MEDIA

Please find various links to Media coverage of our work at Why Not Her? Our Campaign is now one of the biggest Gender and Equality campaigns in music industry history, gathering over 220+ Million Impressions and Audience reach of our reports. We’d like to thank everyone who has supported us and who has not been afraid of joining us in asking the question Why Not Her?

May 2025: RTÉ Culture Op-Ed and Chapter extract of Linda Coogan Byrne’s new book Why Not Her? A Manifesto For Culture Change

https://www.rte.ie/culture/2025/0526/1514650-why-its-time-to-tune-into-irelands-female-musicians

May 2025: BBC Woman’s Hour radio show with Linda Coogan Byrne. This years event sees the 70th Ivor Novello awards taking place at Grosvenor House in London.  They are coveted in the UK music industry because they specifically celebrate songwriting. Singer-songwriter Lola Young leads the nominations this year including one for ‘best song musically and lyrically’ for her breakthrough hit Messy, which spent a month at number one in the UK earlier this year.  Does this spell good news for women in the music industry? Anita Rani is joined by Linda Coogan-Byrne to discuss.

https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/m002cfk3

April 2025: Irish Independent Newspaper, 4 page interview https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/this-dj-said-look-at-imelda-may-i-mean-shes-a-bit-long-in-the-tooth-to-be-releasing-music-sexism-in-the-irish-music-industry/a1032547692.html

April 2024: Irish Examiner Interview with Linda Coogan Byrne

https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-41604154.html#:~:text=But%20now%20she%20has%20published,with%20other%20prejudices%2C%20like%20racism.

JAN 2025: SUNDAY WORLD, ran article on our Top 100 Song of the year findings: https://www.sundayworld.com/showbiz/irish-showbiz/hozier-hit-most-played-on-irish-radio-set-against-background-of-criticism-over-gender-balance/a1876619195.html

SEPT Issue: IQ Magazine, UK, 8 page special on the Irish Live Music Scene featuring interview with Linda Coogan Byrne of Why Not Her?

AUGUST Issue: Totally Dublin four page interview with Linda Coogan Byrne of Why Not Her?

JUNE 2024: DISTRICT MAGAZINE WHY NOT HER SPECIAL: We Need To Talk About Irish Radio’s Representation Problem

JUNE 2024: IMAGE MAGAZINE: In 2024, just one living female Irish artist has made the top 100 on Irish radio.

JUNE 2024: THE IRISH EXAMINER: WEEKEND MAGAZINE SPECIAL EDITORIAL OP ED PIECE

June 2024: THE IRISH TIMES: “Irish female artists make up just 2% of most-played songs on Irish radio in past year – report”

MAY 2024: IMAGE MAGAZINE SUMMER EDITION 3 PAGE INTERVIEW EXCLUSIVE

Feb 2024: Linda Coogan Byrne founder of Why Not Her? wrote an editorial piece, for The Journal, on Ireland’s Eurovision star Bambie Thug and outlined the gender discrimination that they experienced by the Irish broadcasting sector.

Feb 2024: Linda Coogan Byrne founder of Why Not Her? chats with The Forty-Five about the findings of the Women & Equality report into music industry misogyny. “What is the point of claiming inclusivity if you’re only platforming neurotypical white middle-class women, or if no attention is paid to the women behind the scenes?” Read here: https://thefortyfive.com/opinion/women-and-equality-report-music-industry/

Jan 2024: Women and Equalities Committee Misogyny in music report is published. Featuring data compiled by Why Not Her? and other organisations and collectives.

Jan 2024: Irish Central.

Irish artists in the minority of Irish radio’s most-played songs of 2023

Campaign collective Why Not Her? says the breakdown of Irish artists against international artists on Irish radio in 2023 is “not good enough.” Read Full article and interview here:

Jan 2024: Irish Independent: Weekend.


If Sinéad O’Connor was starting out today, would she get on Ireland’s male-dominated radio playlists?

