6 November 2009

Challenge From New Editor To Get Real About Body Imagees

Last night’s Media7 program tackled the issue of unrealistic body images in the wake of Australian Government moves to reign in the use of photoshopping in the media across the Tasman.  

Media7 presenter Russell Brown hosted a panel discussion with the new editor of Next magazine, Christina Wickstead, broadcaster Joe Cotton and columnist Tracey Barnett. 

Christina Wickstead revealed on the TVNZ 7 show she’s taking a stand against the practice of photoshopping and airbrushing currently standard in the magazine industry because she believes the unrealistic images are damaging to women.

“Next is all about role models, not supermodels. It’s about real New Zealand women and I feel very strongly that if that’s the ethos of the magazine we have to start showing women as they really are,” said Ms Wickstead.

In an exclusive for Media7 viewers, she unveiled the cover of the December issue of Next which features an unphotoshopped image of actress Robyn Malcolm. 

She admitted it was a commercially brave decision to move away from photoshopped images but she told the programme she felt New Zealand had a real opportunity to lead the world away from unrealistic body imagery because of the unusually high proportion of Kiwi run magazines in this country. 

This episode of Media7 can be viewed online at www.tvnz.co.nz/media7.  Repeat screenings of the episode are also scheduled for today at 10.10am & 2.10pm, Monday at 9.10pm, and Tuesday at 10.10am & 2.10pm.

TVNZ 7 is available on Freeview Channel 7 and SKY Channel 97.
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