The assumption, which has influenced broadcast news reporting hiring practices, that women broadcasters are not as believable, acceptable, or effective as men broadcasters is explored in this research report. Four network newscasters, two males and two females chosen on the basis of similar professional competency and stature audio tape in "network style" which contained two versions of a newscast. Each newscast contained two categories of stories--factual and fictitious. The sample audience totaled 174 men and women who represented a rather broad socio-economic and age distribution. Each of eight audience groups heard two newscasts--one delivered by a male and one delivered by a female newscaster. Subjects were asked to fill out a multiple-choice questionnaire designed to measure factors of effectiveness, general retention, and believability. A second questionnaire was designed to study acceptance and preference. Some of the findings indicated that there was no significant difference in the audience's degree of acceptance of either male or female newscaster, newscasters of both sexes appeared to be equally effective, and sex preference was equally divided. (MKM)