Read this: Rebecca Frank chats with Victoria Easton-Riley about Bauer's Women in Programming initiative

The radiator day programme with broadcast bionics creators of The Bionic studio listening watching reacting to and learning from every spoken sweet and SMS to a mixed unlock and understand your content the bionic studio transforms everything about radio except the way you make it a little bit late, but thank you very much for downloading and streaming and following the radio Today programme at this week.

It's all about women in radio this week women a bow in particular as we say thank you to Bower for making this week possible as we speak with kiss network contact director Rebecca Frank she's in conversation with Victoria Eastham Riley who's the director for hits and Greatest Hits radio networks in Scotland and Victoria is also head of women in programming a Bower and they're going to be talking about new initiatives that focus on train.

Championing and finding female Talent to work in the radio industry, it's a gripping conversation.

So turn it up for the next 25 minutes and have a listen to Rebecca and Victoria very important topic and we celebrate international women's day is international women's day season I like to call it at the moment often March get stretched out for the bus into sort focus on international women's issues in general.

Just a personal tit for we sort of talk about some things what is it mean to you this kind of day this season the international women's day was necessary and I came back absolutely like it's so important and I think I think it's a really nice point in the year where we can really help in power women.

Get into discussions about about women and careers in health and business and all sorts generally don't happen sort of the Year nice time sometimes you just stop and think and think about yourself.

I'm and your colleagues and your friends and your employees and you know it is I sent a text to a few other women in my team on Monday and I just said them look.

This is a really nice day for me just to thank you for being talented Keynes so delighted you on my team and it's just stop doesn't it and just appreciate each other a little bit and I've done it to me over the years and international women's day have sent emails or messages to two men who have worked with throughout my career and

Thank you.

Thank you for being a man who is really supported me through my career and who's always push me to take that next step and there's a lot of work for so no, it's not only about celebrating women it is also a chance to remind ourselves of how supportive some men really can be for women whatever you think I think about exactly what you said allyship really which I think you know the explosion of black lives matter movement over the past year everything sort of a little bit more social consciousness that seems to be sort of happening.

Thank you for my the moment is it's not women's only issue to sort out women's problems and you know it to be an east of anything to be feminist or you know an NES is.

It always has a sort of connotation that perhaps you're only about advocating for that particular group, but I think absolutely for me international women's day in season is just like you say just a really good excuse to

Think to focus to use as a springboard to for businesses to focus on things and Alan Sugar's definition of part of that so you're really great to see lots of the men and women in business and and you know and most importantly taking action so yeah, I totally graves what you said.

That's really interesting and lovely that you sent that text.

That's really cool.

They must have loved that so loads of businesses that really using this season as a bit of a chance to to Lord things that we doing his podcasts is definitely sort of part of that well.

We worked our Media you women in programming courses, can you tell us a little bit more about what they'll entail a little bit but be really great.

So you've been working on it for a while.

What what villain tail essentially we created something.

I'm so excited by actually I get Rihanna

but it's a pipeline for a diverse woman's from sort of p&g level from the very start of her career and people you know women are just really interested in a career in radio Uno through to sort of early midsection two people got a little bit of experience, but maybe having you know don't have the commitment of Regular Show or anything like that into womanhood already within the business and how we can sort of support them to develop into senior positions and into management and

Is really interesting because we actually started this we did the schools in Scotland so I really wanted a course that we could do for the women in my team and I look after the hits and Greatest Hits Scotland and I work together with the Radio Academy the Academy for power and we spoke to the woman one and one about what they might and in a WhatsApp bespoke training.

They could get a fake if they could have anything in the world.

What would he needs? The one thing that was really interesting that keep coming up with Confidence training every single woman that we spoke to and we'll sort of interviews said that they just felt that they had an Imposter syndrome.

You know what I think it's a really common thing and people but certainly a lot of woman and you know but there is also vocal training and there was this training and there is no of management training and we we run the course.

and it was really successful in the other week and come back to that and a bit more detail but we sat down at the end of last year and we said how could we develop this further and I was very keen to sort of the rest of the UK because it felt so successful, so it is essentially an initiative that's going to focus on championing training finding new wonderful female Talent and the way it starts is certainly with the main sort of 1 and programming training is that

Women will get a sort of personal mentor so development coach that will sit down and sort of discuss it with them.

