Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 1 February 2023

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media

Future Business Model Plans and Long-term Vision for the Media Sector: Discussion (Resumed)

Mr. Paul Gordon:

Regarding representation on boards, it would be welcome if there was a designated place for young people. Equally, from speaking to young female journalists, they identified challenges in reaching editorial or senior management roles. Quotas may be helpful in that respect in ensuring a clear pathway for women into senior roles and to provide that level of visibility. Visibility is vitally important. Speaking to some journalists, they used examples which touch on a similar issue to what Ms Murphy mentioned around visibility of older people. Particular issues are seen as young people's issues and in the case of many issues that affect broader society, such as the cost-of-living crisis or energy costs, young people are often excluded from those conversations and older people can also be on different issues. It is important we ensure there is broader representation.

We can see experts in their fields among the younger population. Media organisations themselves have done more to include young voices in recent years but need to do more in terms of collating those experts so they can rely on them at short notice to come on. It is something that has worked well in terms of gender balance in other countries and is something we could do here also. Does Ms Chadamoyo Makombe wish to come in?

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