ASTRA promotes TV women, launches Industry Awards

The 2017 Awards ceremony will be held this August

ASTRA has launched a new mentoring program to fast-track the careers of up to 40 television women at an event at The Ivy.

Mentors include Deanne Weir (managing director, content aggregation and wholesale, Foxtel), Fiona Lang (chief operating officer, BBC Worldwide Australia) and Kylie Merritt (commercial director, Sky News).

Last year an ASTRA survey found that females represented 32% of directors on subscription television industry boards, 26% of chief executives of subscription television companies and 34% of senior executives in large subscription television companies.

ASTRA chief executive Andrew Maiden said:

“The equal representation of women in television leadership positions is good business as well as the right thing to do.

“Equal representation boosts our ability as an industry to commission and broadcast content that reflects the audiences we serve.

“The subscription television sector has worked hard to attract, retain and promote women, both off-screen and on, but we must achieve better results.”

In what was a busy week for the TV organisation, ASTRA also launched its Industry Awards.

Celebrating excellence in marketing and promo production, there are seven categories for marketing teams including most outstanding ad campaign, promo, social media campaign and PR campaign.

There are three additional categories for individuals (creative professional of the year, TV professional of the year, rising star under 30).

Last year’s awards were dominated by Fox Sports (four awards) and Nickelodeon (three awards).

The 2017 Awards ceremony will be held on August 27 at Simmer on the Bay.

To learn more or enter the awards, visit the ASTRA website before entries close on 19 May 2017.

Image: 2016 Subscription Television Professional of the Year Ben Jones (Fox Sports) with Foxtel CEO Peter Tonagh

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