The American election that would not end has finally come to a close. This is our final piece of election coverage here at AfterEllen.com, and it's about the other winners — the women who scored a resounding victory during the buildup to yesterday's historic election.

6) Amy Poehler
Those of us who lived through it will always remember Poehler's Hillary Clinton on sexism: "An issue I'm frankly shocked to hear people suddenly care about." We'll think back fondly on her turn as the rapid-blinking Katie Couric. But what our collective consciousness will forever be seared by is the sight of third trimester Poehler rapping between Eskimos and then busting a cap in a "mother-humping" moose. That is the moment she slipped out of Tina Fey's shadow forever.

5) Katie Couric
She didn't have it easy when she left the Today Show for the CBS Evening News. In fact, lots of people forgot about her altogether -- until a woman news anchor was needed to bat down the "sexism" cry and ask Sarah Palin some tough questions. It was excruciatingly necessary, like a root canal. In the end, Couric's interview was one of the top ten Google searches of the entire election. … continue reading

Regardless of what happens in the presidential elections next month, one woman in particular has proven she’s worthy of the national spotlight.

Katie Couric, who practically was being ushered out the door by CBS a few months ago, is now the most-watched, most-quoted news anchor in the business. As StuntDouble predicted in September, the campaign has allowed Couric to prove her mettle as a tough, smart interviewer — and woman.

The New York Times reported Friday that Couric’s interviews with Sarah Palin have been viewed almost 6 million times in the past two weeks. The interaction not only gave us insight into who Palin is and what she believes, but also a glimpse of why Katie ended up at the CBS Evening News in the first place. Interviewing has always been her forte, but the evening news broadcast didn’t take advantage of that ability. And even though renewed respect for Couric hasn’t translated into a ratings boost for CBS yet, it has given her more self-assurance about her role.

“It’s nice to have people acknowledge you have a skill set,” she told the Times. “There was a period of time when I was being assaulted from all sides. I never obviously intended to show it, but maybe I didn’t have as much confidence on the air.” … continue reading

When Katie Couric took over the CBS Evening News in 2006, no one questioned her journalistic integrity, her skills as an interviewer or even her likeability. No, the question in 2006 was whether or not Americans were ready to get their real news from a woman. Oh, and people also wanted to know how much leg Couric would be able to show if she was forced to sit behind an anchor desk all the time.

Sexism and playground bullying go hand-in-hand, in that speaking out on your own behalf will only get you beaten up with greater frequency and ferocity. Knowing this, Couric never mentioned the unfair shake she was given by her fellow reporters. During this year's primary election season, however, she finally found a platform to speak her mind.

In her Reporter's Notebook segment after the primary elections, Couric said this:

Like [Hillary Clinton] or not, one of the great lessons of that campaign is the continued — and accepted — role of sexism in American life, particularly in the media. Many women have made the point that if Senator Obama had to confront the racist equivalent of an "iron my shirt" poster at campaign rallies, or a Hillary nutcracker sold at airports, or mainstream pundits saying they instinctively cross their legs at the mention of her name, the outrage would not be a footnote, it would be front-page news. It's not just Hillary Clinton who needs to learn a lesson from this primary season, it's all the people who cross the line, and all of the women and men who let them get away with it.

Plenty of people suggested Couric could have taken Clinton's name out of her speech, and inserted her own, because the sad truth is that, under Couric, the CBS Evening News has consistently come in last in ratings among the three major networks. … continue reading

I can never decide which woman I want to wake up to in the morning. There are so many choices and to pick just one seems almost unnatural. One day I may want it to be Julie, the next day might be more of an Ann morning, or perhaps I want to be able to go back and forth between Diane and Meredith without having to feel a particular obligation to either one.

If only I could get all these ladies on one network. My morning television anchor women are just too enticing to simply limit myself to only one. And who could blame me when there are so many to choose from? It’s hard enough for deciding which color Converse I want to wear each day, never mind deciding who will deliver me my morning news amidst backdrops of New York tourists waving colorful poster board messages.

Here is a look at the women who make our mornings:

Ann Curry, The Today Show

Ann is why I am late to work in the mornings. That sultry voice that gives me the day’s top headlines captivates me like a cat to one of those laser pointers. I know I am not alone in my love of Curry. Angelina Jolie has made Ann her go-to reporter when it comes to exclusive interviews regarding her humanitarian efforts, Brad Pitt and even her children. (And who are we to question Angelina’s journalistic instincts?)

Ann is the perfect blend of intellect and fun. She can transition from interviewing the president of Sudan one minute to busting a move on Rockefeller Plaza all without losing a drop of journalistic integrity.

Meredith Viera, The Today Show

Meredith’s notoriety came when she served as moderator on The View. It was here that I gained that all important insight on her life that is necessary in trusting a journalist such as: learning that she doesn’t wear underwear (ever) and finding out how many orgasms she is capable of having. It was due to this time we had together that I really got to know who Meredith Viera really is. As a result, I jumped for joy when it was announced that she would he occupying the spot beside Matt Lauer as co-host of The Today Show. Viera is a candid and witty addition to the team; I love seeing her each morning with Matt, Al and Ann. Her personality blends perfectly with her new team of co-hosts.

