Forget health care and Afghanistan, the big media question of the day is: Who's going to replace Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America"?
There are bigger life-and-death issues out there, but who we share our morning coffee with matters, or at least it matters to those of us who watch morning TV and it certainly matters to the network executives responsible for making the decision.
A morning show host becomes part of your life in that weird TV I-feel-like-I-know-you-and-we're-pals-even-though-we've-never-really-met sort of way.
That's one of the odd paradoxes of television. We want a morning show host who seems like they're one of us. Yet they also have to be razor-smart, well-informed, good-looking, a quick study, and be willing to wake up every day at 3 a.m. and work like a dog, all while appearing jovial, in-charge and glamorous, in a non-threatening way, of course (which is definitely not like one of us).
With millions of dollars in potential advertising revenue at stake, the big brass at ABC have a lot riding on their decision, and therein lies one of the challenges.
The network execs who decide such matters are, generally speaking, highly paid, mostly male, mostly white, TV media people who live in New York. Yet they have to choose a host that will resonate with a suburban housewife in Snellville, a teacher in Omaha and waitress in Tucson.
Odds-makers say that ABC is leaning toward promoting GMA weekend anchor Kate Snow into the top job.
She meets the brains, beauty and talent requirements. Thin and blond as well as uber-smart (undergrad from Cornell, master's in foreign service from Georgetown), she exudes that approachable, calming energy that audiences expect in the morning. But Snow has another advantage, and I suspect the big boys in New York are well aware of how important it is -- she's a mother.
Women are the primary audience for morning shows, and the group most coveted by advertisers is moms. With two little kids under the age of 6, Snow feels like one of us. We might not be able to share our cornflakes with a real girlfriend, but a TV substitute is the next best thing.
The mom factor has been one of the major underpinnings behind some of TV's most successful morning hosts (think Katie Couric and Joan Lunden).
I recently interviewed media commentator and mom marketing expert Stacy Debroff, to get her perspective on "The Mom Factor."
Debroff, a regular on NBC's Today show has written several parenting books and is the founder and CEO of MomCentral.com., a company that provides resources and advice to moms, as well as consulting to national brands that target moms.
Stacy Debroff
Founder and CEO - MomCentral
Lisa: Why would the audience even care if the host has kids?
Stacy: I've done literally hundreds of national TV interviews, and when the host can personally relate, it makes for a much more compelling segment.
When you look at the primary audiences for these morning shows, especially when they leave the primary news hour, it's mothers. Having an anchor that those moms can relate to, that can tie stories into her own experiences with her own kids, becomes tremendously important to an audience.
There's a big difference between talking about over scheduled kids with someone who can say, "Oh ugh my kids are 4 and 6 and it's a real problem." versus someone who says, "I've heard this is a problem."
Lisa: Let's be brutally honest, many of us feel like having kids makes it harder for us for us to compete, like once people see you as a mom, you're no longer a powerhouse. Are you suggesting motherhood is actually competitive advantage?
Stacy: Being a mother is a really powerful asset.
When I do a segment with someone who is a parent, I get hundreds more emails
Whether it's the latest health issues or all the segments that they do around family and parenting issues, bringing in a charismatic host who is also in the midst of the same challenges, is a great strategic choice because the show becomes that much more grabbing and personal.
Lisa: The feel-good factor is nice, but networks are all about ratings and advertising revenue, how does being a mom translate into hard dollars and cents?
Stacy: Look at the Today show.
One of the things that has made Today so beloved is that everyone is in the midst of raising families, there is a sort of down to earth relatable.
They can assign their anchors things that are most relevant to the ages of their kids. Matt Lauer has younger kids, we have Meredith with teens, you have Natalie Morales with her boys, and you have Ann Curry with her daughter.
From a strategic audience build, as well as bringing a real emotional connectivity to the experts and the pieces where they're covering, it's a brilliant move to make sure you have anchors who can really relate.
As if to further prove Debroff's point, a group of Midwest moms has started a Facebook group called "We're for Kate Snow."
Will the Network execs listen? Time will tell.
I've actually met Kate Snow, when we both spoke at a career mom's event.
The morning we were introduced she was trying to get a coffee stain out of her suit because her 4-year-old had banged into her as she was walking out the door. She was smart and interesting, but it was the coffee stain that endeared her to audience.
I don't know who ABC will eventually choose; but when your target audience tells you they want to share their morning coffee with someone who's had it slopped all over her, I'm kinda' thinking the big boys in New York are paying attention.
Then again, what do I know? I'm just a mom.
Lisa Earle McLeod is an author, syndicated columnist, media commentator and business consultant. A popular keynote speaker, she is the author of The Triangle of Truth: The Surprisingly Simple Secret To Resolving Conflicts Large and Small and she is an expert in how to get what you want without conflict or compromise. More Info: www.LisaEarleMcLeod.com