Beverley Wang

Last updated

Beverley Wang
Born
Vancouver, Canada
Occupations
  • Broadcaster
  • Journalist
  • Radio producer
Known forIt's Not a Race podcast (2017–2018)
Stop Everything!
Life Matters
Career
Station Radio National
Network Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Beverley Wang is a Canadian Australian broadcaster, radio producer and journalist. As of 2022, she was host of two programs on ABC Radio National and an executive producer. She also created and hosted It's Not a Race, an ABC podcast dealing with issues of race and identity in Australian culture in 2017–2018. As of February 2024 she presents Life Matters on Fridays, and co-hosts the weekly pop culture show Stop Everything! .

Contents

Early life and education

Wang was born in Vancouver, Canada, to a Taiwanese Canadian family who had emigrated to the country in the 1970s. [1] The second of four children, she has described herself growing up as "an angry, 90s, grunge teenager, seeing all the injustice in the world." [1]

Though her parents were not wealthy, they sent her to an elite private school where many of the students were from wealthy backgrounds, an experience that honed her consciousness of "differences and divisions" [1] in society. [1]

Wang showed an early aptitude for writing, becoming an editor of her high school newspaper. [2] After graduating from university, she became an English teacher in Japan before being accepted in 2002 into journalism school at New York University. [1]

Career

After graduation, Wang served a number of internships with New York media outlets, most notably with the New York Daily News , which gave her a first taste of the intensity of daily news reporting. [2] Her first journalism job was with The Journal News , a New York regional newspaper, where she worked for less than a year before becoming a reporter for Associated Press. [2] [3]

She has spoken about the challenges of on-the-beat reporting, in particular, of having to interview people at difficult times in their lives, such as after bereavements. The reporter is caught in the situation of, on the one hand, being required to get the interview, while on the other, trying to show empathy and sensitivity to the interviewee, noting that this is not taught in journalism courses. The stress of breaking news reporting was a contributing factor toward her eventually seeking other areas of work in her chosen field. [2]

Wang emigrated to Australia in 2009, where she secured a job with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as an online news reporter, focusing on the Asia-Pacific region and current affairs. [2]

When the network offered her a role as a stand-in radio producer, Wang readily agreed, though lacking any broadcasting experience. [2] After a two-day training course, [2] [3] she went on to produce live programs for Radio Australia, ABC NewsRadio, and Radio National, before eventually establishing herself as executive producer of the latter's RN Drive program. [4]

Wang has had several roles with Radio National. As of February 2024, she continues to co-host (with Benjamin Law) and produce RN's Stop Everything! , a program focusing on issues raised by pop culture, and is the Friday host of Life Matters , a weekday morning magazine program exploring social issues. [4]

In 2017, Wang started her own podcast for Radio National, called It's Not a Race, which deals with questions of race and identity in Australian culture. [1] [3] [4] The podcast was generally well-received, particularly by Australian people of colour, and stimulated discussions about race in Australia. [1] [3] It ran from 22 May 2017 to 4 May 2018. [5]

Controversies

In 2017, a colleague of Wang at the ABC, Radio 774 morning presenter Red Symons, interviewed Wang about her podcast It's Not a Race. Symons, known for his mock-hostile persona, began by asking her "what's the deal with Asians?... are they all the same?", [6] [7] and questioning whether her real name was "Beverley". [6] When portions of the interview went to air, it drew complaints and was quickly removed from the ABC website. Symons later apologised, saying "I came across as racist and I was wrong in the way I conducted the interview", [7] adding "this is not who I am". [7]

In 2021, Wang wrote an article about Bluey , a popular Australian children's cartoon series in which the characters are dogs. [8] [9] While praising the show as "tender, nuanced and joyful", [8] she continued: "As a parent of colour, I am always conscious of the presence — or absence — of diverse representation in kids' pop culture, what it means for children and the conversations we have around that", noting the absence of diversity in the series. [8] [9] Her comments raised both support and criticism on social media. [9]

Related Research Articles

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-owned body that is politically independent and fully accountable, with its charter enshrined in legislation, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983. ABC Commercial, a profit-making division of the corporation, also helps to generate funding for content provision.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radio National</span> Australian radio network

Radio National, known on-air as RN, is an Australia-wide public service broadcasting radio network run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). From 1947 until 1985, the network was known as ABC Radio 2.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Symons</span> Australian musician, and television and radio personality (born 1949)

Redmond Symons is an Australian musician and television and radio personality. He was the lead guitarist in the band Skyhooks, the snide judge of 'Red Faces' and a judge on talent search show Australia's Got Talent. He hosted ABC Radio Melbourne's breakfast show from 2003 until 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Myf Warhurst</span> Australian broadcaster

Myfanwy Warhurst is an Australian radio announcer and television personality, best known for her work at Triple J radio station and on ABC Television's long-running music-themed quiz show Spicks and Specks. As of 2022 she has an ongoing role as Australia's commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest alongside Joel Creasey, and as co-host of the weekly podcast Bang On. She also provides the voices of Aunt Trixie and Indy's Mum in the Australian animated show Bluey.

