The View: A Show Living Up To Its Name

This week there was media buzz that Elisabeth Hasselbeck was leaving the talk show, The View as a co-host. Immediately, I began scouring the web for the reasons why and reading the liberal viewpoints over the show’s decision to let her go. I was a little surprised at my own reaction since I never watch the talk show but I always appreciated Hasselbeck’s conservative opinions whenever I did tune in. She is always outnumbered in her social and political views at the table she sits at and handles herself extremely well. According to market research, people were not tuning in to the show because of her political views. I tend to agree with this research. After all, conservatives like me gave up on the show years ago and anyone else tuning in on a regular basis is most likely to have a like-minded (liberal) viewpoint.

The View branded itself as a talk show that shared the voices of women and their varying perspectives. Over the years that perspective has become extremely narrow and Hasselbeck’s conservative views were at times made to look ignorant and down- right silly. Who can forget in 2007 the famous catfight between Hasselbeck and Rosie O’Donnell over the war in Iraq? The talk show seemed to try to remain somewhat balanced among the controversy but over the years watching the double standards and feuds when Elisabeth shared her conservative perspective made watching three or four ladies verses one a little nauseating. Conservatives like me tuned out in droves but I am sure that is not in any kind of market research.

Now it seems the rumors were false and the show announced that Elisabeth is going to continue to be the lone conservative host on The View. Time will tell if Hasselbeck’s political views will continue to be respected and given a platform on the talk show.  The world of media has become so biased and liberal bent that finding any kind of conservative voice is rare.  The View is just becoming the norm among liberal biased media.  Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s conservative contribution will continue to benefit the show. However, adding more conservative voices of women at the table will bring more balance to a show that is not widely viewed among the world of conservative women.  The View is simply living up to its name. If it did want women of varying political perspectives to sit at a table and share their opinions it would have been called The Views (plural); however “The” View (singular point of view) is much more fitting for this talk show.