Feedback May 2002 (Vol 43 No 2)

EDITBeale, M. E., & Murray, M. D. (2001). Indelible images: Women of localtelevision. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press. At first, this text appearsto be a simple collection of stories about 19 women who contributed to local televisionstations across the United States: an acknowledgment of their work and a newperspective on mass media history. The book is that; however, it’s much more. The lifestories function as a tribute to powerful women, whether in or behind the mediaspotlight: a celebration of feminism.The 248-page book contains a brief history of pioneering women in television thathelps orient the reader and provide a context for the individual achievements notedthroughout. A thorough index also aids the reader to quickly locate points of interest.The chapters themselves are biographies of each of the chosen women, personalizedwith photos, and written by media practitioners (i.e., people who have or are currentlyworking in local television) and scholars (i.e., professors of communication, journalism,broadcasting, and electronic media). All regions of the country are represented bycontent and authorship. The text moves quickly and keeps the reader’s attention, asmost chapters are 10-12 pages long, concise, and well written and organized. Eclecticcompilations of endnotes add credibility to each chapter, with citations includingbiographies, media journals, historical and media criticism texts, interviews, andpopular literature.The life stories include notables ranging over place, duty, and era: from Evansville’scolorful weather reporter Marcia Yockey, to Tampa’s sports reporter Gayle Sierens, toLA’s award-winning producer Price Hicks, to the shrewd station manager DorothyStimson Bullitt, who reigned over the Pacific Northwest until the age of 97. Woventhrough the biographies of these great women are accounts of professional and personalbravery, adversity, vulnerability, and idiosyncrasy. It is through attention to detail and apeek into personal lives that the reader finds these women fleshed-out, real. Forexample, we learn that Cleveland’s Dorothy Fuldheim not only interviewed people suchas Franklin D. Roosevelt, Adolph Hitler, Helen Keller, and the Pope, but she had anextremely close relationship with her daughter and disabled grandchild, alwaysanswered her own phone, and loved chocolates.This book is a must-read for students of broadcasting, feminist and gender studies,or anyone craving stories about strong women. More than a historical media text, thisis the inspiring story of gutsy American women who take on previously unheard ofroles and responsibilities and truly pave the way for others. Competence, passion,charm, chutzpah and triumph: You go girl.Submitted by Cary Horvath, Westminster College, horvatcw@westminster.edu58Feedback May 2002 (Vol. 43, No. 2)