One beautiful Irish artist was described as ‘a bit long in the tooth’ to be releasing a new album — a statement that nobody has ever made about Bob Dylan. Read Full article and interview in the Independent here:

Jan 2024: Irish Independent: Saturday Edition
We’ll never have another Sinéad O’Connor unless Irish radio gets its act together’ – Just 3pc of top tracks on airwaves are by Irish women. Artists join call for gender equality to help pave path for next generation. Read Full article and interview in the Independent here:

Jan 2024:

The great disappearing act: Irish female musicians

Radio stations have been disappearing Irish female musicians for years and it’s only getting worse. Read full article in The Irish Examiner here:

Only one in every four songs on Irish radio is by an Irish artist. Just 6 per cent of the top 100 were by Irish female artists – The Irish Times Exclusive on the 2023 Irish radio Report, June 2023. Read here: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2023/06/14/why-is-it-still-so-hard-for-women-and-people-of-colour-to-get-airplay-on-irish-radio/

Linda and Áine from Why Not Her? pen an obituary for Sinéad O Connor for The Irish Examiner in July 2023.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41192554.html

In June 2023, Linda Coogan Byrne spoke to The Telegraph about the future of radio. Read article here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/radio/what-to-listen-to/tiktok-radio-1-harry-styles-kylie-minogue-lil-nas-x-youtube/

In March 2023 The Independent UK did a big piece on Glastonbury Headliners and the gender inequality across the line up quoting our data reports

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/glastonbury-2023-headliners-women-lizzo-b2293571.html

In March 2023, Linda Coogan Byrne spoke to The Irish Sun National Newspaper about her Book being hacked in order to highlight how activists are targeted when they speak up.

Read Full Interview here: https://www.thesun.ie/news/10370810/cyber-bullies-fake-profiles-scam-book-irish-music-dublin/

In Feb 2023 Dr Laura Watson published an academic article on new Wave Feminism in Music – Feminist Musical Activism in Ireland (2016–21) and Feminist Musicology, highlighting the work carried out by Linda Coogan Byrne and Why Not Her? Full Link to article here: https://www.ictm.ie/feminist-musical-activism-in-ireland-2016-21-and-feminist-musicology-laura-watson/

In Jan 2023 Buzz.ie issued an article on our recent Report that detailed the Most Played Songs On Irish radio in 2022: https://www.buzz.ie/music/radio-airplay-chart-ireland-2022-28862133

In Jan 2023 WNH collective issued press release and data report on most played Irish songs of the year: https://www.corkindependent.com/2023/01/13/air-waves-are-not-our-waves/

In Jan 2023 The Star Newspaper did a two-page piece on our recent Report that detailed the Most Played Songs On Irish radio in 2022:

Oct 2022, The Green Party Ireland announce a new Media Regulations Bill https://www.greenparty.ie/news/young-girls-cannot-aim-be-what-they-cannot-see-or-hear-minister-martin-introduces-measures?fbclid=IwAR3qm6OOzb6JHGttepHeQsH9wVvZg6B3q2Jv08p4G4ofOd2_wGJi4cJoMek

Oct 2022, Irish Examiner article – Gender balance in broadcast media – The 2015 National Women’s Council of Ireland Report ‘Hearing Women’s Voices?’ examined news and current affairs programmes on Irish radio and reported a 28:72 ratio of women to men participating in discussions. The ‘Why Not Her?’ Collective has also highlighted the inequality of airplay given to female versus male artists. 

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/politics/arid-40985852.html

Oct 2022, District magazine – Why Not Her? Gender Disparity Report reveals barriers in Irish radio

SEPT 2022, MIXMAG article on the latest annual Data Report on Uk radio: https://mixmag.net/read/new-report-gender-racial-disparity-across-british-radio-news

Sept 2022, Music Week article on the latest Data Report on Uk radio: https://www.musicweek.com/media/read/solo-male-artists-feature-in-airplay-top-100-three-time-more-than-their-female-counterparts-report-finds/086465

Sept 2022, Eastern Eye article on the latest Data Report on Uk radio: https://www.easterneye.biz/white-male-artists-still-dominate-on-air-across-the-top-20-airplay-charts-in-uk-report/

July 2022, Irish Examiner article on the latest annual Data Report: https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40907720.html

Data collected by the WhyNotHer? campaign found that the stations most successful in achieving gender parity were Spin 103.8, Spin South West, MidWest Radio, RTÉ Radio 1, and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, which reached 50:50 gender parity on air last year.

