Author: mediadiv

Newsletter

MDA Quarterly Newsletter (Jul-Sep 2023)

Message From The CEO

Budyeri kamaru (hello!) from Eora Country,

I hope this message finds you well as we enter another exciting quarter at Media Diversity Australia.

First, I’m thrilled to announce the success of our Media Pathways Program, conducted in collaboration with Western Sydney University. This program has been a game-changer supported generously by the Bennelong Foundation and Multicultural NSW. It involved a four-part seminar series where aspiring journalists from diverse backgrounds had the chance to hone their skills, gain insights, and connect with generous industry members. The culmination of this program will see select participants secure internships in mainstream newsrooms across our media members. We are grateful to our partners and sponsors for their unwavering support in making this initiative successful.

Speaking of success, it was an honour to represent Media Diversity Australia at the Women in Media Conference. I participated in a panel alongside some of the most successful figures in the field of gender equity. Together with Sam Mostyn AO, Kate Jenkins AO, Mary Wooldridge, and Federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland, we discussed the current shifts and the changes required to advance gender equity in media. 

Shifting gears, our NSW Chapter Networking Drinks were so much fun! These gatherings bring together members of our community in a relaxed environment, allowing social and professional connections crucial in connecting with like-minded peers and securing future employment opportunities.

In July, we held a historic inaugural media industry DEI round table, bringing together media heavyweights to commit to a collective path forward to accelerate industry-wide change. You can read our Industry Round Table press release summarising the commitments made at this round table.

Building on this momentum of the round table, we held our first working group meeting last week. We are so pleased with the industry’s appetite to continue collaborating with us to help accelerate change across the industry.

MDA is pleased to welcome two new media members, Junkee Media and ARE Media, into our fold (existing members include ABC, SBS, Seven, Nine, Ten/Paramount, News Corp Australia, AAP, The Guardian, The Daily Aus, The Conversation Group and Private Media Group). Furthermore, we’re on the cusp of launching Memberships with the PR industry at the upcoming PRIA Conference, a significant step in expanding our reach and influence.

For our talented journalists from marginalised backgrounds, remember to sign up for MDA’s TalentHub. It’s your gateway to exciting job opportunities with our member outlets, creating a more equitable media ecosystem.

As we look into the future, keep an eye out for the our panel I am moderating at the inaugural SXSW Sydney event in October, where we’ll continue championing diversity and inclusion in media on a global stage.

Please consider supporting Media Diversity Australia here as we continue to drive industry-wide change.

Happy reading,

— Mariam Veiszadeh (CEO) and the Media Diversity Team 

'Know that you belong exactly where you are': MDA Political Fellowship graduate Kat Wong encourages young journalists of colour

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“Many POC journalists often feel they only have jobs because of diversity quotas or programs. But I think it’s important to see those things as levelling the playing field and to know you have worked just as hard as other journos, if not harder, to be where you are.” 

– MDA Political Fellowships graduate, Kat Wong

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Katherine ‘Kat’ Wong is a recently appointed Press Gallery journalist working for the Australian Associated Press (AAP) in Canberra after serving a cadetship with the media company. After winning Media Diversity Australia’s 2022 Political Fellowship, Kat entered the industry as a passionate and motivated reporter determined to cover the perspectives of diverse young people.

How was the transition from winning MDA's 2022 Political Fellowship to becoming a full-time journalist?

“It was a whirlwind! During the Fellowship, I spent four weeks in Canberra with the SMH and The Age team. I published stories that covered things like Simpsons political memes and Australia’s best author Hugo Award nominee. Then, for the fortnight before the election, I helped out their journos from the Sydney office. 

I didn’t get a full-time role immediately, so I spent some time working in publishing, but after a few month, the AAP cadetship rolled around. I applied, and with some advice from MDA’s mentors, I was offered the role. Through AAP’s rotations, I had a little taste of everything from sports reporting to politics to breaking news. Writing many different stories and meeting people from across the news landscape was so much fun. A few months ago, as the cadetship was closing, AAP offered me a full-time job in Canberra Press Gallery, where I am today.”

What do you love about your role at AAP?

“I love working at AAP because it is such a lively job. Everyone in the office is lovely, and being a full-time journalist is one of the most fun careers I could ever imagine. I get to do something new every day, whether questioning politicians at press conferences, reporting on the House of Reps, interviewing people who have done cool things with their lives or just having incredible stories. Not to mention, it’s an incredible privilege to have thousands of people read my writing.” 

What advice would you offer young, diverse journalists taking their first steps?

“The best advice is to know that you belong exactly where you are. Being a journalist and telling other people’s stories is an immense privilege that can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when the industry has indicated that people of colour do not deserve to have their voices heard in the past. And many POC journalists often feel they only have jobs because of a diversity quota or program. But I think it’s important to see those things as levelling the playing field and to know you have worked just as hard other journos, if not harder, to be where you are.” 

Introducing the MEDIA INDUSTRY PATHWAYS PROGRAM, a new seminar and internship series for aspiring journalists

The Media Pathways Program is a dynamic four-part series designed to provide comprehensive support to culturally and linguistically diverse students, graduates, and job seekers in communications, particularly those from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds.

Supported by the Bennelong Foundation and Multicultural NSW and produced in partnership with Western Sydney University, the program aims to equip participants with the skills, confidence, connections, and experience necessary to thrive in Australian media.

In September, four evening sessions were held at WSU’s Parramatta City Campus, showcasing an impressive line-up of renowned journalists, presenters, and media professionals. Attendees have gained invaluable insights from these accomplished speakers as they share their expertise and experiences. 

After completing the seminars, select participants will embark on paid internship placements at News Corp Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald, ARE Media and Mama Mia.

“As someone from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) background, I’m excited to work with a non-profit like Media Diversity Australia that aims to bring about positive change and ensure that people from diverse backgrounds have equal opportunities in the media industry,” said one participant. “The Media Pathways internship would be a valuable experience as I take the next step in my career and prepare myself to graduate.”

A historic first - Australia's media leadership convene diversity, equity and inclusion roundtable

On Friday, July 14, Media Diversity Australia hosted its inaugural industry roundtable in Sydney, bringing together Australia’s media leadership and Federal Communications Minister Michelle Rowland to commit to industry-wide improvement around diversity, equity and inclusion. 

The meeting, which was held at SBS, brought together the CEOs, Managing Directors and other senior representatives from MDA member organisations AAP, the ABC, Private Media Group, News Corp Australia, Nine, SBS, Seven, Ten, The Daily Aus, The Conversation Group and The Guardian.

Some notable attendees include Nine’s CEO, Mike Sneesby, Ten’s Executive Vice President, Chief Content Officer & Head of Paramount, Beverley McGarvey, Seven’s Chief People and Culture Officer, Lucinda Gemmell, ABC’s Chief Content Officer, Chris Oliver-Taylor, SBS’s News Director Mandi Wicks and News Corp Australia’s Group Executive, Corporate Affairs, Campbell Reid.

The roundtable provided a platform for an honest and robust initial discussion around barriers to equity and inclusion and opportunities for industry collaboration. The group also started initial discussions around talent pipeline and debated the merits of uniform measurement and tracking of progress across all parts of the industry to ensure greater accountability as an industry.

Building on the roundtable’s momentum, MDA held the first follow-up, working group meeting earlier this month.

'The key to developing inclusive individuals and teams lies in fostering an environment of respect': Channel 7's Davanh Inthachanh shares key career insights

With over 20 years of HR experience, Davanh Inthachanh‘s current role as Channel Seven’s Director of People & Culture sees her responsible for driving change to develop and build a fully engaged and high-performing team.

Under Davanh’s leadership, her team has helped to guide and enhance business performance by implementing initiatives focused on employee engagement performance and development. Davanh is passionate about developing individuals and groups.

You’ve had a fantastic career spanning over 20 years. What have been some highlights for you?
“The most significant career highlights for me have been at Seven and working with our people to shift towards a more inclusive and diverse culture. This is reflected in our team composition and our policies, operations, culture, and overall mindset. We’ve made significant strides in implementing flexibility, encouraging work-life balance, and fostering and celebrating a sense of belonging among our employees, which I believe has tremendously impacted our overall productivity and success.

Seven became the first media company in Australia to be recognised as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality by The Workplace Gender Equality Agency. The criteria for the citation were rigorous, so this is a significant achievement. Seven also launched its Inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan, cementing Seven’s commitment to strengthen relationships with First Nation employment, embed reconciliation throughout the business and provide Seven with meaningful accountability.” 
 
What strategies can diversity advocates use to create more inclusive and supportive workplaces?
“I believe the key to developing inclusive individuals and teams lies in fostering an environment of respect and mutual understanding. This involves creating safe spaces for open dialogue, ensuring that each person’s voice is heard, and actively promoting continuous learning. Practically, this is about listening to all views across the the organisation. Seven has deployed an employee feedback tool to hear from all people. It also means intentionally creating diverse teams and working groups to share diverse thinking and perspectives. Additionally, a bit of flexibility and adaptability go a long way. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach because we understand that everyone’s journey is unique, and we value that diversity and change does take time.” 

What outcomes are you most looking forward to from Channel 7’s membership with MDA?
“We look forward to learning from and contributing to this incredible community. We are particularly excited about the opportunities for collaboration, sharing best practices, and gaining insights from other member organisations. We believe in the power of diversity and are keen to leverage our MDA membership to entrance further our understanding and strategies for a diverse and inclusive work environment. Additionally, Seven is looking forward to working with MDA to leverage our partnership and powerful brands to remove barriers to diversity and increase the pipeline of media professionals from diverse backgrounds entering the industry.” 

'I'd be surprised if a single journalist isn't aware of the issue': Google News Lab's Uma Patel on the growing impact of Media Diversity Australia's mission

Uma Patel is the Australia and New Zealand Lead for Google News Lab, a team within the Google News Initiative whose mission is to collaborate with journalists to fight misinformation, strengthen diversity, equity and inclusion within news, and support learning and development through digital transformation.

What are Google News Lab’s key priorities? 
“News Lab works with newsrooms worldwide to support some exciting projects, that benefit audiences, the new ecosystem and journalists. There are three chief priorities: supporting diversity within newsrooms, growing journalists’ digital skills and partnering with news publishers to tackle misinformation.” 

What strengths have you brought to this role as a former working journalist? 
“I often think of how difficult my job would be if I weren’t a former journalist. The newsroom is a complex environment – there’s no one way to develop and present a story or convince your editor to publish it. It is incredibly valuable to have had reporting experience when I’m trying to figure out the best strategy to set up impactful partnerships and programs. It helps me instinctively know what’s likely to work well and what’ll be challenging, what the opportunities are and map out projects to capture them. If I had to label the top three skills I took across from my reporting experience, I’d say understanding the newsroom, communications and an ability to react in the moment, on reason instinctively.” 

