Mary, You (Possibly Shouldn’t) Let Them Make You Mad

Avid SBS viewers will have noticed that figurehead news presenter Mary Kostakidis has been missing from the news desk for the past week or so, but it was only a few days ago that word emerged that was not merely taking a break and she had in fact left in protest:

She is understood to have stormed out of the newsroom a week and a half ago and hasn’t turned up for work since.

She is said to be furious at changes to the news bulletin, which she believes undermine SBS standards.

However, continuing on a theme noted by the SMH, last night Australia’s favourite televisual tabloid, A Current Affair, speculated that the changes to SBS’s modus operandi were only one cause of Kostakidis’ upset. In an uncharacteristically “right on” report from the show that likes to hang shit on the fat immigrant plumbers taking our kids’ jobs (thanks, CNNNN), ACA shone a light on the very real problem facing Australia’s female news reporters: ageing. Yes, Kostakidis might still be rocking the silver streak like nobody’s business, but there are those who think that very fact means she is destined only for the lighter stories, leaving co-anchor Stan Grant with the leading reports:

Adding insult to injury, Kostakidis was increasingly given the softer “dog eats alarm clock” stories while Grant tackled the harder hitting political interviews.

As ACA’s report noted, this phobia of older female broadcasters is a peculiarly Australian problem, with America’s three most respected – and highly paid – news anchors all women who are pushing the wiser side of 45: Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer and Katie Couric. Let’s face it, our most revered senior female television personality is Dame Edna Everage, and some spurious reports suggest she’s not even a woman!

Kostakidis is said to be consulting with superhero QC Julian Burnside regarding possible legal action against SBS, and we plan on watching this story unfold with interest. If the mumblings regarding older women’s place amongst our news broadcasting is the case – and Tracy Grimshaw’s distinct lack of editoralising upon returning from the report last night suggests she feels Kostakidis’ pain – and Our (Other) Mary has been being edged out for a younger newshound, then we’re prepared to forgo our annual Tour De France viewing next year in favour of Quizmania. News, we are sure, that will have SBS quaking in their collective boots.