Trade press gender spat: Mumbrella improves overnight, adding two women, losing one man
Great news: It appears Friday’s tongue-in-cheek article on CB has hit home at Mumbrella, which on that day counted four men and one woman on its editorial team (top left group). Namely content editor Tim Burrowes, editor Alex Hayes, deputy editor Nic Christensen, chief reporter Steve Jones, PR and Publishing editor Miranda Jones – plus freelance reporter Simon Canning.
CB is pleased to report that over the weekend the editorial team has achieved gender parity (top right group).
Burrowes has elevated himself above mere editorial staff level into higher management – and, as founder, deservedly so – alongside male CEO Martin Lane. While female art director Elke Aspillera has been added. There’s also managing editor – production, with the words ‘Currently being advertised’ beside it, which Burrowes says – in the Comments section of a particularly nasty Dr Mumbo piece about Leo Burnett he penned yesterday – will be a woman.
If that is indeed the case, congratulations Mumbrella on joining the GPTP (Gender Balanced Trade Press – Editorial Chapter) alongside founding members CB and B&T.
9 Comments
How about directing the conversation towards how the industry can attract and keep more creative women instead of this rubbish?
CB you are the only specialist creative magazine that counts. You should be owning this important conversation, not firing pot shots at Mumbrella.
What’s that you say, we only have one women? Could be a problem.
TOUCHE!
Thanks for your continuing interest in Mumbrella, Michael.
You’re correct that new names have been added to our staff list. They were added by our sales team late last week because, well, they’re new.
It would have been difficult to have added them any sooner because we hadn’t hired them at that point.
At present Alex has two writers on staff – one man (Nic) and one woman (Miranda). He also has call on a couple of staff on a freelance basis including our former chief report Steve Jones who actually left the team some weeks ago, but will continue to write for us. We haven’t removed him from our list because he will be a continuing contributor. I’m hopeful that we are close to having a successor for Steve. Simon is also working for us in a freelance capacity, and has never been listed on the site.
As it happens, on the last few occasions the best people for the job have been women – including our new managing editor – production (chief sub), and head of marketing, neither of whom have started yet.
Overall, we employ about 20 people full time (That’s not quite precise because some of our staff work part time, because of family commitments. We try to be a family-friendly employer.)
Of those 29 or so staff, there are about twice as many women as men. The sales, marketing, finance, event delivery and event curation teams are all headed by women. But yes, you are correct that the editorial team is headed by a man.
As for my title change – that happened two years ago.
Thanks for coming back to me Tim.
I was merely pointing out that on Friday there were five men and one woman listed on your site as Editorial staff, including Steve Jones, who is still listed this morning as chief reporter, and Simon Canning, who of course I know is freelance, but was listed as a Journalist on Friday, removed over the weekend.
I know your title, I didn’t say it had changed. I merely pointed out that you removed yourself from the Editorial Staff listing on the weekend and moved yourself above – which of course is your right.
I hope you understand that the whole story was satirical, to point out the hypocrisy of your attack on Leo Burnett, Sydney.
Michael
No, Michael. Simon – excellent as he is – was not at any point listed on that page.
I’m afraid you’re wrong.
Satire and Hypocrisy? That’s funny.
Tim,
I’ll take your word for it as I didn’t think to take a screen grab. I simply linked to your staff page.
It’s just strange that it wasn’t pointed out to me by you guys (or anyone else, including Simon) at any stage after Friday’s story went live at 12.15pm.
I’m sure both publications have equally enormous figurative p*enises.
Now can we get back to the actual issue? Because that’s what you guys care about, right? Delving into the insidious problem of gender inequality within Australian creative departments and continuing a constructive dialogue that will help us make progress?
Right? RIGHT?