Google News Lab has supported Media Diversity Australia since its inception. How do your strategic objective align with ours?
“We’re proud to have supported from the start; the conversation had barely begun when MDA was founded (I was one of its first members, in my days as a journalist) and now I’d be surprised if there’s a single journalist in the country that isn’t aware of the issue.

The GNI supports a broad range of projects around the world to support the representation of marginalised communities in the news ecosystem. We’re pushing ourselves to build fairness, inclusion and diversity standards into the fabric of every program and partnership we create. MDA’s mission aligns with that endeavour, and we’ve found our partnerships and programs impactful.” 

Why is media diversity such an important issue?
“I know from experience how useful it can be to have different experiences and contacts represented in a newsroom, but it can also be difficult to be a woman and person of colour. Audiences, newsrooms and publishers all stand to gain if the stories published come from a broad spectrum of experiences – we can only be fully informed and justify holding people to account if we understand all the angles. MDA does an excellent job of growing and working with newsrooms to do just that.” 

Simone Amelia Jordan, MDA's Director of Special Projects, releases prize-winning memoir about becoming Australia's most accomplished hip-hop journalist

Simone Amelia Jordan (centre) with Mariam Veiszadeh, CEO of Media Diversity Australia (left) and Lena Nahlous, CEO of Diversity Arts Australia (right) at the Tell Her She’s Dreamin’ launch. Credit: Kai Godeck.

We are thrilled to announce the release of Tell Her She’s Dreamin’, the Ritchell Prize-winning debut memoir from MDA’s Director of Special Projects, Simone Amelia Jordan.

Growing up on the whitewashed Central Coast in the 1980s and attending an elite school as a scholarship student from the wrong side of the tracks, Lebanese-Cypriot Simone felt like an outcast among her peers for years. Her lifeline was hip-hop, then in its golden age. Simone recognised the art form’s pro-Black consciousness from girlhood, and the rappers’ resonant words inspired her to embrace her identity and back herself.

From founding Australia’s most successful hip-hop and R&B publication to moving to New York City and interviewing the biggest stars of the time as the editor of the world’s most beloved rap magazine, falling in love and getting her heart broken; grappling with her family ties to culture; and struggling through illness and sexual grooming, Simone’s inspiring story is about defying the odds to reach for your dreams. But it is also about figuring out those dreams can change as you do.

Tell Her She’s Dreamin’ is out now through Hachette Australia. Read an exclusive extract here. 

Want to help create a media that looks and sounds like Australia?

As a not-for-profit organisation, we rely on the help of our incredible volunteers. With your financial and volunteer support, we can continue to run programs to support culturally and linguistically diverse journalists, conduct agenda-setting research, run networking events, provide practical solutions for the media industry, and much more. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to support the vital work we do, please click here.

About us

Founded by journalists (Isabel Lo and Antoinette Lattouf) in 2017, Media Diversity Australia (MDA) is a national not-for-profit organisation, working towards creating a media landscape that looks and sounds like Australia. We have expertise in delivering evidence-based research, bespoke programs, strategic memberships and partnerships that disrupt the status quo and pave pathways for diverse representation across Australian media.

Get in touch:

Newsletter

MDA Quarterly Newsletter (Apr-Jun 2023)

Message From The CEO

Budyeri kamaru (hello!) from Eora Country,

I hope this message finds you in good health and high spirits as we embark on another exciting quarter at Media Diversity Australia. As we continue our mission to advocate for a truly inclusive and representative media landscape, it is with great pride that I share with you the latest developments within our organisation.

We have recently been reminded of the pressing need for our work in combating racism and fostering a safe environment for diverse journalists. The “grotesque racist abuse” described by veteran Indigenous journalist (and our founding Advisory Board member) Stan Grant that escalated after her spoke on ABC about the impact of colonialism on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people ahead of King Charles III’s coronation has underscored the urgency of our efforts. It also validates the importance of our latest research report, the Online Safety Of Diverse Journalists, which sheds light on the challenges reporters from marginalised communities face and provides    recommendations for change.

In honour of Stan’s resilience and to address the specific challenges faced by journalists of colour, MDA held closed Listening Circles in Sydney and Melbourne, providing a safe space for Indigenous and culturally and racially marginalised attendees to share newsroom experiences and discuss potential solutions. These inspiring events brought together journalists on the frontlines of our struggle for media diversity. I also spoke publicly with several outlets about our critical work, with MDA’s Founder and Chair, Isabel Lo, penning a heartfelt piece. 

Moreover, we are thrilled to celebrate the historic appointment of Massilia Aili, an emerging reporter and proud Australian Muslim woman in hijab, to Channel 9 News. Massilia’s on-air role is a testament to our progress in challenging stereotypes and breaking down barriers in the media industry. Her presence will undoubtedly contribute to a more accurate and authentic representation of diverse voices within our newsrooms. 

Congratulations to the journalists and media professionals from First Nations and multicultural communities, including Marina Go AM and Narelda Jacobs OAM, recognised in this month’s King’s Birthday honours. 

As our Women of Colour Mentorships and Winter Fellowship wrap up their successful runs this month, I’m delighted to announce our new Media Pathways Program in collaboration with Western Sydney University (WSU). As a former refugee and WSU graduate, this program is particularly close to my heart! The initiative, supported by Bennelong Foundation and Multicultural NSW, aims to provide aspiring journalists from underrepresented backgrounds, particularly refugees and asylum seekers, with the skills and networking opportunities necessary to navigate the industry. Stay tuned for the September session information and sign-up details. 

I want to thank our dedicated team and supporters as we forge ahead. Through your unwavering commitment and belief in our cause, we continue to drive change and make a lasting impact. Please consider supporting Media Diversity Australia here.  

Please stay connected, engaged in our programs and initiatives, and together, help us work towards a media industry that truly reflects the rich tapestry of our society.

Happy reading,

— Mariam Veiszadeh (CEO) and the Media Diversity Team

‘If you can conquer limiting beliefs about who’s entitled to tell Australian stories, you’ve won half the battle’: MDA Summer Fellowship graduate Angelo Ho shares pertinent advice for young journalists of colour


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“Pre-MDA, journalism was an intellectual passion I loved learning about but wasn’t sure I could thrive in.” 

– MDA Summer Fellowships graduate, Angela Ho

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In 2022, Angela Ho completed her Summer Fellowship with 10 News First Perth. An aspiring multi-platform storyteller, Angela is exploring connection and influence through undergraduate studies at Curtin University in journalism and law, a digital reporting role at ABC Perth and acting as Client Relations Manager for WAUC, a management consulting charity empowering top university students to provide high-quality services for non-profits like MDA. 

What did you learn during MDA Fellowship that benefited your career progression?

“The Fellowship gave me a great way to benchmark my progress and newsroom readiness. As a student especially, it was an ideal way to test my assumptions sooner rather than later about what the industry, job, and newsroom culture looked like, enabling me to think more meaningfully about how I would want to approach a career in the media.” 

You will soon finish a double journalism and law degree. Are you leaning more towards one over the other?

“I’ve had a lot more exposure to the journalism space throughout my degree, so the next year will be about scoping out what the landscape looks like in law through public and commercial sector clerkships. That being said, I’m so grateful to be doing that exploration while working and learning from the talented team in Perth’s ABC newsroom. 

Pre-MDA, journalism was an intellectual passion I loved learning about but wasn’t sure I could thrive in. Post-MDA, I’ve grown my media confidence and appreciate there is room for cultivating CaLD potential and success – if we can overcome the mental barrier of always justifying our merit in the newsroom. Hopefully, I’ll have a clearer picture for you in a year!” 

What advice would you offer young, diverse journalists taking their first steps?

“Half the game is mental. If you can conquer limiting beliefs and self-perceptions about who is entitled to tell Australian stories, you’ve won half the battle. I was lucky to have a network of diverse, aspiring journalists through my MDA cohort and mentor Simone, so if you can, reach out to and lean on your networks. You’ll be surprised how buoying this support can be.  

Once you’re on the ground, take the time to observe the processes and workflows so you know the cadence of your newsroom. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or feedback. Try to get to know your colleagues: reporters, camos, and chiefs of staff alike.

Probably worth keeping in mind is that I’m still working on all of the above things, too! Trying not to take myself too seriously keeps me grounded when the going gets rough. The first few steps can be awkward, and bumps and stumbles are part of the process.” 

Journalist and media advisor Aarti Betigeri has great ambitions for Media Diversity Australia’s ACT Chapter

Aarti Betigeri is a multi-platform journalist and former foreign correspondent based in Canberra who brings lengthy experience to her role as Chair of Media Diversity Australia’s ACT Chapter. She works as a media advisor for the Australian Council for International Development and reports for numerous outlets, including The Lowy Institute and Monocle.

You’ve had a rich and fulfilling multi-platform career, with roles including editor, advisor, foreign correspondent and more. In which medium does your heart lie?

“I’ve been so lucky to have had the opportunity to do many different things in my career. I’m working as a media advisor in the international relations space right now, which is great and something I’ve worked towards for a long time. I do miss the creativity, though, and I’d love to balance the rational, left-brain-focused work I do now with something more creative. I’d love to do more podcasting.”

Do you take a glass half-full or half-empty approach when discussing diversity in Australian media?

“I always thought the things I’ve faced in my career were about me, and it dawned on me, after people started opening up and telling their stories, that it’s structural, that Australian media has been slow to understand the need for diversity. Every time we share our story, the walls break down slightly. I’m equally encouraged and discouraged by the way media approaches diversity. But, like in many spaces, there’s a difference between what people say and what they do. It’s a two-steps forwards, one-step back thing.” 

MDA is a small non-profit with a wide-ranging reach. What’s on your dream list of activities as Chair of our ACT Chapter?

“Some of the media industry’s building blocks contribute to the general sense of bias many people feel when working there. I’d love to see MDA, perhaps in collaboration with the union and other organisations, work on advocating for structural changes that will help create a healthier media industry in general – which would no doubt help strengthen the case for more diversity. In particular, we need a change around defamation laws; proper resourcing for independent media (I think there should be more government and philanthropic funding for it); ongoing training opportunities for workers; more support for freelancers; etc. At a local level, while it’s a good idea to help create pathways for up-and-coming diverse journalists and media workers, creating solid networks amongst current journalists from diverse backgrounds, and allies that cut across organisations and existing hierarchies, should be a focus.”

