Women don't talk back - Women's Agenda

Women don’t talk back

Last night I met Lana Hirschowitz at the ABC Radio Studio in the city, as we had been invited to discuss blogging with host Emma Crowe.  I still believe that blogging has still got a long way to go as far as becoming an integral part of the media scene. We are a bit like talkback stations after all.

And it would mean I would get out of doing dinner.

I am also of the opinion that there are not enough women’s voices on Australian Radio in general. Over the summer it seems that there are a few more female presenters, but at the end of the month the fellas are back, fresh from their ski trips in Aspen. And with the recent merger of Fairfax and Macquarie Radio Network, we can expect more from the boys club.

Here was 2UE’s line up in 2014.

Weekdays

Australia Overnight with Luke Bona 12:00am-5:00am

Breakfast with John Stanley and Garry Linnell 5:00am-9:00am

Mornings with Stuart Bocking 9:00am-11:30am

Your Business Day with Stuart Bocking 11:30am-12:00pm

Afternoons with Angela Catterns 12:00pm-3:00pm

Drive with Justin Smith 3:00pm-6:00pm

Sports Today with John ‘Gibbsy’ Gibbs & Greg ‘Brandy’ Alexander 6:00pm-8:00pm

Nights with Clive Robertson 8:00pm-12:00am

Weekends

Saturday

Weekend Overnights with John Cadogan 12:00am-6:00am

Weekend Mornings with George Moore and Paul B. Kidd 6:00am-12:00pm

Weekend Afternoons with Tim Webster 12:00pm-6:00pm

Saturday Night Live with Pete Murray 6:00pm-12:00am

Sunday

Weekend Overnights with John Cadogan 12:00am-6:00am

Weekend Mornings with George Moore and Paul B. Kidd 6:00am-12:00pmWeekend Afternoons with Tim Webster 12:00pm-6:00pm

Healthy Living Sunday with Dr.Ross Walker 6:00pm-8:00pm

Psychic Encounters with Sharina 8:00pm-12:00am

2GB is hardly any better.

Women spoke for 19 hours in total, out of a possible 168. REPRESENT! You can almost hear the nerves in the presenters voices at the end of every year, when the new line ups are announced. Chrissie Swan, one of my favourites on radio, was dumped just before Christmas. What a crappy way to end the year. She was replaced by a bloke, despite being immensely popular. What is up with that? And am I the only one who missed Wendy and Angela and their awesome “Early Girlies” this summer. It just didn’t seem the same…

And the whole thing begs the question, if there are so many bloggers building up huge online communities, where are the women in radio? We are already doing digital talkback on blogs, where are the female talkback hosts?

Commercial Radio currently has 6 women hosts, and 71 male hosts.

“Asked why there were so few women on air, 3AW’s long-time morning host Neil Mitchell put it thus: “There was a theory amongst one of our management … some years ago that the talkback audience didn’t want to hear from women.” – SMH , July 10. 2014.

What a heap of rubbish. I am a woman and I like listening to women. Laura Bartel, from media buyer Carat Australia says, “Historically, commercial radio shows were structured with a ‘token’ female co-presenter, partnered with a lead (ego inflated) male presenter. This is starting to change but it will take time.”

Can we please hurry up?

Would you like to listen to more smart chicks on the radio?

Who is your favourite lady speaker of the airwaves?

If you want to hear me and Lana banging on, please click here.

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