Women parade in bikinis for breast cancer – ETV

Name of Article: Women parade in bikinis for breast cancer
Name of Publication: ETV
Date: 07 November 2009
Country: South Africa
Theme: Health/Entertainment
Skills: Headline/Events vs issues/Perspective
Genre: News
GEM classification: Blatant Stereotype

Description
Women stage a bikini-parade to raise awareness about breast cancer, one of the biggest killer diseases.

Analysis
The story, which contains a serious message on breast cancer, is diluted as the event is reduced to a fanfare of half-naked women.

Headline
The headline, “Bikini Parade”, hides the message, as anyone watching the clip will mistake it for a modeling or beauty contest.

Sources
Women taking part in the parade were sourced. The story did not seek comments from health experts or those affected.

Language
Words such as “raising eyebrows”; “fun loving women of all ages; shapes and sizes”; “sunglasses and smiles” are used to describe the women. The event is described as “light-hearted entertainment” and a “bikini parade”. All these words remove the seriousness of the message as the journalist focuses on the description of the women rather than the issue.

Story angle and perspective
The story will do well in promoting the sales of the bikinis and the designer sunglasses the women are wearing, more than it does on raising awareness of breast cancer. The focus of the imagery and the content diverts the attention of viewers. Information on breast cancer is scant. It was a missed opportunity to provide statistical information on breast cancer or preventative measures that could have highlighted ways in which women could protect themselves to lessen their chances of getting the disease.

Placement or positioning
The story is the last slot in the bulletin – the slot is usually reserved for lighthearted and entertainment stories. This means it is not taken as a serious issue.