All media trainers stress the importance of looking and sounding ‘authoritative’ in front of the camera or the mic but where does ‘authority’ reside?
Our society bows to middle aged, straight white men, and puts them on air accordingly in disproportionate numbers. But does this mean only they can exude authority, perhaps thanks to a fancy job title, a wood-panelled office, a mane of grey-white hair?
Let me kill the suspense straight away: no, it doesn’t.
Authority resides in a mix of expertise (academic, professional, personal) and empathy (I see you, I understand where you’re coming from and my message is to you), with your CV playing a relatively small part.
Yes, if you are a lying, incompetent buffoon who unaccountably becomes Prime Minister (can’t think of any recent examples off the top of my head but just imagine for the sake of argument) you will temporarily acquire an air of authority bestowed by the job title, regardless of your ability to actually do the job. The Royals get a similar treatment and some captains of industry. But those are marginal cases.
Most people will look and sound compelling and authoritative when they speak with passion, and empathy for the audience, of things they know a lot about, either through formal qualifications or deep/prolonged personal experience.
Most women might never make it to air because only men will be asked on the programme who happily speak on their behalf. Many women will self-exclude out of fear, embarrassment, impostor syndrome with the same result. But women who make it on air don’t all need to be nuclear scientists or finance wizards to radiate authority.
A stay at home mum who’s been advocating for the needs of her disabled child through years of changing regulations and provisions will make her case better than any social worker could.
A campaigner who lives and breathes the ecosystem of the area she’s trying to protect will always come off more authentic and authoritative than the council bod spouting the official line about why the trees need chopping.
And yes, more women scientists, macroeconomists, epidemiologists need to be on screen and on air too. The default position should be that whoever has relevant knowledge on anything that’s in the news should be in the news, not just men and a couple of tried and trusted media ladies. And for that to happen more women need to be made to feel that they have a right to be centre stage.
Let’s stop hiding and start showing up. We’ve all got the power.
Comments