‘As the Stan Grant situation showed, there’s always work to be done’: 10 News First’s Rashell Habib shares key insights from her visit to Paramount Global’s U.S. HQ

Rashell Habib is the Head of Digital News & Strategy for 10 News First under the Paramount Global brand and the latest member of the Walkley Awards Judging Board. She started her career at News Corp, working as an opinion writer for the Daily Telegraph, a News Local journalist, and news.com.au social media manager, before an editor stint at Netflix AUNZ, then joining Channel 10. 

You recently visited Paramount Global’s North American HQ to strengthen the worldwide network relationship and share knowledge and expertise. What were your key observations when it comes to their DEI initiatives?

“Witnessing the general inclusivity and meeting with many diverse leaders was impressive and notable. Not only was the on-air talent a representation of the communities that watch them, but those that worked behind the scenes reflected the same diversity and inclusivity. Much like us here in Australian, there is an understanding that audiences that make up our viewership come from a plethora of backgrounds and content and talent need to represent that.” 

What are some critical ingredients for developing successful individuals and teams?

“It’s more about looking at the potential of people and helping them achieve that. Sometimes it’s as simple as a bit of self-confidence, while other times, it’s a matter of workshopping ideas; there’s no great light bulb moment. It’s consistent communication, inclusion in decision making and respect for a point of view that differs from your own.” 

You’ve personally supported Media Diversity Australia’s mission since its 2017 inception, and Network 10 signed on as our inaugural Member. Do you still see the need for this work to be done?

“Media diversity has improved a lot since I started in journalism, since MDA started, and even now. But as the Stan Grant situation showed, there’s always work to be done. Two steps forward, one step back.”

MDA Partner Spotlight: Bennelong Foundation

Bennelong Foundation’s Grants & Administration Manager, Liem Nguyen has worked in technology and business roles in start-ups, corporates and not-for-profits for over a decade. Passionate about sharing stories of social and cultural identity, Liem and the Bennelong team are supporting MDA’s inaugural Media Pathways Program.

MDA is grateful to the Bennelong Foundation for supporting our inaugural Media Pathways Program, What would you say are the Foundation’s key priorities?

“Providing opportunities for positive and lasting change in our community. Our granting focus areas are in Education, Training & Employment, Community Health and Wellbeing and Cultural Inclusion projects for First Nations people, Australian in migrant and refugee communities and those encountering socioeconomic disadvantage. We are also active participants in the philanthropic space and collaborate deeply with out peers to build partnerships, networks and capabilities within the sector.” 

How do Bennelong Foundation’s strategic objectives align with MDA’s?

“What we liked about the [Media Pathways] project submitted by Media Diversity Australia was that it supported young migrant and refugee cohorts and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds with workshops to build awareness and skills in the media industry and guaranteed internship placements. We believe meaningful work is life-changing for people as it allows them to control their lives.” 

Why is media diversity such an important issue?

“We believe representation is important. “You can’t be what you can’t see,” we often hear from our grant partners and communities. Media Diversity Australia helps build the talent pipeline and scaffolding for young media students and professionals to flourish in their careers. Representation in media also allows for increased empathy in telling stories that affect our multicultural communities.”

MDA Opportunities & Events

On World Press Freedom Day (May 3), we launched the Online Safety Of Diverse Journalists report, our Australian-first research which served as a critical step towards identifying, understanding, and addressing online abuse and harassment of diverse journalists and media workers. Check out the infographic, press release and official report here. 


It wasn’t an easy task for MDA’s CEO and a small group of judges to choose the winner of the Media Diversity Australia award (supported by NEMBC) at this month’s 2023 Walkleys Mid-Year Celebration. The category, which honours journalists making an outstanding contributions by reporting or covering diverse people or issues in Australia, was won by ABC reporters Hagar Cohen and Raveen Hunjan for their ‘Racism allegations lead to staff exodus’ investigation.

From left to right: Antoinette Lattouf (WOC Mentor and MDA Co-Founder), Alicia Vrajlal (WOC Mentee), Angelique Lu (WOC Mentee), Uma Patel (WOC Mentor), Paula Kruger (WOC Mentor), Madison Howarth (WOC Mentee), Simone Amelia Jordan (MDA Director of Special Projects), Anushri Sood (WOC Mentee), Mariam Veiszadeh (MDA CEO). Image credit: Supplied. 

Several Sydney-based participants from our Women of Colour Mentorships gathered at UTS Startups to celebrate the culmination of the inaugural 12-month program, which Crescent Foundation, Monash University and the University of Melbourne supported. Shout out to those who weren’t in attendance: Nehal Dalgliesh, Bernadine Lim, Mibenge Nsenduluka, Ruth Brook, Shuba Krishnan, Pranjali Sehgal, Cathy Wilcox, Famida Rahman, Tanya Denning-Orman, Rhanna Collins, Rashida Yosufzai, Tania Lee and Junko Howe. 

Our ground-breaking Who Gets to Tell Australian Stories research was mentioned in the House of Representatives this week by the Independent Federal Member for Fowler, Dai Le MP. Our impact is far-reaching; check out Le’s heartfelt speech here. 

Want to help create a media that looks and
sounds like Australia?

As a not-for-profit organisation, we rely on the help of our incredible volunteers. With your financial and volunteer support, we can continue to run programs to support culturally and linguistically diverse journalists, conduct agenda-setting research, run networking events, provide practical solutions for the media industry, and much more. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to support the vital work we do, please click here.

About us

Founded by journalists (Isabel Lo and Antoinette Lattouf) in 2017, Media Diversity Australia (MDA) is a national not-for-profit organisation, working towards creating a media landscape that looks and sounds like Australia. We have expertise in delivering evidence-based research, bespoke programs, strategic memberships and partnerships that disrupt the status quo and pave pathways for diverse representation across Australian media.

Get in touch:

Opportunities

Summer Fellowships

Opportunities

Summer Fellowships 2024

GNI (Google News Initiative) Student Summer Fellowships, in partnership with Media Diversity Australia.

Open to final-year university and TAFE students OR 2023 graduates interested in a media career.

Media Diversity Australia is calling for expressions of interest from students in their final year or graduates who have completed a media and communications degree OR have experience in a news related role (e.g. a student newspaper) and are keen to get industry experience at a mainstream media outlet over the summer break.

  • The project aims to place final-year students or recent graduates in 14 media outlets nationwide.
  • The Fellowship recipients will receive a weekly stipend to cover living expenses for the Fellowship duration.
  • The Fellowship will take place for five weeks full-time: Monday, January 15, until Friday, February 16, 2024.
  • The Fellowship recipients will be mentored and supported by an MDA Mentor.
  • Fellowships will take place at one outlet for the duration of the placement.
  • Applicants can express interest in working at a specific outlet, but Media Diversity Australia and the host newsroom decide their placement.
HOST NEWSROOMS
ACT (Press Gallery)
-Australian Financial Review (*Alternate dates: Monday, Feb 5 – Friday, March 8)
-ABC News Politics (*Indigenous-identified placement)
-SBS News Politics (*Alternate dates TBC)
 
NSW
-10 News First
–NITV (*Indigenous-identified placement)
-Sydney Morning Herald (audio and podcasts)
-ABC News (*Indigenous-identified placement)
 
VIC
-9 News Melbourne
-AAP (*Alternate dates: Monday, Jan 22 – Friday, Feb 23) 
-The Age (data journalism)
-Private Media: Crikey, Smart Company, The Mandarin
 
QLD
-The Courier-Mail
 
WA
-SevenWest Media: 7 News and The West Australian
 
SA
-ABC News
 
HOW TO APPLY
  • Applicants must be final-year university/TAFE students OR graduate in 2023.
  • Applicants will come from a First Nations or culturally or linguistically diverse background or are interested in growing diversity in Australia’s newsrooms.
  • You must address all of the following to be considered for an internship:
    In 500 words or less, please tell us a bit about you, any media industry experience you’ve had, what mediums you are most interested in working with, what stories are of interest to you, and why you should be an MDA Summer Fellow.
  • Please also attach a CV and one written reference.
  • Please attach any examples of published journalism, even if this is through your university or TAFE newsroom.
  • Applications open on Thursday, October 26 at 9 am AEST and close at 5 pm AEST on Wednesday, November 15. ENTRIES HAVE BEEN EXTENDED FOR INDIGENOUS-IDENTIFIED PLACEMENTS UNTIL 5 PM AEST ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7.
  • Shortlisted applicants will be contacted in late November for an interview process, and successful candidates announced in early-mid December.
  • Due to a high volume of applications received, we are unable to contact each applicant individually regarding the status of their application.
  • Questions regarding the Summer Fellowships can be sent to MDA’s Director Of Special Projects, Simone Amelia Jordan:
    simone@mediadiversityaustralia.org.

If this sounds like you, please apply now.

Applicants can apply by clicking here

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Opportunities

Media Pathways Program

Opportunities

Media Pathways Program

Media Diversity Australia, in collaboration with Western Sydney University, presents the MEDIA INDUSTRY PATHWAYS PROGRAM.

This dynamic series is designed to provide comprehensive support to culturally and linguistically diverse students, graduates, and job seekers in communications. The program aims to equip participants, especially those with refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds, with the skills, confidence, connections, and experience necessary to thrive in the Australian media industry and pursue employment opportunities.

In September 2023, four evening sessions will be held at WSU’s Parramatta City Campus, showcasing an impressive lineup of renowned journalists, presenters, and media professionals. Prepare to be inspired and gain invaluable insights from these accomplished speakers as they share their expertise and experiences.

After completing the seminar series, selected participants will embark on internship placements (details forthcoming).

This program is limited to past and present Western Sydney University students.

[This program is now closed.]

Media Diversity Australia proudly upholds and promotes diversity, inclusion, and equity practices in media recruitment and workplace environments. This commitment is made possible through the generous support of our program sponsors, the Bennelong Foundation and Multicultural NSW.

Newsletter

MDA Quarterly Newsletter (Jan – Mar 2023)

Message From The CEO

Budyeri kamaru (hello!) from Eora Country,

We’ve had a jam-packed start to 2023 at Media Diversity Australia.

Our newsletter is now going out quarterly, so we can focus on our expanding suite of impactful programs. We post regularly to social media, so follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for events, opportunities and announcements.

We’ve been busy delivering our Summer Fellowships, Women of Colour Mentorships and more. As well as onboarding newsrooms who have joined up to our media membership model (welcome NewsCorp Australia, The Conversation Group and Private Media Group), and hosting statewide chapter events, including last month in the ACT with award-winning journalist, Peter Greste.

