Edwards’ parade gets rained on

RE “Edwards Spends This Parade Out in the Cold,” by Susan King, Jan. 3, and “Rain on Rose Parade Is OK for KTLA,” by Scott Collins, Jan. 4: Memo to KTLA: Some things don’t need to be improved. Some things are just tradition, like Bob Eubanks and Stephanie Edwards in the booth for the Rose Parade. After half an hour of this year’s format, I turned off the broadcast. For the first time in 25 years, I didn’t watch. Why, you ask? Because the spark wasn’t there. The repartee wasn’t there. The tradition wasn’t there.

PAMELA WINTER

Anaheim Hills

*

WOW! KTLA made no apologies for its ongoing policy of age discrimination toward women with the manner in which it pushed the older Stephanie Edwards out the door (and literally out into the rain) in lieu of the younger Michaela Pereira to co-host its Rose Parade coverage with Bob Eubanks.

This action parallels KTLA’s revolving door of young women anchors who are paired with the aging Hal Fishman on their evening news. Nevertheless, it was painful to watch Edwards holding both a mike and an umbrella at the same time, trying to keep a smile on her face as she reported on some band passing by.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at KTLA’s action, since it is so common in the television industry. But this is perhaps the most brazen example of it I have ever seen.

DONALD BENTLEY

La Puente

*

DESPITE what was said about Stephanie Edwards being a co-host, it was clear that by placing her in the bleachers, she had been relegated to the position of a field reporter. Once the downpour started, and the people around her departed, it was an inexcusable breach of etiquette to leave her sitting in the pouring rain. Shame on KTLA.

JOEL MATUS

Los Angeles