Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Mary Alice Williams

The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was keep. DS 02:14, 2 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Mary Alice Williams

Contested PROD. Yanksox 02:08, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

• Comment: Helpful to put some context so that everyone doesn't have to click the link to find out what she does. (The article states she is a former news anchor.) Espresso Addict 02:26, 31 August 2006 (UTC)
• Strong Keep rewrite and expand. She is a very notable television host and is one of the founding anchors and designers of CNN.[1] Her notability is further established in this website as well. The subject in question also meets WP:V which further supports my statement that this article should not only be kept, but improved as well to do justice to this former anchor. --Siva1979^{Talk to me} 02:43, 31 August 2006 (UTC)
• Keep. Article needs much expansion, but it follows WP:V. Worthlessboy1420 02:56, 31 August 2006 (UTC)
• Keep. She was formerly a major newscaster at CNN. I added an external link, a stub tag, and a category to get the article looking more presentable. --Metropolitan90 03:47, 31 August 2006 (UTC)
  • I also added information about an Emmy she won. --Metropolitan90 03:16, 1 September 2006 (UTC)
• Delete for failing WP:BIO - no multiple third-party non-trivial articles, no national awards, no evidence of substantial contributions to her field. She used to have a famous job, which is apparently supposed to make her famous now. I'd be more impressed by the citation at the aforementioned website, if it weren't trying to sell her as a speaker. This suggests the article is an advertisement for her next career. Tychocat 10:25, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

Comment I think being famous at one time makes her encyclopedia material now. I can almost cetainly find a score of Wikipedia articles on people who aren't as famous as they once were.♥ «Charles A. L.» 17:30, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

Great, just not part of WP:NOT or WP:BIO. The policies and guidelines exist to make for a level playing-field for all, not just the articles you happen to like. The fact other articles are worse isn't a precedent, since we judge each one on its own merits. Put them up for afd, if you would. Tychocat 02:27, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

I don't like it, actually. I don't think she's interesting, or important, as I said, but few enough people are on CNN -- on salary, at least -- that I think it's notable. I'd say all BBC and ABC and whatever the South African version is presenters are notable too, so it's not just a country bias. I believe there's a line on WP:BIO to the effect of "this is not intended to be an exclusionary list."♥ «Charles A. L.» 17:32, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

• Keep, national television host. Kirjtc2 12:03, 31 August 2006 (UTC)
• Weak keep; the criterion is "notable," not "interesting." If she were only a local newscaster I'd say delete -- I'm not sure we need an article on Gabe Pressman, say -- but she's been on CNN and in an AT&T commecial.♥ «Charles A. L.» 17:30, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

I'm going from "weak keep" to "keep" because previewing showed me there is an article on Gabe Pressman. Let's say, we don't need an article on my father.♥ «Charles A. L.» 17:30, 31 August 2006 (UTC)

comment - As I said, put it up for afd then. Tychocat 02:27, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

My dad occasionally mentions the idea of writing his memoirs. If they're published, but by iUniverse, I might be willing to AFD my own father. As for Pressman, however, I'm going to err on the side of not disrupting Wikipedia to make a point. ♥ «Charles A. L.» 17:32, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

• Keep I think she crosses the finish line for notability, based mostly on reading the biography on the PBS website mentioned above - she has won awards from a variety of organizations, was CNN, is involved with PBS. Article needs expansion though. Seaphoto 20:33, 31 August 2006 (UTC)
• Keep. Just needs (lots of) expansion. Dsreyn 00:40, 1 September 2006 (UTC)

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.