evokes the “turn-ons” and “turnoffs” of Playboy centerfolds. All seven photographs ran in the October issue of Michigan Avenue magazine, under the subhead: “Chicago’s small-screen stunners strip down their airtime appearances and reveal their own behind-the-scenes obsessions.”
They were shot by photographer Maria Ponce, daughter of “Chicago Tonight” news anchor Phil Ponce (and sister of reporter Anthony Ponce and ex-reporter Dan Ponce), and they’re among 30 photos of local broadcasters she’ll display in “On TV/Off TV,” an exhibit opening Nov. 20 at Packer Schopf Gallery. Also featured in the show will be paintings of some of the same subjects by her mother, artist Ann Ponce.
Reaction to the six-page spread in Michigan Avenue? “I heard people say they thought some of the photos were a little shocking,” said Susanna Negovan, editor in chief of the glossy city magazine. “Mark Suppelsa definitely got a lot of people’s attention because of his scruffy face. He’s a bit of a sex symbol already. So to show him this way, this is even sexier. I think the Anne State photo is very provocative. Her shirt is very tight.”
Negovan, who used to write the “Susanna’s Night Out” column for the Sun-Times (as Susanna Homan) and is married to Tribune Co.-owned WGN-Channel 9 newsman Tom Negovan, knows a thing or two about the lure of media celebrities in this town.
“These are some of the best known faces in the city of Chicago,” she said of Maria Ponce’s collection. “So to see them in such a visually arresting way is really powerful. I also think that a lot of these people, because they’re evening news anchors, are used to hearing people tell them: ‘Oh, I’m in bed with you every night!’ So here they are, basically stripped down in that way. That’s why it was really fun for people.”
It also underscores the willingness of these media people (and their approving bosses) to risk whatever journalistic credibility they have in order to ratchet up their Q scores and Nielsen ratings. “As the news audience continues to shrink and everyone is competing for viewers, I see a lot of news anchors putting themselves out there in general,” Negovan said. “If you look at some of their Facebook pages and the offhand comments they post about some of their newscasts, you’ll see it too.”
The fact that there’s been no discernible fallout to the photos after a month on the newsstand contrasts starkly with the experience of an earlier Chicago television glamor girl.
In 1985, a 27-year-old rising star named Deborah Norville nearly derailed her career when a sexy, pouty, bare-shouldered image of her, shot by famed photographer Victor Skrebneski, appeared alongside a lust-fantasy profile of her (“Lunch With a Goddess”) in Chicago magazine.
Norville’s bosses at NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 were mortified. They briefly considered bumping her off the anchor desk. Many of her colleagues were embarrassed for her and appalled for their profession. “It revived the whole business of the gorgeous game-show hostess reading the news,” former Tribune media critic Steve Daley later recalled.
Of course, NBC’s discomfort didn’t last long. Sixteen months later, Norville was in New York, anchoring “NBC News at Sunrise” and being groomed to replace Jane Pauley on the “Today” show. She’s now in her 15th year as host of “Inside Edition.”
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blogs.vocalo.org
“no discernible fallout” from photos in Michigan Avenue Magazine? Isn’t that a bit of a “if a tree falls and no one is around to hear it” scenario? These photos will likely get more exposure from your column than the magazine spread.
Not sure which is the stronger statement, that so many ‘journalists’ participated or that station management didn’t seem to care?
There is an upside, when Comcast sells off NBC and WMAQ becomes part of an organization run out of Des Moines we’ll already be acclimated to their small market, low rent aesthetics.
I would not think that Walter Cronkite would have agreed to pose for these kinds of pictures.
Do you think that (in alphabetical order) John Drury, Floyd Kalber, or Bill Kurtis would have?
I don’t see Ron Magers on that list. Was he asked?
What WERE they thinking? And if they weren’t thinking, why are they ‘journalists’? We should be looking to obtain our news from individuals who are capable of using their brain! This is so embarrassing for our society. But, then, this is what WE asked for. I’m embarrassed for them … but, I’m far more embarrassed for our society.
That’s not even a good pic of Anne State. Tight shirt notwithstanding, she is tons prettier on air than that. If I were Anne, I’d be b***h-slapping Maria for the insult.
And Suppelsa has obviously been airbrushed to look like Brett Favre.
I think we all need to lighten up and take it for what it is…harmless.
What a stupid idea…………..just do the news.
I had no idea that Anne State had such big brains.
I am proud of Frank Mathie for turning this down.
Thank you for promoting this TV Academy fundraiser for the NATAS Foundation Scholarship Program.
And I found your column on the passing of fellow newspaper and television journalist Burleigh Hines quite moving.
I am far more concerned with so-called journalists who post blatently one-sided political commentary – often times crass commentary – on their social networking sites. I understand free-speech, but these are supposedly “objective” journalists. The bias is more than transparent for too many and they should not hold jobs in a position of public trust.
Hi Rob,
Tom Ciesielka here. Trying to reach you about an event for the Publicity Club of Chicago.
Tom C
http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/life/1777-1.jpg
Where is Harry Porterfields picture ??? Now, isn’t the off air Harry ’someone we should know’ ???…
If they want ratings they should do the news nude! It would draw more viewers at least until Tom Skilling whips out his weather barometer!
Awwww. Too bad Mike Barz is unemployed. This kinda promotion would have been right up his alley!
Hubba-hubba!
Whether we care to admit it, or to be part of it, time is passing, people & society, their tastes and morals are changing.
In the late 50s everyone was shocked by Elvis & his pelvis on Ed Sullivan, in the late 80s a majority of the country was mortified by George Michael’s “I want your sex”. In the 2000s, Madonna & Britney Spears kissed on live TV while 1/2 the Billboard Hot 100 is sexual, vulgar or somehow negative.
It is what it is.
Warm Regards,
PP
This is late, but congratulations on your new home. I have missed your sharp, declarative prose, and your attitude. I’m out of the media these days, but I still enjoy your insights. Thanks!
The first few respondents seem to be a little too harsh and/or judgemental.
The last time that I checked, Ann State, Mark Suppelsa, Ana Davlantes, Kathy Brock etc. are anchor people. Talking heads. Rip and readers. Do any of them even claim to be “journalists”?
Who is Ann State? Does she work in Chicago? Is she famous for some reason?
Meh, Chicago really needs another Robin Meade, right now the best we got is CH 5 weather bunny Ginger Zee + CH 32’s ace reporter Tera Williams.
I think someone should do an “On Radio/Off Radio” spoof of this. Shudder…
I see no harm in this. From what is described, they were not ordered to appear like this – it was voluntary. Obviously, TV journalists’ looks play a bigger role than the looks of print journalists. And the recent Mike Barz brou-ha-ha shows that even if you have looks, your actual behavior can still get you into trouble.
Pretty people reading fourth grade-level copy from a teleprompter? 500-word stories? It’s not even journalism. (If Anne State cared about her credibility and image, would she put on a tight t-shirt and get lit from the side to show off her chest? No.) But who cares if they take a few cheesecake shots. The real journalists are working in print.
I know this blog isn’t an art-criticism site, but I feel compelled to also mention that the photos are bad. They are uninteresting, weak images and their subjects are wearing cheap undergarments (didn’t the artist ever ask herself why?). On the other hand, that Skrebneski shot is beautiful.