We were delighted to be invited to participate in the Australian Press Council’s Sydney Round Table on ‘Updating Advisory Guideline on Reporting of Race’ as well the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) consultation on a ‘news measurement framework’. We will also be presenting at the upcoming Australian Media Literacy Summit.

A highlight on our calendar was welcoming MDA’s Founder, Isabel Lo, back to Sydney from New York City for our annual Strategy Day. A heartfelt thank you to those who have been donating to our cause in Q1.

We have a big year planned, so watch this space!

Happy reading,

Mariam Veiszadeh (CEO) and the Media Diversity Team 

In this issue:

  • Hear how The Age’s Abbir Dib turned her MDA internship into her dream career.
  • VIC State Chapter member K.C. Boey sheds light on a career dedicated to media and cultural advocacy.
  • Kelly Williams’ recent appointment as ABC’s Head of Indigenous, Diversity and Inclusion is an exciting step for the network.
  • Michelle Gortan, CEO of the Jibb Foundation, says media diversity is an “ethical and civil responsibility”.
  • Introducing MDA’s Winter Fellowship with social impact agency, Weld Stories.
  • Reforming journalism’s role in our democracy – an evening with Peter Greste in Canberra
  • Donation Campaign: Help us continue to have an impact, drive change and create a media landscape that truly looks and sounds like Australia.

The Age’s Abbir Dib turned an MDA internship into her dream career

“
 Sometimes I felt isolated or unsure if certain behaviour was normal, and it helps to have a community or people behind you that you trust to listen. 

– MDA Summer Fellowships graduate, Abbir Dib

”

After completing our inaugural Summer Fellowships (formerly Internships) program with Nine News Melbourne in 2020, Abbir continued working with the newsroom. She was recently offered her dream role as a journalist, social producer and opinion writer for The Age, another Fairfax-owned platform.

How did you transition from an MDA Summer Intern to a full-time journalist

This is no easy feat. It was tiring, but I took every opportunity to work hard and meet as many people as possible, both in the industry and out on the field. An internship is essentially one long interview. I was offered a position because I proved I could learn skills quickly and be a valuable asset to the team.

What do you love about your role?

In my current role at The Age, I love the challenge of translating hard news to the growing world of social media. Innovation in journalism is an exciting thing.

What did you learn during your MDA program that benefited your career progression?

I learnt quickly that no one is there to help you unless you have a good attitude. It’s quite sobering, but the onus was on me to show initiative and put aside nervousness. No one will wait for you to make it happen in your career. I also learnt that although senior journalists might be in the workforce, there’s always room for young, diverse perspectives. They’re very needed!

What advice can you offer young, diverse journalists taking their first steps?

Contact young diverse journalists like myself if you feel things are getting tough. Sometimes I felt isolated or unsure if certain behaviour was normal, and it helps to have a community or people behind you that you trust to listen. And also, confidence doesn’t just belong to a certain type of journey; feel empowered in your strengths and voice.

#MDAImpact Q1 Highlights:

–Selina Zhang (Summer Fellowships 2023) has been offered a role with Nine News Melbourne
–Anushri Sood (WOC Mentorships) has been hired as Interview Producer at Sky News
–Alicia Vrajlal (WOC Mentorships) has been promoted to Senior Culture Editor at Refinery29
–Tahnee Maxwell (Summer Fellowships 2023) has accepted a role with Hot 100 FM in Darwin

MDA’s Victoria Chapter K.C. Boey sheds light on a career dedicated to media and cultural advocacy

Born and raised in Malaysia and a Melbourne resident for over three decades, K.C. lives and works with diversity in his personal and professional life. As an international media veteran, he’s the former editor of Malay Mail, the first local English daily published during the colonial Federated Malay States, and journalist for The Age. K.C.’s interest in politics and culture saw him undertake further studies at Monash University. Driven by building cross-cultural bridges, his career has expanded into the policy space as an advocate for diversity, inclusion and equity.

Do you think Australia’s media landscape is changing to reflect our nation?

Media everywhere ought to be the mirror of the people that it is the product of and which it ought to reflect. It is instructive that sections of the Australian media have felt the need for a representative voice in setting up MDA, whose annual report card of the media landscape is now in its second edition. The media dial is moving. It will take time.

“

Media everywhere ought to be the mirror of the people that it is the product of and which it ought to reflect.

– K.C. Boey, MDA VIC Chapter 
”

What steps should our media take for greater diversity and inclusion?

As with all attempts at change, the earlier we set desirable outcomes, the better and quicker we can arrive at solutions. I ruminated over this question in a fantasy published in the Asia-Pacific Media Educator. In many ways, the answer is taken out of the hands of the media. Power is vested in the political economy of the day and commercial interests. Diversity and inclusion in the media are as beholden to these whims as they are in all domestic and international affairs and interests.

What’s one piece of advice you can offer young journalists?

Read broadly. The 5Ws + H guide the structured coverage and presentation of any report, whether for a general audience or the specific interest of a medical patient, legal litigant or architectural client. The formula is helpful at the start of an assignment. Formulating questions to ask is critical in composing a coherent whole of the sum of the parts in an inquiry. The substance between the start and the end is informed by the inquisitive mind derived from knowing the subject matter through reading.

MDA Chapter Q1 Highlights:

-VIC Chapter Co-Secretary Achol Arok joins SBS News as a cadet and is up for a Melbourne Press Club Quills Award for an ABC News story co-produced with Dan Ziffer.
-VIC Chapter Co-Chair Nassim Khadem was interviewed for the Business In Colour podcast.
-ACT Chapter member Soofia Tariq joins SBS News as Federal Political Reporter.
-NSW Chapter Disability Affairs Officer Briana Blackett has written an op-ed about media coverage of autism and the NDIS for Hireup.

Meet Kelly Williams, the ABC’s new Head of Indigenous, Diversity and Inclusion

Kelly’s recent appointment as ABC’s Head of Indigenous, Diversity and Inclusion is an exciting step for the network. Having worked with the broadcaster for over 30 years, Kelly deeply understands talent management and media and is passionate about positively disrupting workplace culture.

You’ve had a fantastic career at the ABC. What are some highlights?

There are so many. I had two children and spent a few years job-sharing, on fixed-term engagements, and as a casual employee while juggling work and childcare—just getting through that was a highlight. Still, also that juggling allowed me to work across the People & Culture, News and Regional & Local divisions. I’ve produced social and digital platforms for Australian Story, Landline and Back Roads, designed and built TV specials, co-ordinated three ABC Reconciliation Action Plans, established the Diversity Advocates Network, and am currently finetuning the ABC’s 2023-26 Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging plan. I’ve also driven strategic partnerships between ABC, First Nations Media Australia, and First Languages Australia. I couldn’t do that work without Bronwyn Purvis (Partnerships Lead, ABC News).

I get great satisfaction in working with others to drive change. It keeps me inspired. And there is real joy in having your children watch you as you do that work. They are men now and often tell me they are proud of what I do.

What steps can media networks take to support First Nations or culturally and racially marginalised diverse job applicants?

Put First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse people in senior editorial and management positions. Media networks wouldn’t need to invest in resourcing programs on recruitment and retention if representation were at the top.

“

Media networks wouldn’t need to invest in resourcing programs on recruitment and retention if representation were at the top.  

Kelly Williams, Head of Indigenous, Diversity & Inclusion ABC

”

What strategies can diversity advocates use to create more inclusive and supportive workplaces?

One of the easiest things to do is to ensure everyone is heard. If you are in a meeting and an Indigenous or diverse colleague hasn’t spoken, ask them to offer their opinion. And if their opinion adds something to the discussion, say that to everyone. You could also ensure that someone’s cultural authority is recognised during conversations about their communities. They may not be a senior leader, but they may have the cultural authority to inform a discussion about their community.

But further to that, don’t ask the First Nations or the culturally and linguistically diverse person in the room to speak for every community in the country or around the world when big issues hit the news. That has happened to me many times. I’m not a Black oracle. It makes me very uncomfortable to be put in that position.

What outcomes are you most looking forward to from ABC's membership with MDA?

I am so excited to work with MDA. It fits right in with my goal to create pathways into the ABC. I once purchased a painting during an Indigenous Staff Conference on the Gold Coast. For our community day, we went to the Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre. I saw a painting called ‘Women’s Business’, which had 20 beautiful brown women, all depicting different activities in a line of unity. That painting became my inspiration for the pathways I want to leave behind. I think ABC’s membership with MDA will create some of those pathways.

MDA Membership Q1 Highlights:

-New MDA Members: NewsCorp Australia, The Conversation Group and Private Media Group
-The Nine Network debuted Sarah Abo as the new Today show co-host
-AAP launched an Indigenous Affairs desk, lead by Rudi Maxwell and Eelemarni Close-Brown
-The ABC published its Diversity & Inclusion Annual Report 2021-2022
-Channel 10 appointed MDA Mentor Narelda Jacobs to helm its national midday news bulletin

An "ethical and civic responsibility" - Jibb Foundation CEO Michelle Gortan on media diversity

The Jibb Foundation is helping sustain Media Diversity Australia’s strategic growth and overall vision. Established in 2013, Jibb is the family foundation of historic media proprietor John B Fairfax AO and his wife, Libby Fairfax, with a mission to support organisations that strive to improve the equality of opportunity for others. We caught up with Michelle, the foundation’s manager, to hear more about why they supported MDA and why Australia urgently needs a more diverse media landscape.

What are the Jibb Foundation’s key priorities?

The next few years are about supporting our new and long-standing partners with medium to long-term funding. Much of grant-making to date has been to fund salary costs. By providing stability of income for core costs, our partners can focus on attracting and keeping great people and, importantly, focus on getting the job done.

How do the Jibb Foundation’s strategic objectives align with MDA’s?

The commitment of MDA to removing the barriers for people of diverse backgrounds to enter media and journalism is challenging and important work, and the MDA team is passionate and ambitious about achieving that. Mariam (Veiszadeh) impressed me with her cool assessment of the problem MDA is trying to address, and I was equally impressed by her clarity and focus on how to address it. Naturally, the Fairfax family is deeply knowledgeable and committed to media and journalism. For them, interventions that support a high-quality and thriving media sector are of great interest. In their minds, MDA contributes solidly to creating and supporting such a sector.

Why is media diversity such an important issue?

It’s an ethical and civic responsibility. We live in one of the most multicultural countries in the world, and our institutions must reflect that. The media is crucial in informing and educating us and holding power to account. Every single part of our community should feel engaged and informed on the issues that affect them, and the media is one of the most powerful ways to achieve this. We also know that talent exists throughout our diverse communities. We must encourage and enable this talent to surface by directly addressing inequality and discrimination and unlocking opportunities whenever possible. We’ll all be better for it.

