Evaluating the Role of the Four Fs

Journalism history largely defines most of the content of the women’s pages as the four Fs: family, fashion, food and furnishings. Yet, my research has shown that these Fs were not treated equally. Most metro women’s pages had a fashion editor and a food editor. Some newspapers had a reporter devoted to the furnishings beat – but this topic might be covered in a real estate section instead of the women’s pages.

For example, the above 1953 in-house ad for the Milwaukee Journal shows that  former women’s page reporter Lois Hagen was now covering furnishings for the home section.

I have yet to find a newspaper with a family editor. Instead, the topic of parenting was more likely to be covered by a columnist – both nationally like Dear Abby or Erma Bombeck – or a local writer like Eleanor Hart at the Miami Herald, who answered readers’ letters on topics including family. Some newspapers had a doctor who offered parenting advice in a column.

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