Spin Sisters: How the Women of the Media Sell Unhappiness and Liberalism to the Women of America

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), March, 2005 by Raymond L. Fischer

SPIN SISTERS: How the Women of the Media Sell Unhappiness and Liberalism to the Women of America

BY MYRNA BLYTH ST. MARTIN'S PRESS, NEW YORK 2004, 342 PAGES, $24.95

"Spin Sisters," members of the female media elite, function as a girls' club of like-minded editors, producers, and print and TV journalists who influence the way millions of American women think and feel about their lives, their world, and themselves. This sorority expertly targets women with stories about their difficult, stress-filled lives and treacherous, stress-filled world--ominous, anxiety-producing messages bombarding women on all fronts.

The author admits that, as a one-time member of the club, she, too, created negative messages of victimization and unhappiness. As editor-in-chief of Ladies' Home Journal for more than 20 years and founding editor of More magazine, Myrna Blyth promoted the "Female Fear Factor" by producing frightening coverlines in several issues. However, after spending months analyzing the power that Spin Sisters hold over women, she realized that the influence was manipulative and often damaging. Women's magazines, morning TV, the networks' nightly newsmagazines, and a number of the movies and programs on cable--many women watch TV almost five hours a day---constantly include tales of miserable, victimized women. Blyth could not fathom why they would accept such a distorted version of life; yet, the best-educated, healthiest, wealthiest, longest-lived women with unprecedented opportunities for personal fulfillment absolutely were enthralled with such pap.

In analyzing every issue of the nine foremost women's magazines published in a three-year period (Jan. 2000-Dec. 2002), the author found 425 articles about weight loss and body problems. She observed dozens of focus groups and initiated countless surveys to learn more about women's attitudes. Blyth recognized the need for a book exposing the way the constant negative images of females in magazines and on TV affect the way women think about themselves and the world.

The first part of the book includes two sections: three chapters to debunk some of the myths of nonstop stress, especially the "whine-o-grams," written by the "whine girls" belonging to the "My My Sisterhood," and three chapters about the "Feminine Physique"--the scare stories about women's health. She also wanted to prove that the girls' club was dead wrong in promoting the view that men manipulated tens of thousands of women into self-destructive behavior.

The second part of the book details the media queens at work and play; here Blyth delivers the "dirt" concerning her former Sisters. Sharing the same left-of-center opinions (far more liberal than those of most other women), the Spin Sisters assume that all women should think as the Sisterhood does, especially regarding politics.

New York's reigning queens of print and TV are "practically joined at the hip professionally, socially and politically"; they read the same papers, endorse each other's books, and consider themselves wonderful. However, the author points out that these very same smart, hardworking, and talented women have reached the top of their profession.

The most interesting section of the book exposes how far and how tow media queens will go to "get the get," the interview everybody wants with the headline newsmaker of the moment or the hottest celebrity or even the latest serial killer.

The award-winning author writes with experience, insight, and knowledge. Although deeply concerned about the issues discussed, she does have a sense of humor.

RAYMOND L. FISCHER

Mass Media Editor