Introducing MDA’s Winter Fellowship Program

Media Diversity Australia has joined forces with Weld Stories, a Sydney-based digital content agency committed to social impact storytelling, to offer a Winter Fellowship for one candidate to join Weld’s small team full-time across May and June 2023.

The Fellowship winner will be included in calls with Weld Stories clients, concept development, research, writing, editing, planning, pre-production, distribution strategy, briefing of designers, production, reviewing edits and delivery of assets.

They will also work on developing and creating vibrant and relevant stories for MDA’s social channels.

The winning candidate will have a strong sense of the news and current affairs, an understanding of multimedia storytelling (e.g. feature articles, videos and podcasts), and creative thinking to help drive original approaches to narratives.

Entrants must be Sydney-based and available for six weeks from May 8 to June 16. The winning candidate will be paid a weekly stipend of $1000. For your chance to win, enter now.

Reforming journalism's role in our democracy - an evening with Peter Greste in Canberra

Our ACT Chapter proudly hosted a networking evening on Friday, February 24, featuring Professor Peter Greste at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, Canberra in partnership with the MEAA.

Greste, an award-winning journalist, author and academic (Macquarie University), spent fifteen years with the BBC before he joined Al Jazeera as East Africa correspondent. In December 2013, whilst reporting for Al Jazeera, he was arrested in Egypt and charged with airing false news and terrorism offences. Within six months, he was found guilty under the country’s anti-terrorism laws and spent 400 days in prison before being released in February 2015.

Thanks to Jessica Swann-Jadwat and our ACT Chapter members for driving this event!

Want to help create a media that looks and sounds like Australia?

As a not-for-profit organisation, we rely on the help of our incredible volunteers. With your financial and volunteer support, we can continue to run programs to support culturally and linguistically diverse journalists, conduct agenda-setting research, run networking events, provide practical solutions for the media industry, and much more. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to support the vital work we do, please click here.

About us

Founded by journalists (Isabel Lo and Antoinette Lattouf) in 2017, Media Diversity Australia (MDA) is a national not-for-profit organisation, working towards creating a media landscape that looks and sounds like Australia. We have expertise in delivering evidence-based research, bespoke programs, strategic memberships and partnerships that disrupt the status quo and pave pathways for diverse representation across Australian media.

Get in touch:

Opportunities

Winter Fellowship 2023

Opportunities

Winter Fellowship 2023

Media Diversity Australia has joined forces with Weld Stories, a Sydney-based digital content agency committed to social impact storytelling, to offer a Winter Fellowship for one candidate to join Weld’s small team full-time across May and June 2023.  

  • The Winter Fellowship is scheduled to run from Monday, May 2023 until Friday, June 16.
  • The Fellowship recipient will be mentored and supported by an MDA Mentor.

THE SIX-WEEK PROGRAM WILL INCLUDE

  • Calls with Weld Stories clients
  • Concept development
  • Research and planning
  • Writing and editing
  • Pre-production and production
  • Distribution strategy
  • Briefing of designers
  • Reviewing edits
  • Delivery of assets
  • Developing and creating vibrant and relevant stories for MDA’s social channels
  • Competitive weekly stipend provided for the duration of the Fellowship

HOW TO APPLY

  • Applicants must have the right to work in Australia
  • Applicants will be from a First Nations or culturally and racially marginalised (CaRM) background
  • Applicants will preferably have experience working in new media or demonstrate strong writing or presentation skills
  • Applicants will ideally be available full-time for six weeks, however, scheduling flexibility can be discussed
  • You must address all of the following to be considered for this program:
  • In 500 words or less, please tell us about you, your media and communication experience, your leadership qualities and aspirations, and why you should be an MDA Winter Fellow.
  • Please attach a CV and at least one written reference.
  • Applications open on Thursday, March 23, 2023, at 9 am AEDT and close on Friday, April 21, 2023, at 5 pm AEST.
  • The Fellowship winner will be announced in late April 2023 after a shortlist interview process.

Applications are now closed.

Events

End of Year Event (2022)

End of Year Event (2022)

6 December 2022

MDA celebrated the end of a successful year with our esteemed media members, brilliant advisory board, dedicated staff, state chapter representatives and industry partners at the wonderful Canva space located in the city. 

The evening commenced with a heartfelt speech from our CEO, Mariam Veiszadeh retrospectively looking back at the impact MDA has had this year. Our Director of Special Projects, Simone Amelia Jordan also known to emulate “aunty energy” in her approach of mentoring our past and current program graduates presented MDA’s 2022 impact video created by a set of talented TAFE students. 

We soon moved on to a nuanced panel discussing how far the Australian media landscape has come in matters of diversity and inclusion and the role MDA has played in it. The interactive panel was moderated by our co-founder, Antoinette Lattouf with an impressive line up of panelists representing our media members. 

Our panelists included Marc Fennell (SBS), Dave Chaou (ABC), Brooke Boney  (Nine Network), Daniel Doody (Channel 10) and Sharnelle Vella (Seven). 

We ended the event with a night of networking, sharing experiences and exchanging anecdotes. A perfect end to an exciting year! 
Newsletter

December 2022 Newsletter

Hello MDA supporters,

It’s been a huge year for MDA and we are grateful to all of you for supporting us through our growth journey. To round off the year we spotlight one of our 2022 Women of Colour mentees, Ruth Brook, who shares insights  with us about her mentorship with journalist and author, Mibenge Nsenduluka. We are so thrilled to announce the first 6 winners of our 2023 Summer Fellowship program in partnership with Google News Initiative. We recently celebrated the end of a very successful year at the beautiful Canva space with our members, partners and friends. Introducing the Community Voices Melbourne class of 2022. Get to know another one of our Women of Colour mentees Madison Howarth mentored by the brilliant Director of Indigenous Content at NITV, Tanya Denning-Orman. As the year comes to a close, walk down memory lane with us as we list the impact we’ve had this year and donate now to help us continue our work towards  diversifying the Australian media landscape. We have SO much more planned for next year so stay tuned and have yourselves a wonderful festive period!

In this issue:

  • Spotlight: MDA 2022 Women of Colour mentee, Ruth Brook, mentored by journalist & author, Mibenge Nsenduluka 
  • MDA’s 2023 Summer Fellowships: Announcing our first 6 winners
  • MDA End of Year Event: Celebrating the end of a very successful year with our members, staff, industry partners and friends
  • Community Voices Melbourne: Celebrating the class of 2022
  • Get to know our program graduate: Hear from our Women of Colour mentee, Madison Howarth, who is mentored by Director of Indigenous content (NITV), Tanya Denning-Orman 
  • Donation Campaign: Help us continue to have an impact, drive change & create a media landscape that truly looks and sounds like Australia 
  • MDA 2022 Impact: Look back at the impact we’ve had this year as 2022 comes to a close

Spotlight: MDA 2022 Women of Colour mentee, Ruth Brook, mentored by journalist & author, Mibenge Nsenduluka

“

Sometimes it’s as simple as greeting someone at a networking event, you never know what’s on the other side of a hello.

– MDA Women of Colour mentee, Ruth Brook
”

You are halfway through your year long mentorship with journalist and author, Mibenge Nsenduluka - Can you tell us a bit about your experience so far?

Being mentored by Mibenge has been a wonderful experience. From our first session, she has been sincere, kind and always willing to listen and answer my questions. She has created a safe space for me to openly express myself without judgment, and that has been invaluable. We have bonded over shared experiences and I am continuing to learn from her vast knowledge of this industry. She has been more than a mentor, she has been a sounding board, a teacher and a friend. 

What is one vital piece of information you have learned during your mentorship that you believe would be beneficial to you as your career progresses?

Through the mentorship program, I have truly learned the importance of staying true to myself and my values no matter the circumstance I am faced with. I approach opportunities from the standpoint of ‘Does this align with my values and what I would like to achieve in my career?’. Having those mental check-ins before approaching a situation has really helped me narrow my focus on the kind of work I would like to do and be a part of.

What is one piece of advice you can offer other young diverse journalists who are taking their first steps in the media industry?

The advice I would offer is to not be afraid to reach out to people in the media industry and ask for help or seek guidance. Sometimes we may think we’re inconveniencing someone or but, in my experience, when I have reached out, people have been more than happy to help and have directed me towards opportunities that have helped me further my career. Sometimes it’s as simple as greeting someone at a networking event, you never know what’s on the other side of a hello.

MDA’s 2023 Summer Fellowships: Announcing the first 6 winners!

2023 Summer Fellowships Winners

MDA’s 2023 Summer Fellowships in partnership with Google News Initiative places 12 graduates in various mainstream media outlets nationwide. After careful deliberation and a thorough interview process carried out by our brilliant Director of Special Projects, Simone Amelia Jordan, in collaboration with the respective newsrooms, 12 journalism graduates have been matched with reputable newsrooms around Australia. 

Congratulations to the deserving and driven winners of the 2023 Summer Fellowship program. We will be announcing the winners in two parts. The first half of our fellowship winners are as follows: 

  • Abhranil Hazra (NSW) with The Guardian 
  • Luca Ittimani (ACT) with Australian Financial Review 
  • Rachel Green (WA) with 10 News First (Perth)
  • Jin Qian (NSW) with News Corp Australia
  • Manu Fabila-Hicks (QLD) with The Courier-Mail
  • Selina Zhang (VIC) with Channel 9News (Melbourne) 

We are so proud of the winners and can’t wait to see them shaping the future of journalism. 

Stay tuned for the second half of our 2023 Summer Fellowship program recipients!

MDA End of Year Event: Celebrating the end of a very successful year with our members, staff, industry partners and friends

MDA End of Year Event

On December 6th, Media Diversity Australia celebrated the end of an action-filled and successful year with our esteemed media members, brilliant advisory board, dedicated staff, state chapter representatives and industry partners at the wonderful Canva space located in the city. 

The evening commenced with a heartfelt speech from our CEO, Mariam Veiszadeh retrospectively looking back at the impact MDA has had this year. Our Director of Special Projects, Simone Amelia Jordan also known to emulate “aunty energy” in her approach of mentoring our past and current program graduates presented MDA’s 2022 impact video created by a set of talented TAFE students. 

We soon moved on to a nuanced panel discussing how far the Australian media landscape has come in matters of diversity and inclusion and the role MDA has played in it. The interactive panel was moderated by our co-founder, Antoinette Lattouf with an impressive line up of panelists representing our media members. 