Irish Times article on the 2022 Report: https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2022/07/01/most-songs-on-irish-radio-are-still-by-white-male-artists/

Why Not Her? met with heads of state and the Labour party, including ministers and senators in Leinster House to deliver a new Bill of Broadcasting, that they worked together on with Labour Party Senator Marie Sherlock that urges the government to legislate for diversity, equality and inclusion on the airwaves for women, people of colour and lgbtqia+ community. https://journalofmusic.com/news/labour-bill-seeks-ensure-more-female-artists-and-voices-radio

Why Not Her? founder Linda Coogan Byrne in Leinster House on July 7th 2022 as they proposed a new Bill of Broadcasting to the members of parliament. Support on the day came from Fintan Warfield of Sinn Fein, Ivan Bacik (Leader of Labour Party), Frances Black (Independent), Senator Marie Sherlock (Labour) and more prestigious members of political parties.

a snippet of Senator Marie Sherlocks New Bill of Broadcasting.

Our #WhyNotHer social movement campaign gathered the attention of thousands of Irish citizens who sent in solidarity photos supporting the female-identifying artists and musicians of Ireland by asking the question Why Not Her? to those in broadcasting.

Rte 6:1 News also covered the story to almost a million viewers on their evening News programme. You can watch it back here: https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2021/0128/1193752-huge-lack-of-airtime-for-female-artists-on-irish-radio/

The estimated overall coverage in audience reach for Why Not Her? Campaigns global reach: 150+ million. (As and from Dec 2021) Please see below for coverage and news items:

Exclusive 2 Page Interview with Linda Coogan Byrne for The Sunday Times: The women making waves on the radio: Irish radio stations need to get in tune with the times and give greater airplay to more female musicians, reveals a scathing report by campaigner Linda Coogan Byrne. By Lauren Murphy https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-women-making-waves-on-the-radio-7glrp766p

The GUARDIAN Newspaper + PRINT EDITION (ran the exclusive on the Uk Reports in 2020 and 2021) 

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/aug/21/female-british-artists-underrepresented-on-uk-radio-survey-finds?CMP=twt_a-culture_b-gdnculture

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/sep/16/gender-disparity-in-uk-radio-report-shows-minor-improvements-on-2020

INDEPENDENT (UK)

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/female-british-artists-gender-disparity-radio-uk-study-a9681356.html

CRACK MAGAZINE https://crackmagazine.net/2020/08/female-artists-are-underrepresented-on-uk-radio/embed/#?secret=oKVtBjaDfg

Irish Examiner: Women in music group calls for policy change across radio stations

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40339823.html

‘Staggering’ disparity between genders in radio airplay

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40333331.html

Irish Examiner Covers the 2022 Gender Disparity Data Report: https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40907720.html

The Journal: Top commercial stations play Irish female artists in charts at lower rate than most national radio https://www.thejournal.ie/irish-radio-gender-disparity-top-artists-5489937-Jul2021/

The Times UK: 20 Years of the Irish Singles Charts: Interview special with one of our lead researchers Winnie Ama of Why Not Her?

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/female-artists-marginalised-in-irish-singles-charts-thanks-to-radio-silence-dv6zr0ggq

Hotpress: coverage of the 20 Year chart report: https://www.hotpress.com/music/why-not-her-publish-gender-and-racial-disparity-report-analysing-20-years-of-irish-singles-charts-22850224 

Irish Times: feature on 20 Years of Chart report:

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/white-male-artists-dominate-irish-charts-and-radio-report-finds-1.4549365

Celebrity Land https://celebrity.land/en/white-male-artists-dominate-irish-charts-and-radio-report-finds/embed/#?secret=k4cki9UrSf

Irish Country Magazine: here https://irishcountrymagazine.ie/irish-women-in-music-deserve-more-airplay/embed/#?secret=U7W9pQfZIV

Dummy https://www.dummymag.com/news/study-finds-that-british-female-artists-are-severely-underrepresented-on-uk-radio/embed/#?secret=ZBpaYZrK95

Chordblossom IV piece with Linda Coogan Byrne of WNH?

http://www.chordblossom.com/blogs/why-not-her-meeting-gender-disparity-in-the-music-industry-front-on 

RTE NEWS 6:1 TV covered the latest report to over 900,000 viewers in Ireland.

https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2021/0128/1193752-huge-lack-of-airtime-for-female-artists-on-irish-radio/

GCN Magazine coverage of the report with IV https://gcn.ie/whynother-launched-women-opportunities-irish-radio/embed/#?secret=2lMK58tojV

