They have always existed; it's more recently that the have gotten more positive exposure, thanks to outlets like World Cyber Games (WCG), Major League Gaming (MLG), Frag Dolls and even Evo Tournaments (for Fighting Games).
Online gaming & certain kinds of internet forums/websites have also helped in showing the world of gaming that female gamers, young & old, casual & hardcore, are all here, and they are a force to be recokned with.
This segment should have had more time to it: the host should have interveiwed the other female gamers. Never heard of Miss Video Game until now, and I'm very much into gaming.