FEATURE:
Radio XX
IN THIS PHOTO: Clara Amfo presented alongside Lauren Laverne and producer Martha, paying tribute to Annie Nightingale on the BBC Radio 1 programme, Annie Nightingale: A Life in Music
The Need for More Female Presenting Teams on Radio
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I still think…
that we are in a situation where presenters across major radio stations are largely male. The imbalance is starting to tip in favour of equality, yet many stations still have quite a heavy male line-up. Not that it directly equates to playlists being male-dominated. The thing is, the radio landscape is still dominated by men. I hope that, in years to come, that the big stations not only make their playlists gender-equal so that it is sustained. There also needs to be addressing of gender equality in terms of the on-air talent. If some stations have achieved it already, there are a fair few that have not. It means, for those women wanting to get into radio, see a level and equal playing field. One that accepts and embraces women. It is a shame that the music industry still has such a big problem when it comes to gender and affecting balance. Even if there are tiny moves each year, the progress is not quick enough. This made me think about the fact that, for the most part, there are not many female presenting teams. If you think of presenting duos or trios, they are either all-male or mixed. You do not get many all-women presenting duos/trios. Something rare on radio, I wonder why this is. This is not the first time that I have written about this subject. I was listening to the recent BBC Radio 1 show, Annie Nightingale: A Life in Music. Presented by Lauren Laverne, Clara Amfo and Annie Nightingale’s producer, Martha, it was a touching and excellent programme.
Not only was it great to hear three women pay respects to a broadcaster and D.J. who opened doors and held them open for other women. The dynamic through the programme was incredible. Maybe there is this sexist view that, if you get a few women on a radio show, that they will wander or ‘talk too much’. The balance and blend of voices on that particular programme was so pleasing and rare. I wonder why it does not occur more. BBC Radio 1, in fact, have quite a few great women across their station. Even if the gender breakdown on their playlists is not quite equal, they are setting an example regarding female talent presenting their shows. Apart from, I think, one show, there are none that feature two or more women together. That dynamic usually has to be male-female. The same story is true when you look across all the other major stations. One might say that radio trios are rare in general, so it makes sense you would not see an all-women line-up. That is fair. There is nothing to stop this happening. To have shows presented by three women. My point relates back to my previous feature. In terms of duos on air, there are not many that consist only of women. I was really struck by that Annie Nightingale tribute and how there was something rare but hugely pleasing hearing three different women give their perspectives on a radio great.
As radio still has an issue with gender and equality, it also needs to look to its schedule and the presenters. No doubt some amazing women across the boards. When Annie Nightingale joined BBC Radio 1 in 1970, she was their first female D.J. It took a long time for the station to employ more women to be on air. We are thankful we live in a time when there are a lot of inspiring women on the air. Though there could be more done to ensure all stations have more women presenting. There is nothing wrong with solo presenters or male-female duos. It seems that there is no real incentive or movement to change things. As we heard when Lauren Laverne, Martha and Clara Amfo were presenting, you get some extra. It is hard to put my finger on. The chemistry and interplay. Not something you get from solo presenters of mixed-gender radio duos. Jump back a decade and we see horrifying stats regarding the percentage of women who made up solo radio broadcasters (20% in 2013). This 2021 feature spoke to women like Snoochie Shy (BBC Radio 1Xtra) about how far things are come. Still male-dominated, it seemed the message was to support women. Back and listen to women of colour and be an ally. The industry needing to do more. That said, this 2018 report showed that radio at least was employing a lot of women. As producers or somewhere else on the station. If there is balance in that respect, there still seems to be imbalance when it comes to the on-air talent. Whereas some major stations have got gender balance in terms of its presenters, most still have not affected that. This is a problem in itself. Beyond that, embracing the idea of women presenting together. Whether that is a duo or trio. It would be a step forward and provide a fresh dynamic. It is also a way for stations to have greater visibility of women across its schedule. Annie Nightingale, as a radio pioneer, definitely affected progress and opened doors. Even if every year brings us closer to equality across all stations, it is evident that there is…
IN THIS PHOTO: Annie Nightingale/PHOTO CREDIT: David Levene/The Guardian
SOME way to go.