Ten content boss: Pilot Week reporting was saddening because of the women behind the scenes
The programming boss of Ten has addressed the controversy over the network’s all-male Pilot Week lineup a week after the row first blew up.
In a piece published on the media company’s Ten Daily website on Friday, chief content officer Beverley McGarvey said that although three narrative comedy projects involving women were “in development” none of them were ready in time.
The network’s Pilot Week sees several new formats aired, with viewer reaction deciding if they get full commissions.
All eight pilot episodes are fronted by men including Ten regular Rove McManus and radio presenter Kyle Sandilands. The gender imbalance was first called out by Triple M drive host Jane Kennedy.
Yep it’s a compete beat up. The numbers speak for themselves – Ten Management is well balanced from a gender standpoint and McGarvey is very experienced and capable from a programming and audience perspective. I can also think of no other network that has put more effort into developing its female talent either.
Isn’t this the issue?
“It’s ok, there’s still women there, they’re part of the cast, behind the scenes and in supporting roles.”
It’s great that TEN has equality in management but through their highest reaching asset they’re helping to feed the message that Women’s roles are in the background. It’s not good enough.
TEN has been in a parlous state and is trying to establish a profitable schedule, with minimum series launch risks, and without the benefit of massive news / current affairs support, and sports rights. Otherwise Australia will end of with a further concentration of media.
TEN has to pick programmes on merit, and implies that the cohort of female comedians just weren’t good enough. That’s not the fault of TEN, that’s the fault of female comedians.
Give TEN a break.
Congratulations to Ten and in particular to Beverley McGarvey.
The faux-outrage shows how out of touch many of the commenters were. Sadly one of them was one of Australia’s leading female comedy shining stars.
I guess it is a new take on the old adage … before engaging texting fingers (it used to be ‘mouth’), engage brain.
Nope, I used to work at 10 and I’m not buying that PR crap. They got caught out looking like fools and they’re now scrambling.