It's going to run for 10 months and that starts in March so it's really quickly thundering really quickly and it just really helps them develop and progress their career within our business which is just a test.

Just so excited about it.

I'm so proud manage to do that you can see now you can see the smile on my face as I talk about it absolutely amazing things like confidence and that they are often called soft skills, which I really hates because actually you work in a really social industry everything that we do is about connecting with humans a lot of what we do an audio comes through human beings mouth and their heart and soul confidence and mentoring piece that you're you're looking to bring in which is so important.

I think these are absolutely the crux of these pieces of training and support are they specially that's what people are crying out for absolutely.

DCUO soft skills it's it's absolutely not you know if someone doesn't have the confidence to do anything in their job.

They won't do well.

You know I mean I remember going back to especially the early days.

We are you to sit in a boardroom and I'll be terrified to give my opinion or my thoughts and you need to teach people to feel confident about it so from work place before we start talking about you know 0.1 second course which is of evening classes which is to up skill female freelancers who want to access work Media through the same sort of thing they received training and shared decision-making editorial social media branding all that can I sing and that begins on.

And it runs until July and then there's something else.

It's really cool.

I think you mean about it's your baby.

It was a kiss summer school really wanted to within the first couple of years get something like this setup.

So I'm just so so so that be able to do this happens all of the women in programming stuff that you just launched.

This is a 16 to 24 year olds really get that proper hands-on.

Experience of what it's like to work in radio and content with the brands like kiss kind of course is like to describe.

It is two weeks of intensive training mentoring to your point actual responding to live content briefs in a having output that they create and learn about during these two weeks ago to come on board the best thing is it's open source of 20 young women or people that identifies with just really really stoked about that because it's a two.

Street isn't it when you have people coming into the business to gain experience we also has business get there insights better this tea, there's no you know there's no sort of all day.

I'm going to be worried what we know honesty and insight and kind of illness that you get from people who entry-level who aren't part of corporate machine.

I just completely Completely invaluable to Brands like kiss and it's absolutely say yeah.

I just think it's going to be very very real estate of evolution at kiss so we just some more insight stories and input we can get from young people the better, but the values that kiss to be there for people at different life stages and to stand for that, so yes to be able to be out there going and we've got this amazing some school available for 20 people which is brilliant.

Yeah feels really good for me.

It's the thought of me being 16 years old and having this opportunity.

To have you know a content director of a national station to say you know I'd really like to learn from you to like that that I just wish that it's been happened 25 years ago starting out because that's that's never really existed before and it's important right you need we can learn from from young women and as much as they can can learn from us to be Street and also you know 20 people in a real wish it could be 1000 people 100 people whatever but I really I never underestimate the Halo of the power of that Halo effect of 20 people having a great experience somewhere and that word of mouth and that encouragement they might then go and give other people at the look for these jobs that wouldn't even know about it's not presenting his how actually works on my goodness my idea actually made it into a breakfast link or onto social media or reaction invented the program and pitch to the content director and she.

Absolutely will it's that Halo effect of things like this.

It's not just for the people that are involved, but it's good nourishment for our teams as well.

Isn't it like I can be great nourishment from seems to be on to get you know mentoring experience or management experience or maybe they've never set a brief to somebody genie before but they're going to get an opportunity to do that cos I'm certainly not going to be micromanaging going to be something that I want the whole team to get nourished for I say it's it's it's like a if I could trojan horse of progress actually these things because yeah, I think just that word-of-mouth that experience that 20 people or however many people can manage to get through the women in programming course overall.

That's the Real win and it's the intention of the business as well.

It's exciting isn't it for you annoyed female leaders.

I'm certainly feeling at the know you are just looking at her buzzing you are all the time when you talk about this.

It's just it's energizing isn't it to you as a leader.

Oh my god like it so much.

You know it's thanks.

Something actually that's that's really changed within the industry today.

Is that the it's a lot more open and it's a lot more about discussion and it's not someone from above looking down to people on her further down the chain is not it's About You Don't Preach my staff and I don't I don't come out of order presenters for how I think it's always beautiful on discussion.

You know it's a chance to as a team.

I love to just sit down and we chat about it and sometimes.

They say to me think you're wrong.

I'm actually what yeah you might be right and that's what that's what I think.

