Few women in Australian media – or, for that matter, the country’s public sphere as a whole – have exerted as much influence or blazed as many trails as Ita Buttrose AC, OBE.

Now, as she prepares to step down from her role as chair of the ABC, the 82-year-old publishing veteran joins Something To Talk About for a frank discussion about her final months at the ABC, which have been marked by controversy and scrutiny following the departure of fill-in radio presenter Antoinette Lattouf late last year.

Ita also responds to her critics, reveals whether she harbours any regrets when she takes stock of her career and shares her view on whether it is really possible to separate reporting from commentary in the era of social media and 24/7 opinion cycle. 

Ahead of International Women’s Day, Ita tells host Sarrah Le Marquand whether she ever suffers from the voice of self-doubt that haunts so many women, and if, after nearly six decades in the workplace, she still encounters the boys club. 

And, of course, after five years at the helm of the ABC, what will she do next?

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