Our panelists included Marc Fennell (SBS), Dave Chaou (ABC), Brooke Boney  (Nine Network), Daniel Doody (Channel 10) and Sharnelle Vella (Seven). 

We ended the event with a night of networking, sharing experiences and exchanging anecdotes. A perfect end to an exciting year! 

Stay tuned to attend our upcoming events in 2023 – Follow MDA on Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram! 

Community Voices Melbourne: Celebrating the class of 2022

Community Voices 2022 Celebration

Celebrating the Community Voices class of 2022! The thirteen participants from Melbourne were acknowledged last week in a lovely gathering, surrounded by family, friends, and clued-in journalists keen to tap them for future stories.

If you want to know more or add them to your contact list, please message Andrea Ho or Jim Carroll via LinkedIn. Every one of these participants is already an achiever in their community, and they are now ready to speak in news media. We are so proud of them!

A big congratulations to:

Kimberly Mitchiko Clemencio
Emily Fioramonte
Daniel Haile-Michael
Bakr Hawari
Charmaine Hunzwi A FIN
Catherine J.
Dr Harpreet Singh Kandra
Akat Mayoum
Saarah Ozeer
Ruchika Rawat
Anaab Rooble MAICD
Sahema Saberi
Saththiyan Satchithanantham

Thanks to our co-founder Antoinette Lattouf  for making a lively and inspiring keynote speech, and Jim Carroll for summing up their big year. And a heartfelt thanks to our project partners, Judith Neilson Institute and to everyone who contributed to this project as a speaker, presenter, support worker.

Get to know our program graduates: Hear from WOC mentee Madison Howarth, who is mentored by Director of Indigenous content (NITV), Tanya Denning-Orman

“

With more First Nations people and people of colour within the media, at all levels, we’re a step closer to reading and watching stories that more accurately reflect the true picture of this country.

             –MDA’s 2022 Women of Colour mentee, Madison Howarth
”

What is your favourite part about working with your MDA Mentor?

My favourite part of working with my MDA Mentor is having someone with extensive experience to bounce ideas off and to turn to for support and encouragement. It can be daunting, in the early stages of your career, to come to a crossroads, so to have someone in your corner, offering advice, because they’ve been there, is really reassuring.

Outside of your Mentor, which First Nations or culturally and linguistically diverse women working in Australian media do you most admire, and why?

Outside of my Mentor, I really admire Brooke Boney. Brooke has had a truly impressive career so far, particularly in the last couple of years. I think she’s a stellar role model for young Blak women in media and I always love seeing her succeed.

What does Media Diversity Australia's mission mean to you?

Media Diversity Australia’s mission to advocate for the value of cultural diversity within Australian media aligns with the central reason I wanted to work in media in the first place. A lack of diversity in Australia’s media has led to the underrepresentation of diverse stories, particularly First Nations stories told genuinely and truthfully. With more First Nations people and people of colour within the media, at all levels, we’re a step closer to reading and watching stories that more accurately reflect the true picture of this country.

Donate Now: Help us continue to have an impact, drive change & create a media landscape that truly looks and sounds like Australia

2022 was an action filled year for MDA and we certainly could not have done it without our supporters! Walk down memory lane with us and reflect on the impact we’ve had this year. But we still have a long road ahead and we need your help to continue to champion diversity across the Australian media landscape in 2023 and beyond! 

Help MDA continue to have impact and diversify our media landscape. Donate now!

Donate now

MDA Impact: Look back at the impact we’ve had so far as 2022 comes to a close

2022 was a huge year for Media Diversity Australia, not only for our team but for our media members, state chapters and supporters who play a vital role in helping us champion diversity across the Australian media landscape. 

As the year comes to a close, here are some highlights: 

  • We launched our membership model and currently have 10 inaugural media members including ABC, SBS, Channel 10, Channel 9, Channel 7, The Daily Aus, The Guardian, The Conversation,  AAP & a major media outlet yet to be announced! 
  • Our Disability Reporting Handbook was downloaded over 5000 times
  • We held over 15 events and panels this year with over 1000 attendees in total 
  • We released our biennial ‘Who Gets To Tell Australian Stories 2.0’ media report, which was downloaded over 950 times and counting!
  • We launched our TalentHub portal which connects diverse journalists and communications professionals with job opportunities and helps hirers find suitable candidates. Our portal currently consists of 140 talent listings and counting.
  • Launched the #ThingsIveHeard campaign which highlighted instances of casual discrimination towards minorities in media and unearthed 127 stories from diverse journalists and media professionals.
  • Delivered media training via community based programs (Community Voices & Amplifying Voices) to 26 trainees nationally. 
  • Successfully ran 6 programs including Summer Fellowships, Political Fellowships, Women of Colour Mentorships, Chinese-Australian Journalism Secondments, Amplifying Voices and Community Voices. Our program graduates had a 80% employment conversion rate.

For more information on our programs and resources, visit our website.

Visit our website

Want to help create a media that looks and sounds like Australia?

As a not-for-profit organisation, we rely on the help of our incredible volunteers. With your financial and volunteer support, we can continue to run programs to support culturally and linguistically diverse journalists, conduct agenda-setting research, run networking events, provide practical solutions for the media industry, and much more. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to support the vital work we do, please click here.

About us

Media Diversity Australia (MDA) is a national not-for-profit organisation led by journalists and media professionals. Australia is culturally and linguistically diverse, and our media should be too. Established in 2017, MDA has a unique role as a champion of cultural diversity in Australian journalism and news media. We have a vision for a media industry with full and equal participation for culturally diverse people at all levels.

Get in touch:

Newsletter

November 2022 Newsletter

Hi MDA supporters,

This month’s newsletter covers the latest media findings from our recently launched flagship biennial media report, Who Gets To Tell Australian Stories 2.0. We spotlight Brisbane radio producer Dr Eduardo Jordan, who scrutinises the discrimination of journalists with accents. Eduardo also chairs our QLD Chapter, which held a lively networking event last week. We chat with a mentee from our Women of Colour Mentorship, Alicia Vrajlal, and one of the program’s mentors, Cathy Wilcox, who shares insights from her monthly sessions. Lastly, MDA welcomes Lina Ali, our new Admin and Operations Coordinator, to the national team.

In this issue:

  • Spotlight: Executive Producer at The Wire radio show and MDA QLD Chapter Chair, Dr Eduardo Jordan, discusses the discrimination of journalists with an accent
  • New Report Released: Our latest media findings – Who Gets To Tell Australian Stories? 2.0
  • Get to know our program graduates: Hear from WOC mentee Alicia Vrajlal, who is mentored by the ABC’s Talent Manager, Paula Kruger
  • A new addition to our National Team: A warm welcome to our new Admin and Operations Coordinator, Lina Ali 
  • Women Of Colour Mentorships: A heartwarming testimonial from mentor Cathy Wilcox
  • ABC & MDA QLD panel and networking event: Snaps from the event!

Spotlight: Executive Producer at The Wire and MDA QLD Chapter Chair, Dr Eduardo Jordan, discusses the discrimination of journalists with an accent

Executive Producer at The Wire and MDA QLD Chapter Chair, Dr Eduardo Jordan
“
We need to understand and realise that, as a multicultural country, accents are here to stay, and this needs to be reflected everywhere.
– Executive Producer, The Wire & MDA QLD Chapter Chair , Dr Eduardo Jordan
”

Do you think a section of the audience discriminates against journalists with an accent in this country? If so, how does it affect the trajectory of their career?

I still believe there is a section of the audience discriminating against accents in Australia, but fortunately, that sector is becoming smaller. The audience realises accents are an essential part of multiculturalism and are becoming more accepting. However, this is not the case for most news editors in commercial media across Australia, who believe journalists should only have an ‘Australian’ accent to deliver the news. Yes, we are seeing more diversity in news and current affairs just on the looks of journalists, but still, accents are considered not Australian enough. 

Having said this, I believe it’s the responsibility of editors and people in leadership positions to change this issue. It’s OK to showcase accents in a cooking reality show, but not in the news and current affairs. In theory, an accent should not affect a journalist’s career, but unfortunately, it does affect it in looking for jobs in commercial media, which is reflected in the newsrooms.

Can you share an anecdote from when you felt discriminated against due to your accent while working in the journalism industry?

At the beginning of my career, I attended a conversation with a senior editor who spoke with journalism students. He explained issues about radio journalism, and everything was well until I asked him a question. It was a simple question on tips to produce radio stories. He said, ‘I’ll give you tips, but I can tell you, you will not get very far on the radio because of your strong accent. Australian newsrooms don’t like accents.’ Interestingly, this news editor started his career in the same radio station I work for.

Accent discrimination has been described as an invisible source of social bias. What steps can audiences take to help stop/prevent linguistic discrimination?

We must accept that everyone has an accent; even Anglo-Saxon Australians have a strong accent. We need to understand and realise that, as a multicultural country, accents are here to stay, and this needs to be reflected everywhere. Editors and people in leadership positions need to realise that journalists with an accent can do the job of a journalist as well or better than an Anglo-Saxon Australian with a ‘regular’ accent.

Our readers include young journalists taking their first steps into the industry. As someone who has worked in the industry, what is one piece of advice you can offer them?

Be yourselves! Work hard, and the results will be noticed in your work. The accent will not be an issue when your work speaks for itself.

New Report Released: Our latest media findings - Who Gets To Tell Australian Stories? 2.0

Last week we released our flagship biennial research, ‘Who Gets To Tell Australian Stories 2.0’, a ‘report card’ on Indigenous and cultural diversity in television news, with insights into what has changed, what has stayed the same, and opportunities to lead the charge toward greater diversity. 

Who Gets to Tell Australian Stories? 2.0 examines the Indigenous and cultural diversity of Australian news and current affairs television media – and asks – “Does Australian news and current affairs represent the society they serve?” given the latest Census data revealed Australia is more diverse than ever.

The findings show there is some way to go, with a serious need for media leaders to support meaningful and informed adjustments and interventions to build a more representative industry. It is also the first forensic examination of how our media treats cultural diversity at the workplace level.

The report has five studies and, through a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, details the experience and the extent of inclusion and representation of culturally diverse news and current affairs presenters and reporters.

View Report
View Infographic
Infographic- Who Gets To Tell Australian Stories 2.0

Get to know our program graduates: Hear from WOC mentee Alicia Vrajlal, who is mentored by the ABC’s Talent Manager, Paula Kruger

“
What I love most about working with my MDA Mentor is that it’s an opportunity for me to speak in a safe space with someone who understands and won’t be judgmental about any qualms, concerns or issues I face as a woman of colour in the media landscape.
– MDA Women of Colour mentee, Alicia Vrajlal
”

What is your favourite part about working with your MDA Mentor?

