Podcasting
BY Sarah Patterson April 17, 2024
What's New December 12, 2017
Radio’s #MeToo: CRA and MEAA respond
There has been an overwhelming response from Radio Today readers to stories of bullying and harassment within the radio industry.
Prompted by allegations levelled against some big hitters within the entertainment industry, Radio Today asked whether we needed a #metoo campaign to expose the bullies and offered the comments section as a ‘safe place’ for people to tell their stories.
It hit a nerve, becoming one of the most commented upon articles of the year. And it’s an issue that Commercial Radio Australia says it takes seriously.
After an approach by Radio Today, it’s released a statement from chief executive office Joan Warner.
“All Australian employers have a responsibility to create a positive and safe workplace free of discrimination, harassment or bullying,” she stated.
“CRA provides support and advice through our industry Human Resources Department for our members to help ensure they have the most up to date workplace health and safety information”.
Many Radio Today readers have asked whether there can be change if no one is willing to go public. Unless someone takes the first brave step, it’s remains just talk.
Fear is the major obstacle – both the fear of ‘not being believed’ and the fear of ‘never working again’. There’s also the fear of being trolled on social media.
All are valid reasons to stay quiet.
However, in the fall out of the Don Burke allegations, the Media Entertainment Arts Alliance established a special email for whistle-blowers who feel empowered to speak out.
Emails to [email protected] will be dealt with in confidence.
It’s a small yet important step in a story that will no doubt continue well into 2018.
The Media Entertainment Arts Alliance established a special email? Really? The fact the email is [email protected] just goes to show how out of touch the alliance is with the industry it is meant to represent. There are just as many men with just as many horror stories.
My Harraser is female. Definitely out of touch as this implies only women are affected. Typical stance taken by the CRA, same stance taken by my employer,pretty much laughing at the fact that a women can bully a man. The problem lies with all genders in Radio. My harraser has ruined me. She used her gender card and the company listened to her over me. She is still employed and doing the same thing to others in the company, but everyone is scared to say something for the fact they don’t want to end up like me,unemployed.
This is more of reason of why I should have kept my mouth shut and swept it under the rug like everyone else.