Hannah Ferguson is at the forefront of the Australian media industry, and she's doing it differently!
As the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cheek Media Co. she's driving change in Australian media by encouraging people to be informed and engaged over disinterested and detached. The independent news commentary platform provides informed, progressive opinions on subjects that sit at the intersection of feminist, social, and political issues. Cheek aims to make the complex accessible, and to provide values-based journalism to a growing audience of more than 90,000 changemakers.
Her first book, Bite Back is now a best seller spending weeks at the top of the non-fiction chart in Australia. The title delivers the conversations we've been missing on everything from diet culture to the future of the #MeToo movement. Articulating sharp, progressive perspectives on the social and political issues that matter, Bite Back offers constructive talking points to provoke and inspire meaningful change. From examining how to have hard conversations with loved ones, and the realities of reforming a criminal justice system that isn't fit for purpose, to analysing the role of popular culture icons in upholding beauty standards and a toxic culture of dieting. The book is packed full of opinions and ideas with bite, it's news that talks back.
Personally, Brisy-born Hannah has a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Master of Writing, Editing and Publishing from The University of Queensland. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Harper's Bazaar, InStyle, the Sydney Morning Herald, and she's one of 2024's Forbes 30 Under 30.
Talking Points
How to unleash your inner ‘Brat’ in the workplace: Legitimately, lucratively (and legally) speaking, ofc.
According to the very ~official~ Charli XCX Dictionary of Choosing Chaos Above Complacency, to be a ‘brat’ in 2024 is to roll up your “flaws,” “mistakes” and “ego” into one slime-green-splashed sucker-punch and bulldoze your way through life.How to unleash your inner ‘Brat’ in the workplace: Legitimately, lucratively (and legally) speaking, ofc.
Unapologetically.
As women, we’re faced with myriad challenges in pursuit of having the careers we want, which often runs parallel to the personal lives we’re building for ourselves. It’s knowing you’re being paid less than your male counterpart. It’s not seeing yourself represented in leadership across the business. It’s climbing (read: clawing) the corporate ladder while battling health and fertility issues in silence. It’s feeling like you can’t contest the status quo out of fear of retribution.
While these issues are often out of our control, or even sometimes forced on us, as women, to ‘fix’, applying a ‘brat’ mindset when approaching tough conversations and challenging situations can supercharge each of us with even more confidence to - put basically - get what we want in life, and at work.
Video
IN FULL: Cheek Media's Hannah Ferguson speaks at National Press Club | ABC NEWS
Hannah Ferguson, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cheek Media Co, will Address the National Press Club of Australia in partnership with Women in Media on “The election of influence: how new media will shape the future of Australian politics”.An invitation to all men to take feminism further | Hannah Ferguson | TEDxSydney Youth
Feminism isn’t the problem, it's the solution we’re not fully embracing. Hannah Ferguson, Founder of Cheek media, challenges the misconceptions surrounding feminism and explores how men can play a crucial role in the movement for gender equality. The real issue isn’t feminism going too far, but men being left behind in the pursuit of a fairer world. Hannah Ferguson is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of independent news commentary platform, Cheek Media Co., and the co-host of news and culture podcast, Big Small Talk. In 2023 Hannah released her bestselling debut book, Bite Back. Hannah has a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Master of Writing, Editing and Publishing from The University of Queensland. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, the Sydney Morning Herald, Crikey and more.Hannah Ferguson on modern feminism, unhealthy masculinity and why she will be our last ever PM | Better than Yesterday with Osher Gunsberg
What would you have liked to accomplish by 25? Was being the co-founder and CEO of an independent Australian news commentary platform providing informed, progressive opinions on subjects that sit at the intersection of feminist, social and political issues on your list? What about having completed a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Master of Publishing, Editing and Writing? Today I am joined by Hannah Ferguson who is the co-founder and CEO of Cheek Media Co. Hannah has written and released her first novel; Bite Back. A ground-breaking debut that launches in and tackles many of the thorniest social and political issues facing young women in Australia today. With her book Bite Back, Hannah leads the charge on the discourse we’ve been missing, from how to have hard conversations with loved ones, to the realities of reforming a criminal justice system that isn’t fit for purpose and the future of the #MeToo movement. Hannah and I have an in depth discussion where we talk about the importance of media and legal literacy, the value of critical thinking, and the use of fear as a commodity.