What I love most about working with my MDA Mentor is that it’s an opportunity for me to speak in a safe space with someone who understands and won’t be judgmental about any qualms, concerns or issues I face as a woman of colour in the media landscape. As well as her giving me advice about tackling the harder things, we also have a space to celebrate the wins. Hearing my mentor say she gets just as much out of spending time with me as I do with her felt special and speaks of the power of mentorship programs like this, and I love how the mentor/mentee relationship has evolved in just a few months. 

Outside of your Mentor, which First Nations or multicultural woman working in Australian media do you most admire, and why?

I have great admiration for fellow South Asian Australian journalist Sarah Malik. She has not only worked on serious investigative journalism but also shone in a space at SBS Voices that helps carve out a platform for other diverse voices to be heard. I also admire Future Women’s Jamila Rizvi, who always had time to chat with me back when I was an intern almost ten years ago (and still does). Of course, I greatly respect Antoinette Lattouf, who co-founded Media Diversity Australia. 

What does Media Diversity Australia's mission mean to you?

Media Diversity Australia’s mission means helping create an Australian media landscape that looks, feels and sounds like the diverse and multicultural Australia it is. It’s about allowing people with diverse lived experiences to be heard through quality journalism and media coverage – whether by working in the media or being included in narratives as consultants or interviewees.

Read Alicia Vrjlal’s latest article – ‘You Can’t Be What You Can’t See’: What Sarah Abo’s Today Show Role Means For Arab Women in Australia. 

Click here

A new addition to our National Team: A warm welcome to our new Admin and Operations Coordinator, Lina Ali

As the scope of our work grows, so does our team! 

We are introducing the newest addition to Media Diversity Australia’s national team, our Admin and Operations Coordinator, Lina Ali. 

Lina Ali is a Muslim Indian-Australian emerging writer from Parramatta, NSW, who loves all things written and media. Currently, she is studying for a double degree, majoring in English Literature and Politics, and completing a Bachelor of Islamic Studies part-time. In March 2022, Lina was awarded as a Highly Commended recipient of the All About Women of Colour Mentorship Program. As a part of this program, she received editorial guidance and mentorship from Randa Abdel-Fattah and Sweatshop’s Winnie Dunn. Lina’s short story ‘Shaking Hands Suffocate‘ was published on the Sydney Opera House Website.

Lina also received an internship to work as an SBS Diversity and Inclusion Research Assistant and as a Voices writer through the 2022 Createability Internship program, which is a partnership between Create NSW and Accessible Arts and a range of NSW-based arts, screen and cultural organisations, to develop strong career pathways for people with disability.

You can find Lina’s by-lines across reputable platforms such as the ABC, SBS Voices and Meanjin Quarterly. Most recently, she published ‘As a neurodiverse woman, small talk and networking are a nightmare‘ with SBS Voices.

We are thrilled to welcome you to the team, Lina! 

Women of Colour Mentorships: A heart-warming testimonial from Mentor Cathy Wilcox

Our year-long Women of Colour mentorships are well underway. As our mentees’ progress in their professional careers, their interactions with their mentors have been mutually beneficial.

Here’s a poignant testimonial from Cathy Wilcox (Cartoonist, SMH/The Age), who is mentoring Famida Rahman:

“I’m enjoying my chats with Famida. They’ve become less specifically career-directed; she’s between pursuing the professional career she’s highly qualified for and finding ways to bring creativity into her life. She seems to be finding a balance in these things, even while her career options are wide open.

What’s interesting for me (and I hope useful for her) is exploring the parallels we find between her particular cultural background and how she forms her identity, and the process of becoming an adult (in any culture), learning to define yourself on your terms and find your voice.

I’ve thought a great deal about identity in many aspects, and seeking to understand ourselves is vital for determining our life’s priorities.”

MDA & ABC QLD panel and networking event: Snaps from the event!

MDA & ABC QLD panel and networking event

Last week, Media Diversity Australia, in partnership with our media partner the ABC held a panel and networking event at ABC South Brisbane. 

The informative panel titled Newsroom Nuances – Reporting on diverse communities was moderated by Dr Eduardo Jordan with a fantastic lineup of panellists including Visual Storyteller at ABC News, Lillian Rangiah; ABC Asia-Pacific Newsroom journalist Melissa Maykin; CEO of Islamic College Brisbane and multicultural champion, Ali Kadri; author, public speaker and our QLD Chapter Disability Affairs Officer, Lisa Cox.

We thank our QLD chapter and our gracious hosts, ABC Brisbane and Griffith University for running this panel and networking event.

Since its launch in 2017, MDA has introduced state-based chapters in NSW, VIC, QLD and ACT. Stay tuned for upcoming chapter events in the coming year. We will see you there! 

abc-news-logo-01

Want to help create a media that looks and sounds like Australia?

As a not-for-profit organisation, we rely on the help of our incredible volunteers. With your financial and volunteer support, we can continue to run programs to support culturally and linguistically diverse journalists, conduct agenda-setting research, run networking events, provide practical solutions for the media industry, and much more. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to support the vital work we do, please click here.

About us

Media Diversity Australia (MDA) is a national not-for-profit organisation led by journalists and media professionals. Australia is culturally and linguistically diverse, and our media should be too. Established in 2017, MDA has a unique role as a champion of cultural diversity in Australian journalism and news media. We have a vision for a media industry with full and equal participation for culturally diverse people at all levels.

Get in touch:

Newsletter

October 2022 Newsletter

Hi MDA readers,

Our year-long Women of Colour (WOC) mentorships have almost hit the halfway mark! This month we’re spotlighting the success of one mentee, Pranjali Sehgal, who secured a Digital Video Producer role at SBS during her mentorship with 9 News Melbourne journalist Shuba Krishnan. We also get to know another mentee, Angelique Lu, who shares insights from her sessions with her mentor, Bernadine Lim, Commissioning Editor, Documentaries (SBS). We have kicked off our third annual Summer Fellowships with Google News Initiative. Entries are open to First Nations and multicultural final-year and graduate students interested in a media career, with seasonal placements at outlets like ABC, The Guardian, AAP and Channels 7, 9 and 10. MDA is also thrilled to introduce our new industry membership model, where we invite media companies, educational institutes and industry partners to embrace the storytelling power of Australia’s diverse cultural landscape. We also call on diverse journalists and media professionals who have faced online harassment or violence to complete this short, anonymous research survey about tackling the online safety of diverse journalists. We’re sending a big congratulations to the three winners of our inaugural Chinese-Australian Journalism Secondment program, who have already started making a splash in the media. And finally, senior travel and lifestyle editor Sudeshna Ghosh explores the state of play in Australia’s travel content landscape, questioning the absence of diverse voices. 

In this issue:

  • Spotlight: Women of Colour mentee Pranjali Sehgal landed a role working as a Digital Video Producer at SBS during her mentorship with journalist Shuba Krishnan
  • Entries are open for MDA’s Summer Fellowships 2023: Calling for expressions of interest from final-year and graduate university/TAFE students interested in a media career
  • Introducing our new industry membership model: Inviting media companies, educational institutes and industry partners to embrace the storytelling power of Australia’s diverse cultural landscape 
  • Calling all diverse journalists from minority communities –  we need your help: Please fill in this anonymous research survey about tackling the online safety of diverse journalists 
  • Get to know our Women of Colour mentees: Hear from our second mentee, Angelique Lu, mentored by Bernadine Lim, Commissioning Editor, Documentaries (SBS)
  • Chinese – Australian Journalism Secondments: Congratulations to our three secondment winners! 
  • Why is Australian travel media lacking in diversity?: Senior travel and lifestyle editor, Sudeshna Ghosh explores the state of play in Australia’s travel content landscape, questioning the absence of diverse voices
  • Upcoming MDA Events: Save the date!

Spotlight: Women of Colour mentee Pranjali Sehgal landed a role working as a Digital Video Producer at SBS during her mentorship with journalist Shuba Krishnan

MDA Women of Colour mentee & Digital Video Producer at SBS, Pranjali Sehgal
“

I’ve always read mentorships can be transformative, but it is only when I reflect on the month leading up to the job offer do I see an undeniable change and the definite influence of my mentorship on my behaviour.

– MDA Women of Colour mentee & Digital Video Producer at SBS, Pranjali Sehgal
”

“Over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to be mentored by incredible the Shuba Krishnan through Media Diversity Australia’s Women of Colour program, and it is safe to say the experience has been remarkable – it even helped me to land a new gig at SBS News as a Digital Video Producer last month! I’ve always read mentorships can be transformative. Still, it is only when I reflect on the month leading up to the job offer do I see an undeniable change and the definite influence of my mentorship on my behaviour. The shift is in the small things, which then ripples to create a big shift.

When I had my first conversation with Shuba, I had just come out of my gig at ABC News and was on the hunt to get back in the newsroom. I remember we spoke of the immense value of networking in media and the best ways to do it authentically. We also spoke of the power of being proactive. We dived into her experiences as a young grad determined to be a journalist who seized opportunities for everything they were worth and even created some when there weren’t any. We spoke of the skills I wanted to develop, the attributes I perceived to be my strengths and what direction I’m treading to grow in. It is rare to find a mentor who not only started their career in a similar position to yourself and achieved success but who is also genuinely willing to share their experience – the successes, the failures, the hows, and the whys – so transparently with your development as a mentee in mind. And then to have that mentor also be a woman of colour who understands the nuances of how I may perceive, engage with or navigate things and has crossed the paths I want to be walking is transformational.

In about a month following that initial conversation, I landed an interview at SBS News (proactively) and remember buzzing Shuba as I prepped for the day. As a now-former SBS journalist and an experienced woman of colour in the industry, Shuba’s insights were monumental in how I approached the interview and the opportunity. Throughout the entire process, she was always down for a chat and ready to lend a friendly hand or a piece of advice if I needed it. The mentorship has unquestionably made me more aware and confident in what I have to offer. It has helped me recognise the things I want to develop, which helped me succeed in the interview and now guides me as I build my way forward in the new role. And even though I’m only a few months into the mentorship, I am far from when I started and can’t wait for what comes ahead.”

Entries are open for MDA’s Summer Fellowships 2023: Calling for expressions of interest from final-year and graduate university/TAFE students interested in a media career

Summer Fellowships 2023: Entries are open

Media Diversity Australia is calling for expressions of interest from students in their final year or graduates who have completed a media /communications degree OR have experience in a news-related role (e.g. a student newspaper) and are keen to get industry experience at a mainstream media outlet over the summer break.

