Meagan Loader, Chief Curator of the National Film and Sound Archive, is our ninth profile in this series. Throughout her career Megan has championed talent and music broadcasting for both the youth community sector and the ABC. She is now using her industry expertise to build and preserve Australia’s audiovisual collection for today and the future.

The series, Wisdom of Women in Media explores the career and personal journeys of women in the audio media industry. The aim of the series is to reflect on the wisdom they have gained, to mentor and to share their hopes for the industry.

 1. Describe your current professional life and your stage of life.

I’m the Chief Curator of the National Film and Sound Archive, Australia’s audiovisual collection of the stories, sights and sounds that have made us. We collect, preserve and share radio, podcasts, audio, film, tv, ads, games, social video and more, to create a continuous record of Australian creativity and culture.

In terms of life stage, this is my ‘Second Act’ role, which I started just before my 50th, which coincided with finally being at an age and experience level where I could start letting go of my long-held imposter syndrome.

 2. How did you come to be in this industry?

Radio was something I knew I wanted to do since the age of 12 when I fell in love with the intimacy of broadcasting, its ability to connect deeply with a listener and to program a song that could change someone’s day or someone’s life. 

I studied Mass Communications at uni, while volunteering at community radio, 2SER and aspirant station FBi, before my first job at the Community Broadcasting Association of Australia (CBAA). 

I worked as the Radio Manager for the noise and LOUD festivals, media-based festivals for young people in the 90s, then started my first radio station for the dot-com start-up KGrind in 2000. 

I went to work at triple j as the Drive Producer in 2001. I’d wanted to work at triple j since I was a teenager and it was a blast. 

Then in 2002, I made the hard decision to leave a dream job to go start FBi Radio in Sydney when the station was awarded it’s full time licence. Building a station from the ground up was too good an opportunity to learn from, so I dived in the deep end and had the most incredible experience. 

Looking back now at what we did, I can’t imagine having the guts to do that. It was the perfect confluence of creative drive and not knowing what you don’t know that comes with being in your 20s. 

In 2010, I went back to triple j as Program Manager for 2 years, took time out to have my second baby, then returned to start Double J.

By 2023, I was looking after seven national ABC music radio networks and rage on ABC TV as Head of Music. 

I’ve been beyond lucky to have been able to work with the talented people I’ve met along the way on these dream projects and loved brands. I had always wanted to be a Content Director, stitching together the vision for and sound of a whole station, finding and developing emerging on and off-air talent. I’ve always taken on roles I was passionate about, working for organisations I believed in.

3. What are your core beliefs? How are your values evident in the work you do or the life you lead?

Do more listening than talking. 

Lead with kindness and empathy  

Stay curious 

Make room for others. 

I am now in a role at the NFSA that allows me to contribute to the national cultural record, celebrating the creative achievements and diverse stories of Australians – which feels very aligned to my values of putting others forward and making sure they feel valued, seen and heard. That fills me with purpose and pride.

4. How did your education, formal and informal, enrich your career/ life journey

I’ve had brilliant mentors along the way, including my first ever boss who told me that the goal of any boss is to ensure everyone in their team is trained up and empowered to have their role when they leave. I’ve always done that: worked hard to identify, train and champion new leaders, to empower teams and to pass on all that I’ve learnt. 

I’m also forever inspired by younger people coming up behind my generation, by their new approaches, perspectives, ideas and ways of working. I learn just as much from them.

I’ve been inspired by some outstanding leaders along the way. One story that stands out is when the ex-MD of the ABC, Mark Scott, was catching up with a colleague who mentioned to him I had breast cancer. Soon after, I received a hand-written note in the mail from Mark to wish me well. It floored me, his compassion, his care and his deeply human approach to being a leader, even when we no longer worked together.

I’ve also really valued professional coaching in my career, particularly learning to understand what drives others, how to identify it, and how to identify what drives your own behaviours.

5. When did you stop, take a break or try something different in your career? How did this change impact you?

I left the ABC at the end of 2024 after nearly 13 years. It was a hard decision to make. I was burnt out, unclear on the direction of the new management and needed to get out of the ABC bubble. 

I took 6 months off and spent time defragging. I did some travel, hung out with friends and family, then got back up and put the work in to rebuild and figure out what was next. 

I did a course at the Australian Institute of Company Directors, then joined the Performance Space board as a Director, which has given me the chance to give back to a community and culture that has inspired me for decades. This was something I was determined to make a part of my next phase of work / life. It’s beyond rewarding to volunteer again. 

After 6 months off, I was lucky enough to be offered the role I’m in now, directing content, media and culture collecting at the NFSA.

6. What makes you happy? What makes you get up in the morning?

My family, my friends, good music, getting older and trusting my instincts, smart, passionate and talented workmates.  

Stopping to notice and be amused by the little things, with a dash of awe on the side.

7. Share your words of wisdom for others in the industry or those wishing to work in the industry?

Learn to give and take feedback well. 

Grow your networks and reach out to people (it’s surprising how few people do). 

Get a mentor. 

Don’t accept average leadership.

8. Describe your vision for the audio media industry in the near future. 

I’m interested in seeing younger audiences coming back to radio and to environments not dominated by algorithms. 

I’m enjoying hearing people getting better at podcasting. It’s happening slowly – there’s some great work coming through, meeting audience expectations of higher quality production, rich and engaging conversation (not just opinion) and journalistic rigour. 

Radio makers and podcasters are the most brilliant story tellers and human connectors, a skill and talent that will shine on long after AI slop will eat itself.

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 the Wisdom of Women in Media series: