Woman is an American weekly half-hour television series which aired on WNED-TV. Each episode featured a discussion with one or more guest speakers on issues relevant to women and their lives. The series was produced by Sandra Elkin and hosted by Samantha Dean. The series was syndicated for nationwide airing on PBS, a first for one of WNED-TV's programs. Following syndication, Elkin became the series' host. The show premiered in September 1972 and ended in 1977, having produced around 200 episodes.
As a host, Elkin was praised for her "candid and honest approach," and the program was praised for its informational nature. In Elkin's words, "we don't play the usual talk show games on Woman...There's no baiting guests or embarrassing them. Our purpose is to provide information".
Development and production Elkin approached WNED-TV with the idea for the series in 1972, after hearing from local women that they wanted access to more information on women's issues, and women's health in particular. The station's program director liked Elkin's proposal, and after two weeks of negotiation the station agreed to fund production of the show's first season. Elkin had no experience working in television at the time.
The show was well-received upon its debut. Six months after the series premiered on WNED-TV, the Eastern Educational Network began airing the show as well. PBS picked up the show after its first season finished airing; by 1974, the show was broadcast on 185 member stations across the country.
All episodes of the show were filmed in Buffalo, with the exception of two episodes focusing on women in prison, which were filmed at KECT-TV in St Louis, Missouri.
In the mid-1980s, feminist Andrea Dworkin and the president of WNED-TV exchanged communications on preserving and archiving the tapes of Woman still being stored by the station.
Episodes All information comes from the American Archive of Public Broadcasting.
Season 1 +Ep. NoTitleGuestsAir Date001FrigidityPsychoanalyst Robert Seidenberg, gynecologist Stanford Copley, and psychologist Gloria Roblyn. September 24, 1972002MenopauseWriter Mary Lou Fox, gynecologist Wayne Johnson, and psychiatrist Bohdana Salaban.October 8, 1972003Birth ControlRuth Miller of The Buffalo Planned Parenthood Association.October 17, 1972004Alternatives to Traditional MarriageNena O'Neil, author of Open Marriage, and Karen DeCrow, a feminist lawyer from Syracuse, New YorkNovember 12, 1972005006007The Childless CoupleEllen Peck.December 7, 1972008Sexual Problems in MarriageRichard A. Spitz and Mae A. Biggs, a co-therapy team at the Masters and Johnson Clinic in St. Louis, Missouri.009The Medicine Cabinet AddictDr. Christopher D'Amanda, Jana Henderson, and Richard Metter010The Woman AlcoholicMichael Merrick of the Buffalo Area Council on Alcoholism, and two former women alcoholics011Sudden Infant Death SyndromeLynn Runfola, Paul Dyson, and Judy Choate, the founder and executive director of the National Foundation of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome 012What to Tell Children about Birth, Death, Adoption, and DivorceCynthia Clayton, M.D. and Audrey Worrell, M.D. 013Sex EducationJanuary 7, 1973014Role DefinitionWilma Scott Heide, president of the National Organization of WomenJanuary 17, 1973015 The Bright ChildJoan Hovorka and Thomas AhernJanuary 25, 1973016Teens and DrugsThomas Regent, Chief of Toxicology in the Erie County Laboratory, and James Creighton, Erie County Medical Examiner.February 1, 1973017Special Medical Problems of ChildrenRoberta GlickFebruary 8, 1973018Teenagers Today with Dr. Benjamin SpockPediatrician and author Benjamin SpockFebruary 15, 1973019The Sexually Active TeenDr. Stanford Copley and Steven Salyer, who argue in favor of teenagers having access to birth control January 10, 1973020Birth Control Part 2Fordham professor William MaraMarch 22, 1973021022Self Examination, Part 1February 6, 1973023Self Examination Part 2: Another ViewDr. Theodore Schulman and Dr. Virginia RubensteinMarch 8, 1973024The Older Woman and AgeismPeggy Niven and Dorothy TennovMarch 22, 1973025Black WomenDorothy Pitman Hughes and Julia Van MetreMarch 29, 1973026027Women and PsychologyPsychologist Dr. Jo Ann EvansgardnerApril 26, 1973028Women and the LawAttorneys Cathy Douglas and Karen DeCrowMarch 15, 1973029030Women as a Political ForceMay 2, 1973
Season 2 +Ep. No.TitleGuestsAir Date101Our Bodies OurselvesWilma Diskin and Judy Norsigian of the Boston Women's Health Book CollectiveDecember 18, 1973102Why Women are Dissatisfied with their GynecologistColumnist Ellen Frankfort and author Barbara SeamanOctober 25, 1973103The Woman AloneAuthors Harriet La Barre, Patricia Obrien and Gail NorthNovember 1, 1973104Men's LiberationAuthor and activist Warren FarrellNovember 8, 1973105Image of Women in MediaBroadcasters Jan Chaney and Joyce SnyderNovember 15, 1973106Equal Rights Amendment, Part 1Anne Scott and Karen DeCrowNovember 29, 1973107Equal Rights Amendment, Part 2Phyllis Schlafly and Geline B. WilliamsDecember 6, 1973108Sexism in ReligionAudrey Gellis and Patricia McQuilllanDecember 13, 1973109Re-Entering the Job MarketFelice N. Schwartz, president of Catalyst, and career consultant Janice LaRoucheDecember 20, 1973110Woman's Liberation, A DissentMidge Decter and Lucianne GoldbergJanuary 3, 1974111Divorce InsuranceLawyer Diana DuBroffJanuary 10, 1974112Menstruation & Pre-Menstrual TensionCynthia Clayton, M.D. and Leah Cahan SchaeferJanuary 17, 1974113Consciousness RaisingJudy Sullivan and Claudia DreifusJanuary 24, 1974114Betty FriedanAuthor and activist Betty FriedanJanuary 30, 1974115Sexism in Religion, Another ViewFordham University professor Dr. William A. Marra and Rabbi Robert AlperJanuary 31, 1974116MastectomySuzanne JohnsonFebruary 7, 1974117Sex Bias in Education, Part 1Judy Wenning and Phyllis AlRoyFebruary 21, 1974118Sex Bias in Education, Part 2Andrea Ostrum and Barbara RothbergFebruary 21, 1974119Childbirth. Part 1Dr. Mortimer Rosen and Doris HaireMarch 7, 1974120Childbirth, Part 2Dr. Sumner Yaffe and Doris HaireFebruary 8, 1974121Women and Insuranceattorney Kathleen PeratisMarch 14, 1974122Female HomosexualityBarbara LoveMarch 28, 1974123Viveca LindforsViveca Lindfors124Corporate WivesDr. Robert Siedenburg and Robert O. SomanApril 11, 1974125Credibility Gap Credit for WomenNancy PolokoffApril 18, 1974126Economics & The American WomanElizabeth Forsling HarrisMay 2, 1974127Food for ThoughtMaruka Fernandez and Dr. Eleanor WilliamsMay 9, 1974
Season 3 Ep. No.TitleGuestsAir DateMargaret Sloan on Black Sisterhoodfeminist writer Margaret SloanAugust 4, 1974Unlikely Addicts: Middle Class Womenjournalist Barbara KerrAugust 14, 1974The Marriage SaversProfessors Catherine S. Chilman and David OlsonAugust 21, 1974Mothers Who Leave Homeauthor Judy SullivanAugust 24, 1974Female Sexuality. Part 1Female Sexuality. Part 2Helen Singer Kaplan and Shere HiteSeptember 4, 1974Menopause: How to CopeMary C. Howell, M.D. and writer Paula WeideigerSeptember 12, 1974Picking up the Pieces: One Widow Speaksauthor Lynn CaineSeptember 18, 1974N.O.W. NowKaren DeCrowSeptember 18, 1974Women Workershistorian Barbara Wertheimer and union organizer Margie AlbertSeptember 19, 1974Write on Women Playwrightsplaywright Myrna LambSeptember 25, 1974Women and Children's Liberation in Chinaauthor and social worker Ruth SidelOctober 16, 1974Congresswoman Bella AbzugBella AbzugOctober 22, 1974The Remarriedspsychologist Dr. Hanna KapitOctober 30, 1974Two Profession MarriagesGail Parker and Tom Parker, President and Vice President of Bennington CollegeNovember 6, 1974Mister MidwifeMidwife Norman CasserlyNovember 14, 1974A Conversation with Gloria SteinemGloria SteinemDecember 5, 1974Non-Sexist Non-Racist Toys for ChildrenJane Galvin Lewis, a co-founder of the National Black Feminist OrganizationDecember 5, 1974Single Parent Experiencereporter Marjorie MargoliesDecember 20, 1974The Youngest Consumers: How TV Food Commercials Program Children and ParentsJoan Gussow and Catherine ClancyJanuary 9, 1975Suffragist Florence H. Luscombarchitect and women's suffrage activist Florence LuscombJanuary 16, 1975Occupation Mothercounselors Ruth Armin and Phyllis BroadyFebruary 6, 1975The Perfect Motherauthor and activist Shirley L. Radl and nurse Angela Barren McBrideFebruary 6, 1975Changing Motherhoodsociologist Jessie BernardFebruary 6, 1975The IUD Controversy: More InformationRichard Dickey, M.D. and lawyer Marcia GreenbergerMarch 6, 1975Dr. Jean Mayer on NutritionJean MayerApril 1, 1975Feminist Therapysociologist Pauline BartApril 8, 1975Mental Health Care for Women. Part 1psychologist Naomi Weisstein and psychiatrist Anne SeidenApril 10, 1975Mental Health Care for Women. Part 2psychologist Naomi Weisstein and psychiatrist Anne SeidenApril 10, 1975Cosmetic Surgerysurgeon Sida PronoApril 10, 1975Household Workersattorney Edith Barksdale Sloan and LPN Josephine HulettApril 15, 1975Beyond the Beauty Mythsauthor Deborah ChaseApril 15, 1975Female Homosexualityauthor Barbara LoveApril 28, 1975Women in PolicingMargaret GatesApril 29, 1975Women in Prison. Part 1filmmaker Nancy MargolisMay 16, 1975Women in Prison. Part 2inmates Carolyn Dillard and Peggy RussellMay 16, 1975Rape. Part 1June 24, 1975Rape. Part 2Susan BrownmillerJune 24, 1976Affirmative ActionBarbara Boyle SullivanJune 26, 1976Women's Studiesacademics Catherine Stimpson and Liz KennedyJuly 1, 1975Photographer Elsa DorfmanElsa DorfmanJuly 1, 1975Child CustodyDan Molinoff and attorney Doris SassowerJuly 9, 1975A Conversation with Florynce KennedyFlorynce KennedyJuly 17, 1975Title IXMargaret Dunkle and Michael BlouinJuly 23, 1975Women and Depressionacademic and writer Myrna WeissmanJuly 24, 1975
Season 4