The project aims to place 12 final-year students or recent graduates in 12 different mainstream media outlets nationwide.

Our host newsrooms include: 

  • ACT (Press Gallery) 

Fairfax Media (The Age/Sydney Morning Herald), Australian Financial Review, ABC News Politics

  • NSW

The Guardian, Newscorp 

  • VIC

AAP, Channel 9 News 

  • QLD 

The Courier-Mail, SCA Radio 

  • WA

10 News First Perth, Channel 7 News/ The West Australian

  • SA

ABC Sports

Applications close at 5 pm AEST on Friday, 11 November. Successful candidates will be announced in early December after an interview process.

Any questions regarding the Summer Fellowship can be sent to MDA’s Director Of Special Projects, Simone Jordan: simone@mediadiversityaustralia.org

For more information on our 2023 Summer Fellowships, visit our website:

Visit our website
Apply here

Introducing our new industry membership model: Inviting media companies, educational institutes and industry partners to embrace the storytelling power of Australia’s diverse cultural landscape

MDA Membership
“

“Not only does MDA add and change the direction of discourse in our industry for the better, but they implement systemic changes that will benefit the future of media and the future of so many young journalists.”

             –Head of Digital News & Strategy Network Ten, Rashell Habib
”

As the nation’s most recognised advocacy body for cultural diversity and representation in media, MDA helps drive impactful change to ensure that the Australian media landscape looks and sounds more like Australia. 

With a track record of driving systemic change and creating pathways, we are pleased to offer our diversity, equity, and inclusion expertise through our MDA Membership. 

MDA’s bespoke membership program is for companies working across print, broadcast, digital, and everything in between. We empower members through our strategic insights and frameworks and translate our research and advocacy into practical, actionable, and genuine steps towards greater diversity and representation.  

Member organisations benefit from MDA’s expert directory and TalentHub, strategic insights and frameworks to help enrich the mix of faces and voices Australians hear, see and read daily.

Our current members include ABC, AAP, The Guardian, The Daily Aus, SBS, Channel 9, Channel 10, and Channel 7. Welcome to our inaugural members!  

Keen to become a member today? Email us at membership@mediadiversityaustralia.org 

For more information on our membership model, visit our website:

Visit our website

Calling all diverse journalists from minority communities - we need your help: Please fill in this anonymous research survey about tackling the online safety of diverse journalists

Online Safety of Diverse Journalists Research Survey

Media Diversity Australia, in collaboration with Macquarie University and Griffith University, is conducting the first-ever research survey on diverse journalists’ online safety to better understand the extent of online safety and harassment issues in Australia. 

Our survey aims to address three main issues:

  • Online safety experiences of minority journalist groups online
  • The personal and professional impact of trolling and abuse, 
  • The role social media platforms and employers play and where they fall short. 

So, if you or anyone you know is a diverse journalist or media professional who has endured any form of online harassment, abuse and violence, we’d love to hear from you!

Take this anonymous five-minute survey NOW

Take the survey

Get to know our Women of Colour mentees: Hear from our second mentee, Angelique Lu, mentored by Bernadine Lim, Commissioning Editor, Documentaries (SBS)

“

One of the reasons I became a journalist was that I wanted to hear more stories about the people I grew up with. Ordinary people who had their backstories and histories who might otherwise be overlooked.

             –MDA’s 2022 Women of Colour mentee, Angelique Lu
”

What have you enjoyed most about being part of this 12 month mentorship program?

I’m enjoying the insights and perspectives I’m gaining from our chats to help me shape and create my career path and decision-making.

Outside of your Mentor, which First Nations or culturally and linguistically diverse women working in Australian media do you most admire, and why?

Lee Lin Chin is one of my journalism heroes. She was the first Asian woman I saw on television that wasn’t on a reality cooking show. I love her accent, the way she commanded authority when she read the news, and of course, her fierce outfits.

What does Media Diversity Australia's mission mean to you?

One of the reasons I became a journalist was that I wanted to hear more stories about the people I grew up with. Ordinary people who had their backstories and histories who might otherwise be overlooked. Media Diversity Australia gives me hope that more of these stories will be heard and covered.

Chinese - Australian Journalism Secondments: Congratulations to our three secondment winners!

Chinese - Australian Journalism Secondment winners

We are pleased to announce the three Chinese- Australian Journalism Secondment winners who have recently commenced their eight-week program at mainstream newsrooms! 

  • Minyue Ding

Placement: The Age

“Media Diversity Australia means a chance for me to be seen. It means I can have an opportunity in this industry as a foreigner. And it also means that I can be the voice for people who share the same background as me.”

  • Jenny Tang

Placement: ABC Asia Pacific

I believe Media Diversity Australia’s mission mirrors the Australian society we’re living in currently. MDA plays a unique but pivotal role in championing cultural diversity in Australian media, and this is a true reflection of society and the world in 2022.” 

  • Yimin Qiang

Placement: ABC Asia Pacific

“Media Diversity Australia’s mission means increasing diversity in the mainstream newsroom and interviewing subjects on stories relevant to the diverse Chinese-Australian communities. In the end, it’s about people, letting people from diverse backgrounds be heard and building better relations between Chinese communities, community media and mainstream media outlets.” 

A big congratulations to our secondees, we are so excited to see you pave the path of journalism, accurately represent your communities and help us create a media landscape that looks and sounds like Australia. 

Why is Australian travel media lacking in diversity?: Senior travel & lifestyle editor Sudeshna Ghosh explores the state of play in Australia’s travel content landscape, questioning the absence of diverse voices

Sudeshna Ghosh, senior travel and lifestyle editor
“

…the demographic of the average traveller has changed in the past century. You don’t need me to tell you that Australian society is more multicultural than ever, and consequently, so is the average Australian traveller. And yet, the voices in travel content in the Australian media landscape are still overwhelmingly lacking in cultural diversity.

             –Sudeshna Ghosh, Senior travel and lifestyle editor
”

It was a line in a column by a well-known travel writer in one of Australia’s leading national travel publications that brought things to a head (in my head). I can’t remember the exact story (I think it might have had something to do with hotel buffets). Still, the statement “anywhere in the civilised world” – clearly referencing the western world – rankled. 

The underlying implication is that other regions, such as Asia, which are big on tourism but are home to many developing nations, are… wait, uncivilised?  

What exactly is the definition of civilisation here? Are we ignoring the thousands of years-old civilisations of, say, Thailand or Vietnam, or is it perhaps the oldest civilisation in the world in the Indian subcontinent that we are overlooking in this sweeping statement?   

Don’t get me wrong, the actual column was well-intentioned, and the writer and publication are both ones I personally respect. It was most likely a passing statement that would have been the default language for the writer.  

And that’s where the problem lies. It is no one individual’s fault. It’s the ongoing stereotyping that, like every other media beat, travel content has also fallen victim to – largely thanks to the unilateral perspective it usually offers.  

Modern travel, for leisure, is irrefutably a pursuit of the privileged, and perhaps that is why (English language) travel writing has almost always been from the perspective of a white traveller. A phenomenon that often ends up reinforcing colonial tropes.   

But the demographic of the average traveller has changed in the past century. You don’t need me to tell you that Australian society is more multicultural than ever, and consequently, so is the average Australian traveller. And yet, the voices in travel content in the Australian media landscape are still overwhelmingly lacking in cultural diversity.  

According to TravMedia, the country’s largest travel media community, there are around 950 full-time travel writers in Australia, and upwards of 2000 who dabble in travel writing across freelance and in-house editorial positions. Nick Wayland, the founder of TravMedia, estimates that around 80 per cent of this cohort is white Anglo-Saxon. 

While it’s not easy to get hard stats for this kind of information, anecdotally, the membership at the Australian Society of Travel Writers, reflects an even higher ratio when it comes to persons of colour. Need more proof? You need only look at the bylines in most Australian travel publications.  

Our national appetite for travel is higher than the global average, and in 2022, over 70 per cent of Australians are planning to travel* – as pent-up demand explodes. According to YouGov, over a third of Australian consumers make travel decisions influenced by what they read in the media. That is a lot of people who are making decisions informed by the view through a fairly narrow lens. 

One element of travel content in Australia I am particularly concerned about is the glaring absence of indigenous voices – especially now that indigenous tourism is (finally) becoming more mainstream, and we are getting a bit more exposure to this incredibly rich culture. Wouldn’t it be nice – and truly authentic – to have someone with an innate understanding of this culture tell us the story, rather than yet another write-up on a ‘dreaming tour’ that smacks of otherness?  

I don’t believe that anyone is intentionally not being inclusive in their approach, it’s a widespread obliviousness to the issue more than anything else. 

I also want to state that most of the mainstream travel writers I have encountered throughout my career are among the most open-minded, curious and ‘woke’ people around. It would be hard to do this job without those qualities. But that still doesn’t change the fact that the lived experiences of people from diverse backgrounds would be different, which alone can bring a whole other layer to the content.  

Overseas, the change is already taking place – slowly, but surely. Australian media still seems a bit behind the eight ball, and the change needs to happen through the ranks. 

Remember that iconic 1980’s Tourism Australia ‘shrimp on the barbie’ ad? While aimed at inbound tourists, it helped define Australia and its people in the context of travel for generations. Perhaps it’s time to update it to add some ‘tandoori or satay chicken’ on the barbie?  

*Various sources including data from Newscorp, Nine and Savvy.com.au 

Upcoming MDA Events - Save the date!

  • MDA’s Who Gets to Tell Australian Stories 2.0 Research Launch – Tuesday, 22nd November 2022
  • Queensland Chapter Networking event & panel – Wednesday, 23rd November 2022
  • End of Year event hosted at Canva (MDA members & partners) – Tuesday, 6th December 2022
  • Media Industry Roundtable hosted at SBS by Minister Michelle Rowland (MDA members) – Late Feb 2023

Save the date in your calendar and stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!

Want to help create a media that looks and sounds like Australia?

As a not-for-profit organisation, we rely on the help of our incredible volunteers. With your financial and volunteer support, we can continue to run programs to support culturally and linguistically diverse journalists, conduct agenda-setting research, run networking events, provide practical solutions for the media industry, and much more. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to support the vital work we do, please click here.

About us

Media Diversity Australia (MDA) is a national not-for-profit organisation led by journalists and media professionals. Australia is culturally and linguistically diverse, and our media should be too. Established in 2017, MDA has a unique role as a champion of cultural diversity in Australian journalism and news media. We have a vision for a media industry with full and equal participation for culturally diverse people at all levels.

Get in touch: