RTS Scotland alongside WFTV Scotland celebrated International Women’s Day with a vibrant panel discussion and networking session at the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons in Glasgow at the start of March.

The speakers were interviewed by Wendy Rattray, Managing Director at Hello Halo. She welcomed Claire Mundell, Creative Director & Founder at Synchronicity Films, Jo Street, Head of Daytime and Head of the Glasgow Hub at Channel 4 and Jane Muirhead, Managing Director at Raise the Roof Productions to the panel discussion, where they could share their experiences as successful and inspirational women in the TV.

Conversation revolved around the themes of pay inequality, workplace mistreatment and women role-models, but discussion about if the TV industry was now a more welcoming place for women was met with great response from the panel members and the all-female audience. Claire Mundell said, “There weren’t really a whole load of women in media in the 60s & 70s. It’s a better industry now though because there’s more women at the top”.

Although all three women echoed this message they also acknowledged that barriers still face women and other minority groups trying to get into TV. Wendy Rattray said, “More work is still needed to promote the TV industry as a realistic and accessible path early on for women and other minority groups”.

Jane Muirhead commented on the fact that the entry level for TV has risen dramatically over the last decade as well, saying, “It is incumbent on us as a TV industry to provide slightly more structured training programmes for younger people”.

To close the evening, Jo Street, gave some words of advice to women in the audience saying, “Women should not undervalue themselves”. Know your own worth and just try to be yourself”.