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Women in Media to mentor female colleagues

Senior professionals will mentor female colleagues as part of a national initiative to improve outcomes for women working in media.

2013-10-15_2111Senior professionals in television, print and radio will mentor female colleagues as part of a national initiative to improve outcomes for women working in media.

Based on a successful networking group operating in WA for eight years, Women in Media hopes to reduce workplace inequity, combat bullying and give support and advice. Supported by the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance, it has also launched a new campaign to close the gender gap in pay, retirement income and career opportunity.

WiM has been established in New South Wales but hopes to roll out to every state and territory in Australia.

The initiative includes ABC’s Caroline Jones (patron), Fairfax columnist and SKY News anchor Tracey Spicer, Fairfax investigative journalist Kate McClymont, Private Media publishing director Marina Go, former Sydney Morning Herald editor Amanda Wilson, News Corp columnist Angela Mollard, former The Australian media editor Amanda Meade and UTS lecturer and Destroy the Joint co-convener Jenna Price.

“This is by no means a divisive campaign; it’s all about women helping other women to achieve their full potential,” Tracy Spicer (pictured) says.

A national launch will take place at University of Technology Sydney on October 23, with a keynote address by Caroline Jones from Australian Story.

“When I started out as a young journalist in Canberra in the 1960s, women reporters were very rare on Australian television – I could not see a role model,” Jones says.

“Back then, there were few networking or mentoring opportunities, either. So, when the MEAA approached me to be patron of a new group aimed at nurturing, guiding and supporting women in media, I was very enthusiastic about the idea.

“I’ve had a fortunate career but there were a few things that I missed very much. Especially in my early regional years in Canberra, how I would have appreciated some formal mentoring and opportunities to network with other women; some workshops to learn how to cope with information overload; how to deal with a bully; how to stand my ground when challenged or belittled, how to fend off sexual harassment and to seek help, how to say no; how to attain appropriate professional status and remuneration; how to both have a family and maintain a career.

“These things would have meant the world to me and I understand that women in media have the same needs today.”

womeninmedia.net

2 Responses

  1. Wouldn’t it be nice to see a man hosting a current affairs show in prime time on FTA again. Seems to me that there are more than enough women on our screens in news shows & the gender imbalance is with men.
    Look at Wake Up & Studio 10 1 male on each show.

  2. One of the very best imo is Leigh Sales on 7.30 report. Pollies know they will get a grilling when Leigh is interviewing them, she far sharper and has a much better grasp of the issues than many male equivalents elsewhere. She also commands so much more respect and credibility than the hosts of ACA or TT.

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