This is the thirteenth in a series of interviews exploring the career and life journey of women in the media industry. The aim of the series is to reflect on the wisdom they have gained during their journey.
So far we have had a cross section of women in different roles and career stages: Lauren Joyce, Laura Bouchet, Cathy O’Connor, Megan Smith, Kim Napier, Amanda Lee, Jacquie Riddell, Helen Tzarimas, Rebecca Ackland, Cheryl Lee, Manpreet Kaur Singh and Justine Kelly.
This week we profile, Lizzie Young who has had a variety of roles in the media industry, building her experience in Australia and the U.K. She is currently the CEO of Commercial Radio and Audio (CRA).
1. Describe your current professional life and your stage of life.
My current role is CEO of Commercial Radio and Audio, leading the industry body which represents Australia’s only 100% locally owned and most trusted media channel that reaches 15 million Australians a week.
My focus is on driving industry growth through digital transformation, commercial demand and the right regulatory settings to ensure the long-term sustainability of our industry.
I’ve been in media for 26 years and outside of that am married with two children (11 and 15) and one miniature labradoodle call Eddie.
2. How did you come to be in this industry?
I studied a BA of Journalism with some marketing and economics subjects and worked in various jobs throughout university but was drawn to the media industry. In my last semester at University, I did an internship at the ABC newsroom while working for free at my local Brisbane commercial radio station and then became a Black Thunder Driver at Brisbane’s B105. From there I did a mix of promotions, marketing, content, sales, strategy and executive roles in Australia and the UK. I’ve worked across all parts of the media. I have remained fairly fluid in how I have managed my career, recognising early on that some things are out of your control, such as redundancy while on maternity leave, or M&A activity which forces structural change.
What I have focussed on is what skills do I need and want to develop to ensure I can work for as long as I want in roles that I enjoy. I’ve trusted a couple of people along the way, taken a few risks, and tried roles that were new but that offered opportunity to develop both myself and the role /capability within an organisation.
I came back to radio because I could see the opportunity to solve industry wide challenges, which felt exciting and meaningful.
3. What are your core beliefs? How are your values evident in the work you do or the life you lead?
Be clear. Follow through. Don’t overcomplicate it.
I believe leadership is about delivering not just direction.
I expect people to be prepared, to contribute, and to leave things better than they found them. I hold myself to the same standard.
4. How did your education, formal and informal, enrich your career/ life journey?
Study is no doubt valuable but for me it really has been about the journey in the workplace. I’ve moved around within the sector and also moved roles within companies.
As businesses evolve, people need to as well, and I’ve always been willing to do the “new” role and build it into something. As a result, I’ve had some random and long job titles at times, but every step has built a new skillset. Now I have a good mix of generalist skills and subject matter expertise.
5. What are some of your key decision change points and how did they shape your career/ life journey?
Moving from corporate to global start up and now into an industry role were all key decisions. I made each one with the intention to learn something new, building on the skills and experience I already had from a relatively long stint in large scale media organisations.
Once I knew I was ready to leave Nine I was intent on finding something:
a) global,
b) entrepreneurial,
c) tech based.
Helpfully I was able to stay in media but get enormous exposure to global markets as well as a completely new side of business and completely new way of operating. The pace of a start-up is unlike anything you can ever experience in a more structured and developed organisation.
My decision to then focus on my current industry role was because it leveraged my strengths, monetising audiences, content, and transformation, but added three new elements: the ability to solve industry wide challenges, the opportunity to do things that simply haven’t been done before, and the chance to work in a role that has a government and regulatory affairs agenda which is at the very pointy end of driving change.
6. What makes you happy? What makes you get up in the morning?
I feel like there are many answers to this question. The radio alarm clock…must listen for all the crucial information to start my day. In summer, my son who wants to be taken to the beach at 5:30am to surf.
More generally I would say progress. I like seeing work move from planning to execution, that’s what drives me. I also get energy from working with people who are sharp, focused and invested in outcomes.
7. Share your words of wisdom for others in the industry or those wishing to work in the industry?
Do what you say you will do. It builds trust and personal equity.
Learn the business beyond your role, know the commercials and know what success looks like at the very highest level of the organisation and understand how your role fits into that (and if you are reading this and don’t know this, spend some time finding out).
Always be thinking what’s next? It will push you to keep learning.
8. Describe your vision for the audio media industry in the near future.
Our north star is for the local Australian audio industry to be regarded as the only ubiquitous, local, trusted media proven to deliver the most effective growth for brands.
Lizzie Young Audio ID IMAA event: radioinfo photo
9. What role would you like to play in shaping the audio industry of the future?
Put simply I hope the work we do here at CRA demonstrates that audio is a media channel that drives great business results for advertisers, that we achieve the right regulatory settings to ensure the sustainability of the industry for the long term and that we build digital tools and partnerships that make it easy for Australians to listen to us and easy for clients to advertise with us.
I hope the work we do ensures the long-term sustainability of commercial radio for their communities.
Series compiled by Serena Ahern for radioinfo.
If you have a suggestion for someone to be considered for this series, please send a note to [email protected]
Previous articles in this series:
Wisdom of Women in Media: Justine Kelly, Manager Audio Output & Strategy, ABC International
Wisdom of Women in Media: Manpreet Kaur Singh, SBS Audio Program Manager
Wisdom of Women in Media: Cheryl Lee Co Founder and Manager Rebel Radio Network
Wisdom of Women in Media: Rebecca Ackland Chief People & Culture Officer SCA
Wisdom of Women in Media: Helen Tzarimas News Reader and Journalist Gold 101.7
Wisdom of Women in Media: Amanda Lee, Head of HIT Metro Content/Fox FM Content Director
Wisdom of Women in Media: Kim Napier, Breakfast Presenter ABC Northern Tasmania
Wisdom of Women in Media: Megan Smith, Senior Producer Gold 101.7
Wisdom of Women in Media: Laura Bouchet, Content Director Triple M
Wisdom of Women in Media: Lauren Joyce, Chief Audience & Content Officer ARN