Here She is...This week TLC announced that it has signed the Miss America Beauty Pageant television show in a multi-million dollar partnership deal, for the next three years.The Learning Channel To The Rescue
TLC (Trading Spaces, Miami Ink) will air the Miss America Beauty Pageant show this January from Las Vegas, to revitalize interest in the 86 year old pageant in an attempt to garner a younger demographic audience (Published reports state that currently more than half of the viewing audience is over the age of 50).
"We're thrilled to partner with the Miss America Organization and to broadcast the next generation of the Miss America Pageant," TLC president Angela Shapiro-Mathes said in a statement.
Until recently, the show had aired on ABC. Recent reports indicate the show has seen a steady decline in audience, down to 2.4 million viewers last January, when the program aired on CMT (Country Music Television).
Now For The Cold Hard Reality
Quite frankly, I have not seen a beauty pageant on television since the age of 12, however I am speculating that not much has changed within its 86 year history. Speaking of history, most adults that I know (and probably you, as well), have at least one experience where they recall watching the program and have seen enough to have formulated a passionate opinion for or against.
The more positive include national exposure, scholarship opportunities, travel, and prestige - of course, ANY man or woman can accomplish the mentioned sans appearing in a pageant. However for many young women, the competition may crystallize a path to the possibility of something greater (ie. Vanessa Williams and many others).
On the side of the opposition, it is more a question of health (mental state of being) as several others within peer focus groups have indicated that the subject of a show about women who parade in a competitive cavalcade for the purpose of being judged, smacks of being 'cruel, disproportionately out-of-date', and so intentionally destructive within its premise, that it is anti-social within its very nature...Okay, so I am paraphrasing in my own 'lingo'.
Basically, the idea of a competition of 'Who's the prettiest' encourages antagonistic feelings towards others, fosters superficial concerns about body image which results in lower self-esteem, depression, and destructive behavior. The general consensus, "It's not healthy"- you get the idea.
---TANGENT ALERT---
What is interesting about television is that it encapsulates a moment in time. What may have seemed 'entertaining' some 20, 30 or 40 years ago on television, now appears insensitive to the point where you as the viewer may find uncomfortable to watch.
With the exception of a few programs, if you watch television shows circa 1990 and within descending decades, you will see a great number of circumstances, portrayal of characters, and dialog that by today's standard appear 'hurtful' or malicious, racially/gender insensitive and politically incorrect.
Of course, one day 20 years from this post, we will re-visit today's television time capsule and wince at our ignorance.
Beauty in 2007
Which brings us back to the Miss America Pageant television show...
The goody that I have yet to mention is that TLC will also produce a reality series that will lead right-up to the pageant and according the cable network, "[The show] will introduce viewers to 52 of the country's smartest and most beautiful women as they prepare for a competition they've dreamed of their entire lives."
Ready, Set, Activate Reality
Yeah, reality is everywhere and what a great way for TLC to bring the pageant into modern times - I would have made the exact same move...Now, let's watch and learn what happens.
The Random Daily is an extension of Val St. John's News Blog, StJohnDaily.com. 
