Heaven is Local TV Totty?

Still with local TV, just why is it that there are so many attractive young women working as local TV reporters (apologies for sounding so sexist here, but I tend not to notice the probably very hot guys employed as reporters) ? My local BBC news, for instance, seems to have an endless supply. Hardly an edition of the nightly news magazine passes without a location report from yet another blonde twenty-something I've never seen before. Even on the ten minute lunchtime bulletin they seem to try and pack at least two new ones in every day. According to my friend with digital (this a real friend, not a euphemism for me - I'm still resolutely analogue), the situation is much the same in other BBC regions. I'm sure that they are all properly qualified and they all seem very competent, but I find it hard to believe that there aren't any plain, middle-aged or even down right ugly female TV reporters out there just as competent and well qualified. I suppose that it is just further confirmation of the fundamental shallowness of television - looks matter. Mind you, we've only ourselves to blame - there's no doubt that we (I can only speak for men here) would all rather see the attractive young female reporters - I can guarantee that it is only their presence which keeps many of us watching local TV news (let's face it, we aren't watching it for the content). Mind you, there's no doubt that when one you don't fancy comes on screen, you suddenly find yourself paying far more attention to a Story about dangerous foreign furniture being sold door-to-door locally than you would usually.

Sadly, there is no denying that I'm just as guilty as anyone else when it comes to watching the local TV totty. I too have my particular favourite - a girl who often does the lunchtime bulletin. Indeed, I'm beginning to get worried that this interest is in danger of turning into an obsession. Does it constitute borderline stalking when you find yourself going to your local BBC website and looking up a presenter's details? Actually, to digress slightly, stalking has always fascinated me as it is the one form of obsessional sexually deviant behaviour which we can all fall into surprisingly easily. At what point does a harmless 'crush' on a neighbour, friend, colleague or even complete stranger become something sinister? Do you become a stalker the moment you contrive to 'accidentally' bump into them in the street or corridor in a vain attempt to get their attention and strike up a conversation? Or do you have to carry out all night surveillances of their house using night vision goggles and infrared cameras before you officially become a stalker? Getting back to local TV presenters, I suppose that it where part of their attraction comes from - their potential accessibility. As they are local presenters, it is reasonable to assume that they live locally and that you might actually encounter them. The possibility of contriving to bump into them is no longer a remote possibility but, for the potential stalker, a concrete probability...