Cora signs up for initiative promoting gender balance on airwaves
WOMEN on Air has launched a new database of women contributors for broadcast media.
Among the first sign-ups is former Mayo footballer Cora Staunton, a regular contributor on the airwaves.
Women on Air is a not-for-profit organisation which is driving greater gender balance on the airwaves in Ireland. It provides media training and mentoring for women and advocates for greater gender equality on Irish broadcast media.
The new media database has been created with a view to providing media with greater visibility and access to women from a wide range of backgrounds and expertise who can provide commentary and insights on TV and radio programmes, and on podcasts. Early sign-ups include former president Mary McAleese, pharmacist and former TD and pharmacist Kate O’Connell, designer Sonya Lennon and Cora Staunton.
In order to join the database, women should have some demonstrated experience in broadcast media. Women who don’t yet have experience but who want to broadcast, are encouraged to register for an upcoming Women on Air media training session.
In a video message to mark the online launch, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, said: “Gender equality in all walks of life is something I feel very strongly about, and that is why I value the work of Women on Air.
“We are making progress in Ireland but there are still many areas where women are unfortunately the minority, including in politics, and, unfortunately, on our airwaves. If you are a member of the broadcast media, please do your part and invite more women to take part in your programmes so that together we can achieve gender balance on our airwaves.”
Minister Martin encouraged women to either sign up to the media database, or to register to take part in one of the training sessions.
Chair of the Women on Air board, Roisin Duffy, said: “The new Women on Air database has been designed as a resource for media, to ensure that they have visibility of and access to as wide a range of women commentators as possible, so that we can continue to work to address what is an ongoing lack of gender balance across a lot of our broadcast media in Ireland.
“Coverage on Covid-19 is just the latest example that we can point to where unfortunately women’s voices have again been in the minority. There is no doubt that the direction of public policy is influenced by commentary and debate on broadcast media and therefore if women’s voices are absent or in the minority, this has a serious impact on wider society.
“So, this year on Nollaig na mBan, we are asking women to register on the new media database, or if they don’t feel ready to speak with media just yet to register for one of our upcoming trainings.”
To sign up to the media database or to register an interest in media training, please visit https://womenonair.ie/