It's really important about all of this is just that too we conversation is just I think it's great and I think that's encouraging for people think that there isn't always right and wrong way to get into stuff which I do you think it's off not only women who don't see as many themselves perhaps in the industry and positions of power or in society and

Actors to just know that there isn't a kind of got I have to be like that guy or I have to be like that person to be successful, because you know especially like we were saying in the industry that it's about connecting with other human beings there are standards and there are guidelines to do it off come as I from that how we go about things and how things are generated and how you can get on the ladder.

Everybody's different parts of people study people don't so many people making do actually just on that you know I'm sure you'll get this all the time.

I said I feel like I've got fairly response, but I say so what tips do you have for sort of women apart from apply to the things that we're talking about? What sort it's do you have in general for people that want to get cracking in radio.

Yeah, so for me.

I didn't.

You know for me, it was I do up and I went to High School thinking one day.

I want to produce the Radio 1 Breakfast Show and that was always my Focus and I've been quite driven always had a target that have gone for that so I think for me that is really what's guided me through from from start to finish was I have to prove this to myself and I do this and I was never afraid to to really push for experience in pain front of people and you know when I seen it for years and I wanted to go to London and I wanted to follow ready one dream and you know I would travel down to London and I would send an email and say to the

Prime can you just meet me for a coffee tomorrow and he word speeches really kind of time and then do some things just happen for me.

I was just was pushing and just to show people.

Hope you are and how much you want it.

I think took me a long way and I find experience everywhere.

I did I did Andy's.

I did commercial radio I did BBC Radio I did everything you could think about to do with media.

I was there now.

Just let me sit in for a week and let me see you and that was a really huge part of building my career in my path and not only because of the skills that taught me but also you then go to an employer who has a vacancy and you show them the things that you've done you know when you say I've been here been there.

I know that person that done networking.

I know then I've been to this talking people.

You know and that's that would be my biggest hit for anybody and I always see it is just do everything you can don't ever have those thoughts of can't really is it really worth something sitting in for 2 days and in a radio studio.

It is it 100-percent is an all as to your skills and your network in and it makes you look like a valuable person to be part of the team.

Who's hungry is that but again? I'll send some confidence you know you've got to you've got to the confidence to be pushing yourself so goes back to that first point soft skills.

It's not you need to be confident enough to do it but I don't actually know the way you got into it.

Yeah.

I mean goska fairly similar in terms of being driven to be part of team sort of in radio, but actually it was more sort of music that kind of got me into the genre.

So actually was sort of the pirate radio that go to sort of my friends were doing things so.

Put that bothered see what's under the bonnet if this medium.

I actually love listening to never any women on pirate radio always the sexy voice women that did the idents in-between all the sort of shows and stuff so very difficult for me to see myself kind of doing anything in there, but it really was kind of being inspired by people like Sarah Cox and others and hearing the never would have to be presented, but just hearing normal people relatable seem to work in radio made that are really attractive thing to me and I was just really lucky did some volunteering at Virgin Radio back in the day again.

It was a bit of a put my hand up and ask in those kind of wars in actually quite good that there isn't so much of that.

You know who you know kind of mentality that happens anymore.

It's great you got schemes that we've got so that everybody gets a chance to kind of getting it's an open call and then yeah, it was kind of that passion for music really that got me my first job at the BBC when they were about to launch this digital station called 1Xtra

About the whole so it was meeting there in a minute.

We talk about how I done some voluntary stuff it illegal radio stations.

I've done some voluntary soffits and legal radio stations and I was about it and I and I exactly maybe I didn't have the confidence.

I think it was more that I had the the passion and I had the wherewithal in the support from family to sort of encourage me to do that so lucky in that phone, but I completely agree with that advice about making do show it don't say it.

So now there's Community Radio hospital radio student radio everybody's got microphone on their phones and can upload anything to SoundCloud social media even tiktok people doing skits and YouTube and all of these free-to-air look amazing platforms that allow people to get their voices their content their passionate personality out there and even if that's not you on the Michael you was the person kind of doing it.

It's been part of somebody else.

He wants to do that and helping them.

You're producing you know if you're the one sitting there helping them plan, what is they want to stick on SoundCloud and you're the one hitting recorded making it sound alright through Youtube tutorials even watch out there now that you can have a look yourself in there that you can just get going so I agree.

