Guangdong TV channel introduces 'Spice Girl' weather forecasters
Staff Reporter
2012-03-25
08:57 (GMT+8)
Pin-ko Pie, the group of weathergirls for Guangdong Satellite Television Station. (Internet photo)
Inspired by the popular trend of "tender models" in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, Guangdong Satellite Television Station has introduced young female weather forecasters, attracting attention in the social news section of Hong Kong's media, China's Information Times reports.
The "weathergirl" group consists of nine college undergraduates who have experience in modeling, according to the report.
The group, which was introduced on Christmas Eve last year, is composed of nine young women who have been variously dubbed sporty, beautiful, sexy and intellectual, reminiscent of the 1990s UK pop group the Spice Girls.
They will replace the more sombre anchors who have traditionally presented TV weather forecasts.
One young woman will present the forecast each day, adopting a different style based on the different seasons and holidays.
The program's director Zhang Mai admitted that the program was inspired from similar programs in other Asian countries.
While all the weathergirls are young, their salaries are high, Zhang said, adding that their pay was on a par with other programming hosts at the television station.
"This group is open for new suitable candidates and we will phase out those who are unqualified.
Those who put in a good performance will be hired as official hosts and we will consider training them to become entertainers," Zhang said.
Most Chinese television stations usually hire program hosts under a contract system.
The station plans to hold intensive training sessions for the group of nine and has already set up a microblog titled PinKoPie to publish episodes of them at work.
A major challenge is how to recruit new members for the group, Zhang said, saying that he had tried to contact various senior high schools but was turned down.
"We'll continue to seek suitable girls," Zhang said.
