ARN's iHeart has partnered with Making The Call, which works to ensure women and gender-diverse people have an equal share of voice in sports media, to launch an audio network dedicated to women's sports.
The initiative, billed as an Australian first, will deliver daily coverage, podcasts and content focused on elite to amateur athletes, competitions and stories from across the nation, reinforcing iHeart's mission to increase representation, access and equity in women's sports.
Women's sports still only receive around 15% of media coverage nationally.
iHeart Women's Sports seeks to help close that gap, using the reach of its metro and regional broadcast network and digital platforms.
The network will deliver daily news bulletins, led by broadcaster Rana Hussain, and updates.
The network will bring together sports podcasts: No Dribble from netballers Liz Ellis, Catherine Cox and Carolyn Swindell; The [Female] Athlete Project with Olympian Chloe Dalton; Cricket Australia's entire podcast slate is joining iHeart including their Women's Cricket Podcast The Scoop; plus titles from around the world including podcasts from tennis great Rennae Stubbs and WNBA icon Sheryl Swoopes.
The iHeart Women's Sports Network will also feature new and returning iHeart Original productions: Two Good Sports with journalists Abbey Gelmi and Georgie Tunny; and new sports entertainment shows with AFLW star Kirby Bentley and sports presenter Brihony Dawson.
HER WAY Sports Media, founded by teen journalist Abbie to challenge the lack of news and resources promoting women's sport, will also join the network, bringing perspective from the next generation of sports media voices.
"Australian women's teams, athletes and fans have kicked sport into the future. We are proud and excited to have ARN as our teammate. Together we will give that future its voice and amplify it," said Emma Race, director of Making The Call.
Lauren Joyce, ARN chief audience and content officer, said the network will celebrate incredible athletes, share their stories and show just how powerful women's sport is.
"This network is about inspiring the next generation, giving every fan a chance to connect with the game, and putting women's sport front and centre,” said Joyce.
“But it's about more than coverage – together with Making The Call, we're creating real pathways for women and non-binary individuals into sports media, building the biggest women's sports audio network in Australia while supporting the next generation of talent."
A percentage of every dollar invested in iHeart Women's Sports will go to funding pathways into sports media through Making The Call.
Making The Call, founded in 2020 by sisters Emma Race and Lucy Race, is committed to ensuring women and gender-diverse people have an equal share of voice in sports media.
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