Pinays as ‘high-heeled warriors’
Universal Networks, the entertainment company responsible for cable channels Universal, Diva Universal and E!, has just come up with a psychographic study it calls "High Heeled Warriors." Right away, I thought of TV's women warriors such as Xena, the Warrior Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Maggie Q's Nikita and Jennifer Garner's Sydney Bristow in "Alias." In the Philippines, I thought of the networks' high-heeled warriors in top management positions such as ABS CBN president Charo Santos-Concio, GMA's vice president for entertainment Wilma Galvante and TV5's head of news and public affairs Luchi Cruz-Valdez.
Then there's Christine Fellowes, newly-appointed managing director, Asia Pacific Universal Networks International. She recently replaced Pinoy expat Raymund Miranda, who has held the position since October 2007. Christine's appointment came after media conglomerate Comcast finally got approval for its purchase of NBC Universal early this year. She used to be managing director, Asia Pacific, Comcast International Media Group which oversees the E! Entertainment, Style Network and Golf Channel. It was logical that Comcast would put its own executive in its new acquisition.
In a press statement, Belinda Menendez, president, Universal Networks International & TV Distribution had this to say about Christine's appointment: "We are delighted to appoint Christine to lead our combined pay-TV channels business in the Asia Pacific region. As one of the most highly-respected and talented regional executives, she will bring a unique and compelling vision that will be vital to driving our integrated growth strategy, I'd like to thank Raymund Miranda for his tremendous contribution in building such a strong foundation for our regional channels business and wish him every future success."
Christine and Belinda are just two of the "high-heeled warriors" who have broken the glass ceiling in the male-dominated world of television.
Christine presented highlights of the study at a recent happening at the Peninsula's Salon de Ning in Makati City.
The Universal study, conducted by its research partner, Synovate, covers females in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The study further limited itself to the affluent sector, 20 percent of total females in Metro Manila. The figures are probably higher in our ASEAN neighbors. That's because the company was interested in the profile of women who could afford to subscribe to cable TV.
She started by presenting some interesting global data about women: There are one billion of them in the workforce who earn US$ 12 trillion. They make or influence 64 percent of consumer spending which accounts for US$ 20 trillion worldwide.
In the Philippines, 51 percent of Filipinas are in the workforce and there are 47 female business owners to every 100 male business owners. On the qualitative side, the following findings caught my attention:
1. "She is an ambitious go-getter who is unafraid to do what needs to get done in chasing her dreams. She is invested in her future and is willing to work hard to bring her dreams to fruition."
2. "She wants to maximize her potential and express her self-identity through her marriage, her creativity and her social circle. She is able to express herself the way she wants to — as a person, wife and mother. In a sense, marriage empowers her for greater self expression."
It's a pity that these findings do not apply to the average Filipina. Her economic situation is preventing her from becoming a "high-heeled warrior" like Charo Santos-Concio or a Wilma Galvante. She can't even afford to buy a decent pair of shoes!