Irish Examiner; Cover the Action Plan

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40235069.html

Irish Examiner– feature by Clodagh Finn

https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/arid-40223318.html

Irish Examiner Reaction to the latest report

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40214618.html

Turkish Newspaper

http://mezopotamyaajansi29.com/tum-haberler/content/view/126595 

Evoke, expose piece on Linda, the woman behind the campaign, full interview https://evoke.ie/2021/02/07/inspire-women-in-business/linda-coogan-byrne/embed#?secret=QRK3kEmmNa

EchoLive, Echo Cork Newspaper, print and online / in Print ran three pages/ Online here

https://www.echolive.ie/entertainment/whatson/arid-40225619.html

Irish Times Women’s Podcast w/Linda Coogan Byrne

https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/the-women-s-podcast/the-irish-times-women-s-podcast-ep-469-the-shocking-gender-disparity-on-irish-radio-conductor-marin-alsop-1.4467221

Irish Times – Men Rules the charts

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/men-rule-the-charts-no-irish-female-artist-had-song-in-top-10-in-last-two-years-1.4410937

Rogue Collective magazine iv with Linda https://roguecollective.ie/post/gender-disparity-in-irish-radio-six-months-on-interview-with-linda-coogan-byrne/?loggedin=true/embed#?secret=FahEK1wpjG

Soul Doubt Magazine IV and on podcast 

https://www.souldoubtmag.com/podcast/linda-coogan-byrne-gender-disparity-on-irish-and-uk-radio

Hotpress cover Jim Fitzpatrick donation https://www.hotpress.com/music/veteran-irish-artist-jim-fitzpatrick-offers-solidarity-to-why-not-her-campaign-22844590 

District Magazine https://districtmagazine.ie/news/why-not-her-provide-update-on-gender-disparity-report/embed/#?secret=sn3YaZxFry

IV with Newstalk

https://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/highlights-from-moncrieff/gender-disparity-in-irish-charts

MxDWN

http://www.mxdwn.co.uk/news/a-new-report-shows-the-gender-disparity-in-the-irish-music-charts/ 

Musician.ie cover the latest report http://musician.ie/whynother-publish-second-report-looking-at-gender-disparity-of-irish-radio/ 

Irish Times IV with Linda over chart report

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/men-rule-the-charts-no-irish-female-artist-had-song-in-top-10-in-last-two-years-1.4410937

Nialler 9 charts report

https://nialler9.com/no-irish-female-artist-had-a-number-10-chart-hit-in-the-last-2-years-the-newest-gender-disparity-report-finds/

MIXMAG

https://mixmag.net/read/new-survey-british-women-underrepresented-uk-radio-news

Music Week

https://www.musicweek.com/media/read/new-study-reveals-gender-disparity-in-uk-radio/080861#:~:text=A%20new%20report%20by%20Ctrl,the%20last%20year%20featuring%20men.

Ace 

https://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00158607.html

Mixtape Madness

https://www.mixtapemadness.com/blog/articles/alarming-gender-disparity-in-u-k-music

BBC coverage – show on the report here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p08pxgtx

HER.ie Iv w Linda

https://www.her.ie/music/why-not-her-linda-coogan-interview-509350

Conversations about Herhttps://conversationsabouther.net/british-female-artists-are-underrepresented-on-uk-radio-according-to-gender-disparity-radio-report-music-news/embed/#?secret=ZPMDMX3NhB

La Depeche

https://www.ladepeche.fr/2020/08/25/grande-bretagne-les-artistes-feminines-britanniques-boudees-par-les-radios-selon-une-etude-9033871.php

Terra Femina

https://www.terrafemina.com/article/sexisme-au-royaume-uni-les-chanteuses-sont-snobees-par-les-radios_a354865/1

UPNEWS

https://upnewsinfo.com/2020/08/22/becky-hill-voices-frustration-over-secondary-treatment-of-female-musicians-on-radio/

AWTY MUSIC

https://www.awtymusic.com/post/why-women-get-the-blues

MSN 

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/entertainment/music/female-british-artists-underrepresented-on-uk-radio-study-finds/ar-BB18dBgv

Cork Echo https://www.echolive.ie/downtown/Corks-Stevie-G-captures-the-soul-of-a-new-wave-of-Irish-music-25fadf04-02ca-4ed4-b811-218957f290c6-ds 

MU

https://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/Home/News/2020/Aug/New-Report-Shows-Women-Underrepresented-on-UK-Radi

Musically https://musically.com/2020/08/24/report-analyses-gender-disparity-on-uk-radio-stations/embed/#?secret=7vN7lI6nf0