Deepa Fernandes is one of the hosts of NPR's Here and Now. She has formerly hosted the WBAI radio program Wakeup Call and the nationally syndicated Pacifica radio news show Free Speech Radio News on the politically independent, anti-war Pacifica Radio Network. Fernandes has worked as a freelance producer for, among others, the British Broadcasting Corporation, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and Pacifica Radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Double J (radio station)</span> Australian digital radio station

Double J is an Australian digital radio station owned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It is positioned as a spin-off of the youth-oriented triple j, but catering for an older adult audience, emphasising genres such as pop, rock, blues, country, soul, jazz, and world music, as well as archive content from the parent station's library.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leigh Sales</span> Australian journalist and author (born 1973)

Leigh Peta Sales is an Australian journalist and author, best known for her work with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Spark is a Canadian radio talk show about "technology and culture." Hosted by Nora Young, the program made its CBC Radio One début on September 5, 2007. The show is also broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio 159 and, since January 9, 2010, on Vermont Public Radio's network of stations in the United States. It is also broadcast in Australia on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio National network. Spark is produced in Toronto by Young and a team that currently consists of Michelle Parise, Adam Killick, and Kent Hoffman.

Fran Kelly is an Australian radio presenter, current affairs journalist and political correspondent who hosted the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio National program Breakfast from March 2005 to early December 2021.

Life Matters is a magazine-style radio program that has been broadcast on Radio National by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 1992. The first presenter was Geraldine Doogue, and as of February 2024 the program is presented by Hilary Harper and Beverley Wang (Fridays). Covering a range of social and personal issues, it airs each weekday at 9am, and is repeated at 7pm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Ferguson (journalist)</span> British–Australian journalist (born 1965)

Sarah Ferguson is an Australian journalist, reporter and television presenter. She is the host of ABC TV's flagship news and current affairs program 7.30.

Kumi Taguchi is an Australian journalist, broadcaster and presenter living in Sydney.

<i>Code Switch</i> Podcast about race and culture

Code Switch is a podcast from National Public Radio (NPR), and an online outlet covering race and culture. Code Switch began in 2013 as a blog, and a series of stories contributed to NPR radio programs.

Anna Daniels is an Australian author, comedian, radio producer, television presenter and actress. She is arguably most notable for a botched radio interview with Academy Award-winning actor Russell Crowe, and for her current voice acting role in Bluey, where she voices the recurring character Janelle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patricia Karvelas</span> Australian journalist (born 1981)

Patricia Karvelas is an Australian radio presenter, current affairs journalist and political correspondent.

<i>Bluey</i> (2018 TV series) Australian animated preschool television series

Bluey is an Australian animated preschool television series which premiered on ABC Kids on 1 October 2018. The program was created by Joe Brumm and is produced by Queensland-based company Ludo Studio. It was commissioned by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the British Broadcasting Corporation, with BBC Studios holding global distribution and merchandising rights. The series made its premiere on Disney Junior in the United States and is released internationally on Disney+.

Brooke Kathleen Boney is an Australian journalist and television presenter of Aboriginal Gamilaroi descent.

Avani Dias is a Sri Lankan Australian journalist and radio presenter. She is currently posted as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)'s international foreign correspondent for South Asia, based in New Delhi. Dias is perhaps best known for being the presenter of current affairs program Hack on youth radio station Triple J from 2020 to 2021, after succeeding Tom Tilley at the end of 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Namila Benson</span> Australian radio broadcaster and television presenter

Namila Benson is an Australian radio broadcaster, podcaster and television presenter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sabra Lane</span> Australian journalist and radio presenter

Sabra Lane is an Australian journalist and radio presenter, best known for her work at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Shanahan, Lucy (30 November 2017). "How Podcaster Beverley Wang is Opening Up the Discussion on Race". Rolling Stone Australia. The Brag Media. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hente, Corinna (5 October 2017). "The blood, sweat and tears behind Beverley Wang's success". MOJO News. Melbourne, Australia: Monash University. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Zhou, Naaman (2 January 2018). "'Why not race?': Beverley Wang on the hunger for her hit ABC podcast". The Guardian (Australia Edition). Guardian News & Media Ltd. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "Beverley Wang". ABC Radio National. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2 June 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  5. ↑ "More from It's Not A Race". ABC listen . 4 May 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  6. 1 2 Beverley Wang (16 June 2017). It's Not a Race (Podcast). Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  7. 1 2 3 Meade, Amanda (19 June 2017). "Red Symons apologises for 'racist' ABC interview with Beverley Wang". The Guardian (Australia Edition). Guardian News & Media Ltd. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 Wang, Beverley (14 April 2021). "I've learnt a lot from Bluey, but can the show be more representative?". ABC Everyday. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  9. 1 2 3 Mitchell, Rhianna (15 April 2021). "ABC children's cartoon Bluey at centre of social media storm over 'lack of diversity' claims". Perth Now. West Australian Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.