Media Musings Blog Archive Must media women be feisty
Do women who work in the media industry have to be ballsy? It certainly seems as though the most prominent, and indeed successful, female media figures are completely unafraid to say what they think.
I’ll admit I’m a bit of a wimp and go to great lengths to avoid confrontations. Recently, I wrote an article that included comments from a particular interviewee even though I knew the piece would be stronger without them. This is because the person had requested a copy of my finished work, and I was afraid of offending them if they found I hadn included their remarks. This is a mistake I won’t make again. I know I need to toughen up in the big wide world and stop worrying so much about pleasing others.
To work in the media, being a shrinking violet just ain gonna cut it.
There are many examples of female media figures who fearlessly express their views, like the time Leigh Sales probed Tony Abbott so skillfully that he admitted to not having read a [عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل لمشاهدة الرابط للتسجيل اضغط هنا] BHP report he was using to criticize the government, and she accused him and [عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل لمشاهدة الرابط للتسجيل اضغط هنا] other political figures of ‘being with the truth’.
Or when Catherine Deveny was fired as a columnist at The Age after making controversial tweets during the 2024 Logie Awards. Deveny tweeted that she hoped the then 11 year old Bindi Irwin "gets laid" and that TV host Rove McManus’s wife, Tasma Walton, "didn die too" because his first wife, Belinda Emmett, lost her battle with cancer in 2024. Hardy was also completely unafraid to write a stinging attack about Lara Bingle appearing on the cover of Good Weekend.
It is an admirable quality to stand up for your beliefs even when you know there will probably be repercussions. Perhaps one could say it is being authentic and the art I believe, however, that humour goes a long way and a little laughter definitely softens any blows being dished out. There is a fine line between criticizing someone diplomatically and tearing them to shreds. The good old compliment sandwich usually works wonders.
Clementine Ford recently wrote an extremely balanced article that challenges the criticism Helen Razer directed at [عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل لمشاهدة الرابط للتسجيل اضغط هنا] feminist group Destroy the Joint. [عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل لمشاهدة الرابط للتسجيل اضغط هنا] Ford articulately clarifies why she disagrees with Razer argument, while simultaneously praising her powerful prose and intellectual clout. To me this is the ideal way of presenting an alternative point of view without causing your opponent tremendous distress.
Arguably, all of these women could and would quite comfortably interact with one another after such public disputes, and I’d love to know how much of the fire is actually performance.
I absolutely love this Lina, and have felt exactly the same way in worrying about whether I can hack it in such a seemingly cut throat industry. Approaching people for interviews and learning that you can please everyone is incredibly hard at the beginning, but i slowly begin to feel much more comfortable with it. I don believe you have to trample over everyone to be successful but am aware that there will always be those who are willing to (and will!). I of the mind that demonstrating politeness, dedication and hard work will get you much further and as we always told in this course you never know who you end up working for!
Really well written piece, Lina.
Although I agree that expressing your opinion and not being afraid to do so is a great thing, the comments from Catherine [عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل لمشاهدة الرابط للتسجيل اضغط هنا] Deveny were unnecessary and hateful. I don classify comments like those opinion, rather hurtful jokes only she thinks are [عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل لمشاهدة الرابط للتسجيل اضغط هنا] funny. The same goes for Helen Razer. I can help but cringe at many of the things she posts on Twitter.
There is a line you have to draw when it comes to your behaviour and comments. You can go ahead insulting people and think it OK to do so because it your opinion. Don stifle those thoughts, but don post them for the world to see either. How many of these comments are made for attention?
There is a correct way to go about it like you mentioned with Leigh Sales and Clementine Ford.
This is something that worried me too, Lina. I find it really difficult confronting people, especially if I don know them all that well. Women working in the media industry often appear as though they not afraid of anyone or anything something I admire.
I agree with Dragana, though. Just because you have an opinion, it doesn mean you entitled to let the world know especially where unnecessary hurt can be caused.
I suppose it a matter of finding the balance between having the confidence to approach people and restraining from saying something that can offend someone else.
[عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل لمشاهدة الرابط للتسجيل اضغط هنا] [عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل لمشاهدة الرابط للتسجيل اضغط هنا] [عزيزي الزائر يتوجب عليك التسجيل لمشاهدة الرابط للتسجيل اضغط هنا]