I think we all higher on attitude.

Don't worry as much as kind of like skills now, so somebody is willing able and super shy they still have an absolute.

They don't need to sort of day one so I really agree with that.

I just wanted to ask you actually because I know you've been working at Barry have you been working woman in programming source transfer for a couple of years now 40.

It's been running for 2 years has yet to get a little sense from you sort of finally on what results have you spell and saying you know how is it genuine you making a difference from to your mind.

My team in Scotland and I honestly was astounded by the benefit to the business that it brought and obviously we had a pandemic and the training that we had planned in our heads.

Just didn't happen.

We thought it would we talk to get together? You know and hotel boardroom really sort of sharing positive experiences and empower each other and it didn't happen like that and suddenly.

You know like everything for suddenly thrown into doing it online did change it slightly but we had some astounding results and one of which for me is the four of the woman who did the training in Scotland I have regular shows over is amazing and travel.

They would just maybe chipping in now and again.

And part of this really brought them the confidence go back to confidence again.

Sort of really just brought them out of their shell a little bit and the result of real sort of an open conversation as well about what we've experienced in the industry and how we could do better how we could support each other better and yes, so we launched October saying last year.

We launched new Saturday morning breakfast shows the result of their development Breakfast Show and yet for those women now have their own shows every week and it's amazing Dr something fantastic and every Saturday morning when I get up and I'll put another one of the stations on first thing this plays out it how far they've come.

You know this time last year.

They were only about to come onto this course and he know when sure if they were going to have a career in radio or no and now they are the Rock up at 6 and started.

You know we've got a lot of the female leads have like their name first.

It's like Holly and Gregor and TFM in you know and I honestly believe that they've all got a really really bright future ahead of them and broadcasting stop take a chance.

I think that's what they told season of international women's day back to what we're saying that beginning and international women's month is all about it's about it's about people just sticking their necks out of getting on with actually isn't it and Halo effect so I love it is talking to you be useful.

I think just for people listen.

I know this is here to science bit but he really good for them to sort of know how they can get in touch and find out more about everything that you particularly been stopped chatting about but also the customer schools.

Yeah, you got some.

Hello at Bauer academy.co.uk hello about academy.co.uk or the bowel Academy website has everything you can get in touch with any questions the website to tell you everything that you need to know applications for the evening courses for a freelancer closed on 31st of March and the summer school on the 14th of May so yeah, it's like I just see just just get involved.

You know especially I'm actually really proud to be at our and you know I feel I feel like I've been around a bit better.

I feel that I've been quite a few groups and we work together at Radio 1 in Romeo in the good old days that they were but you know for me.

It's really I'm really close to be better.

I'm really proud to be part of our DNA

Proud that we're all fighting for change.

You know and I mean just quickly becoming insane, but they're not just wondering programming knows we start work clothes lgbtq plus.

There's a course in programming.

There's enable their social mobility and we meet once a quarter and that you've got default is our group MD and the radio side and you know we've got to see you've put the publishing side of the business and we all sat together and we just talk how we can develop the business because you know we all them really passionate right.

We all really passionate people about reflecting and representing our staff our clients are advertised as you know it's really important that we do that and that that for me just makes me be proud.

I get really proud when I turn up when we do the

All strive for changer representation across all groups by and this is just part of a refuse working with the academy in the guys.

They have been amazing and the support going to to all of those groups.

You know it's about us all driving change and that's one of the reasons that I'm where I am because

I'm really passionate about that.

You may have sorted that you know what I think it's really important that were transparent were fear where you're changing rooms in bringing more female leaders through and we're here and I'm really proud to know you and really glad that because I couldn't agree more just feels like a really people driven place and yeah, just really nice to be able to chat to you today.

This is lovely.

We should do this shouldn't we definitely next time with more wine.

Thank you ladies wonderful conversation.

They just found it so natural talking together like it was like nobody was being interviewed new just chatting at which is what what it's all about it.

I say thank you very much you been listening to the kiss network contact director Rebecca Frank talking to Victoria Easton

From Barrow in Scotland about the new initiatives coming in at our targeted especially for women if you're more details for the full story online right now at rain today co.uk by the way, what are you doing in Oadby and interview or co-hosting cleanfeed is designed for radio and podcasters and now it's simple to connect live audio over the web with cleanfeed.

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Music please.