A Call for Truth-Telling: Women in Media Rally to Reclaim the Narrative

By Catherine Fox and Susan Horsburgh

At a time of backlash and misinformation, the Women in Media National Conference shone the spotlight on women’s power to document the truth, amplify diverse stories and build the scaffolding for the next generation.

The stories told by and for women are vital to the media and our society, a packed audience heard loud and clear at WiM’s annual conference.

More than 420 women, many in the first part of their careers, were given a front seat on the exhilaration of the work, paths to the top and how to dismantle bias from some of the best operators in the sector.

Media has never been more critical than now, as the world faces conflict and challenges to the truth, WIM chair Anita Jacoby pointed out.

With media fragmenting and legacy operators under enormous pressure, there’s plenty to be done to better support and retain women, and to accurately reflect diverse audiences.

Heavy hitters from across the sector also showcased how they built productive careers, with experienced executives explaining how they push the boundaries, and a growing band of young women highlighting emerging opportunities.

Strength in solidarity came up regularly. Actor and director Claudia Karvan said supporting and buffering women in TV and film production had been a core part of her career. It’s about putting scaffolding around people, agreed Amanda Duthie, head of Stan Originals, and it delivers better representation of women at all levels.

The invaluable role of mentoring was part of many women’s stories – with ABC News Breakfast’s Bridget Brennan describing the crucial value of getting detailed guidance from ABC journalist Sarah Ferguson.

Bridget Brennan

When it comes to headwinds, Minister for Women Katy Gallagher flagged the importance of eternal vigilance, as the DEI backlash unfolds globally. She noted the thinking among some men, including younger cohorts, that women were ‘getting too much’ was worrying.

Far from over-reaching, it’s never been an easy road to get women’s stories told, several experts noted. And while there were a lot of women of colour in the media, there was still inertia around tackling racism, and reflecting Australia’s population in media, said Paula Kruger, CEO of Media Diversity Australia.

Meanwhile, WiM member surveys continue to pinpoint the need to face the systemic challenges in workplaces, where there’s a gap between policy and practice, according to Petra Buchanan, WiM strategic advisor.

But the clout of senior women and an emerging cohort of content creators offered an important counterpoint. It’s a tough sector, as a panel of executives from Seven, Nine and WPP noted, but these are influential and rewarding jobs. 

Cheek Media CEO Hannah Ferguson said young women were able to offer viable alternatives to legacy media, such as podcasting and socials, because they listened to what their audiences wanted.

Hannah Ferguson

Asked how traditional media could present content better on social channels, without crossing the line into comment, Hannah suggested legacy outlets hire a “gun Gen Z woman” and ask journalists to speak to camera about the news in an accessible, enthusiastic way.

“What people are engaging with is authentic and passionate voices that give a shit about what they're saying,” said Hannah. “What you need is a really tiny microphone and someone who cares – never go over 90 seconds. I think we're confusing balance and objectivity with personality – you're allowed to care about what you're writing, and project it out. That's not being subjective in your viewpoint.”

The ability to use different channels to get women’s stories heard, even in the current US media environment, was noted by Washington-based podcaster and journalist Hanna Rosin. In an era of misinformation, The Atlantic senior editor stressed the importance of women sharing their own stories and the critical role of media in documenting the truth.

“The problem for women, pretty much forever, has been that whoever's in power loves to tell stories about all women … ‘Women need rescuing’ … ‘Work has ruined us’,” said Hanna. “But the power of women, pretty much forever, is that we wriggle out of these stories by telling our own version, which we know in our bones to be true.”

Hanna urged the room of storytellers to use their chosen medium to chronicle this moment in history:

“It's very basic what we have to do – just record the truth as we know it and as we see it and as we feel it.”

In her 2012 bestseller, The End of Men, Hanna sparked global debate with her observation that women were overtaking men in many sectors of the economy. She predicted that the upheaval could go in one of two directions: either traditional gender restrictions would loosen up – it would become acceptable for women to earn more than their male partners, and more men would enter female-dominated professions – or “all hell would break loose”.

In the second scenario, “a lot of men would refuse to adapt, get increasingly pissed off, and there would be this tremendous roar of masculinity that would hijack our culture and our politics”.

That’s exactly what came to pass. Curiously, the rise of the manosphere has coincided with an explosion of gender fluidity, she said, polarising the US.  At the same time, President Trump has bred a mistrust in the media and entrenched a political style that is celebrated in the manosphere.

Hanna Rosin

By ignoring legacy media and courting “dude podcasters” such as Joe Rogan and Theo Von, Trump has bestowed a legitimacy on misogynistic platforms that were “utterly fringe” a decade ago.

“These podcasters are always complaining about the liberal mainstream media,” said Hanna. “They are the mainstream media – Joe Rogan has more listeners than The New York Times, The Washington Post and my magazine combined. So who actually is the mainstream media now?”

In the face of those seeking to limit women’s rights, Hanna argued, truth is the answer. “I'm not telling you to go out there and tell more me-too stories, or tell stories just about women,” she said. “What I'm saying is that we as women have a very long tradition and a lot of practice in telling the truth in times when other people are lying … about us or about the world. What gives me hope is that we have this special skill – and in this moment in history, this is the time to use it.”