Robin Roberts, Good Morning America

If I head over to ABC for some morning news coverage, I am greeted by one of the most impressive women in television journalism … no, not Diane Sawyer (though I hear she’s pretty good) but rather, Robin Roberts. Roberts is the other half of the only female co-anchor team on a major network’s morning television show. She filled the large shoes of Good Morning America’s Charlie Gibson after he moved to the evening news.

Roberts rocks on so many levels, where do I even begin? OK let me start by mentioning that this woman is a talented athlete. She played for the Lady Lions basketball team while she attended college at Southeastern Louisiana University. She graduated with 1,000 career points and 1,000 rebounds (translation for the athletically un-inclined: she was really, really good). Her athletic experiences lead her to jobs working at ESPN as well as a broadcaster for WNBA games.

You could also add survivor to the list of “other reasons to be awed by Robin Roberts." In July of 2007 Roberts was diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer. The news anchor allowed ABC to follow her through her doctor visits and even let them film her as she shaved her head after beginning her chemo treatments. Currently she is in full remission.

Roberts is naturally charismatic and so easy to watch. She has helped pave the way for women journalism and that is reason enough for me to have my coffee with her in the mornings. … continue reading

I hate writing this post. Or more accurately, it makes me sad that speculation about Katie Couric's tenure at as anchor of the CBS Evening News is one of the hot topics in the news these days.

Photo credit: John Paul Filo/CBS

If you haven't heard the story by now, Couric, her agent, the president of CBS news and the chairman of CBS met in late February and discussed Couric's future at the network. The CBS Evening News' ratings were low when she got there, and her presence and performance have not had the desired effect of elevating them. Consequently, her tenure at CBS — already referred to as "the Katie experiment" — is not really expected to last much longer than the 2008 presidential election. Sigh. … continue reading

Oh no. Katie's in a quagmire again. As I blogged back in July, Katie Couric seems to be a lightning rod for criticism, especially when she's discussing her anchoring job on the CBS Evening News.

The latest topic of controversy is a video of Couric making fun of Dan Rather. Well, not Dan himself, but his obsession with his appearance and wardrobe during a live outdoor broadcast some years ago.

Why would Couric make fun of a legend-in-his-own-mind like Dan Rather? Well, maybe it's because Rather, when asked during an interview to give his opinion of her performance, dismissively accused the network — and not-so-indirectly the woman herself — of "dumbing it down and tarting it up." Instead of calling Rather a pompous airbag (which would have easily rolled off my tongue — OK, something much worse would have), Couric took the slam in stride. For a while there, media types were queuing up to criticize Couric, so Rather's comment had to take a number and stand in line.

Fast-forward a few months and it turns out that Katie, in an off-the-air moment, did some needling of her own. In the video, Couric jokes, "I'm going to be like Dan Rather." She then adds, "Geez, don't you think he deserves a little payback?" She begins to laugh and says, "This tart is ready to go!" Watching the video of Couric having fun with her staff and crew will make little sense if you haven't seen the Rather video, so let's start with that one: … continue reading

Once upon a time, when producer Brian Gadinsky (an American Idol alum) met KYTX-TV president Phil Hurley, Gadinsky said, "Wouldn't it be funny if you brought in some really beautiful, supermodel type with no experience?" (Yeah, almost as funny as giving B-list celebrities guns and asking them to patrol the streets of a Midwestern town.) The answer, it turns out, is a resounding "NO!" Fox's reality TV show built on that premise, Anchorwoman, was canceled last week after airing a single night. Here's the star, Lauren Jones, who counts among her former occupations Miss New York, swimsuit model, soap star, Barker beauty (The Price Is Right) and WWE hostess.

The premise of the show, if you missed the pre-air media hype or the two seconds it was actually on the air, is that Jones tries to cut it as an anchorwoman for a station in Tyler, Texas. Or, as others have put it, "a buxom, big-city fish with no journalism experience [is] dropped into small-town media waters." Here's a CelebTV story on the show, where Jones explains, among other things, why she just can't find clothes that cover both her cleavage and her rear end. (And may I just say that it creeps me out to hear the female anchor say "Leggy Lauren"?) … continue reading

Gosh darn it, little Katie Couric is all “growed” up. And she must be plum tired of hearing all the poopy malarkey those meanies have been writing and saying about her since she slid into Dan Rather’s well-worn pair of shoes at the CBS Evening News back in September 2006.

Frankly, I'm tired of it, too. It’s the evening news, for goodness sake; it’s not life or death. Oh, wait. OK, fine, maybe life and death are being reported, but still, does a person have to look exactly like, sound exactly like, smirk exactly like her predecessor to be considered credible? … continue reading

A year ago, CBS announced that Katie Couric would take a seat behind the Evening News desk, making her the first female network news anchor.

Couric's pioneering new gig set off a chain reaction of job movement for women in the broadcast industry. Her cozy spot next to Matt Lauer on the Today couch went to Meredith Vieira, and Vieira's perch at the head of the table on The View went to Rosie O'Donnell (after a nasty bout of she said–she said-she said between O'Donnell, Star Jones Reynolds and View den mother Barbara Walters).

So what has become of the female-centric TV shakeup of last summer? … continue reading