Jakarta Post 

https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2020/08/28/female-british-artists-are-neglected-by-uk-radio-stations-new-survey-finds.html

Irish Tatler

https://irishtatler.com/news/irish-radio-gender-disparity

THE IRISH Examiner

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/female-musicians-get-a-tiny-fraction-of-radio-airtime-report-finds-1007022.html

Irish Times

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/irish-radio-failing-to-support-irish-female-musicians-report-1.4286738

Tony linked another article here: https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/what-are-the-best-irish-albums-of-2020-so-far-1.4291571

THE TIMES UK IV W/LINDA

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/radio-stations-give-silent-treatment-to-irish-female-artists-dqv22sjfc

IRISH INDO IV/W LINDA

https://www.independent.ie/opinion/comment/all-the-female-artists-i-speak-to-say-they-cant-get-on-playlists-shock-over-the-huge-gender-gap-on-radio-39317401.html

THE LAST MIXED TAPE INTERVIEW W/LINDA

JOURNAL OF MUSIC

https://journalofmusic.com/news/its-choosing-men-over-women-whatever-reason-i-dont-know-why-it-has-change-irish-female-artists

JOURNAL OF MUSIC UK REPORT

https://journalofmusic.com/news-uk/british-female-artists-received-just-19-top-100-radio-airplay-2020

MALE RESPONSE ARTICLE ALSO RAN: https://www.hotpress.com/music/conor-obrien-alfie-hudson-taylor-and-more-react-to-report-on-gender-disparity-in-irish-radio-22821246 

Evoke INTERVIEW W/LINDA

EVOKE.IEhttps://evoke.ie/2020/06/24/extra/report-gender-disparity-in-irish-radio-airplay/embed#?secret=N7BDM8EH30

THE JOURNAL.IE

https://www.thejournal.ie/music-irish-women-5131737-Jun2020/

THE THIN AIR

http://thethinair.net/2020/06/damning-report-reveals-gender-disparity-in-irish-radio-play/ 

ENTERTAINMENT.IE

https://entertainment.ie/music/a-new-report-highlights-the-shocking-lack-of-female-artists-on-irish-radio-456164/

DISTRICT MAGAZINE

http://districtmagazine.ie/damning-new-report-highlights-appalling-gender-disparity-on-irish-airwaves/ 

CHORDBLOSSOM

http://www.chordblossom.com/news/gender-disparity-in-irish-radio 

NIALLER9

https://nialler9.com/a-new-report-shows-most-irish-radio-stations-top-20-irish-airplay-features-less-than-10-women-artists-or-worse/

MALE RESPONSE ARTICLE RAN ALSO: https://nialler9.com/male-artists-respond-to-the-irish-radio-gender-disparity-report/

EMPWR.IE

https://www.empwr.ie/post/female-musicians-played-90-percent-less-than-male-counterparts-on-irish-radio

BROADSHEET.IE

TALK OF THE TOWN

https://www.talkofthetown.ie/lmfm-criticised-for-lack-of-air-time-given-to-female-irish-musicians/amp/

GOLDEN PLEC

https://www.goldenplec.com/times-up-irish-female-artists-deserve-radio-play/

Create Louth

http://www.createlouth.ie/its-choosing-men-over-women-for-whatever-reason-i-dont-know-why-but-it-has-to-change-irish-female-artists-received-8-of-top-20-radio-airplay/

Amazing interview with Joe.ie w/Aineabout:blankEmbed URLPaste a link to the content you want to display on your site.EmbedLearn more about embeds(opens in a new tab)Sorry, this content could not be embedded.Try again Convert to link

The Jam https://www.goldenplec.com/the-irish-jam-28-june-2020/

Connacht Tribune – mentioned in https://connachttribune.ie/lockdown-proves-productive-for-newcomer-making-waves/embed/#?secret=ixhHlV6kPb

Headtopics

https://headtopics.com/ie/across-irish-radio-stations-female-artists-make-up-just-7-of-the-top-irish-artists-played-13886530

Just a chat podcast – coverage on the report

https://podcastaddict.com/episode/109784422

Limerick post https://www.limerickpost.ie/2020/07/22/limerick-lady-podcast-episode-20-the-angry-women-special/embed/#?secret=fIfRyOz2VC

Sunday Business Post 2 page spread in Print edition and also included in online edition here: 

https://www.businesspost.ie/media-marketing/hard-stations-why-cant-irish-women-get-played-on-the-airwaves-12268e3c