“Several” panelists savaged The Washington Post for its recent criticism of Discovery’s annual Shark Week, after the publication accused the publication of a lack of diversity in its programming and an overrepresentation of white men nicknamed “Mike.” highlighted the research.
Fortunately, as host Emily Compagno pointed out on Wednesday: sharks can’t read.
The Post pointed to a study by the Public Library of Science led by Allegheny College biology professor Lisa Whitenack. The project found that “Discovery emphasized negative messages about sharks, lacked positive shark conservation messages, and featured mostly White men, including several eponymous experts.”
Compagno acknowledged the lack of representation for people of color and the valid criticism that the industry is dominated by men. He then asked the panel how to balance this issue.
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The Washington Post logo covered in snow outside the building.
(Oliver Contreras/Getty Images for The Washington Post)
“Fox & Friends” host Ainsley Ehrhardt said there could be a problem if Discovery only hired people named “Mike.”
“Give me a break, Mike is a very popular name,” Ehrhardt told the panel. “I’m not upset about that. If we need more women in the profession, fine, hire some more women to be on Discovery, but give me a break. It’s Shark Week.”
Fox News’ Raymond Arroyo called the criticism ridiculous and said men are naturally more attracted to sharks.
“It’s like me saying, ‘You know what? I did my research: There are a lot of women on ‘Housewives of Beverly Hills,’” Arroyo said.
“We can’t argue with people who are naturally drawn to this or that reality genre and try to make a national case about it.”
Fox News medical correspondent Dr. Nicole Safier dismissed the article outright, saying there was no story behind the criticism unless there was evidence that white men nicknamed “Mike” were favored in the hiring process — which the study did not show. .
Instead, he criticized claims that the show lacked diversity.
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“All I see in this matter is a waste of academic resources,” Saphier explained. “This research comes from Allegheny College and it was funded by Allegheny College.”
Jupiter, Florida – May 05, 2022: A bull shark approaches divers during an eco-tourism shark dive on May 5, 2022 in Jupiter, Florida.
(Photo by Joseph Prezioso/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
He called for redirecting funding and investing in innovation and STEM programs rather than analyzing diversity in natural programming.
“It’s a waste of academic resources, and it happens all the time,” he said.
Compagno added that underlying inequalities need to be addressed and prioritized over representation on television.
“If the industry is lacking, why is there so much focus on coverage?” he asked. “Doesn’t it matter who has access to research, who has access to education? If there are inequities, why aren’t we addressing them?”
Fox News’ Gabriel Hayes contributed to this report.