Life Matters
Life Matters is a magazine-style radio program that has been broadcast on Radio National by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 1992. The first presenter was Geraldine Doogue, and as of 20 January 2025 the program is presented Monday to Thursday by Tegan Taylor (replacing Hilary Harper) and by Beverley Wang on Fridays. Covering a range of social and personal issues, it airs each weekday at 9 a.m., and is repeated at 7 p.m.
| Country of origin | Australia |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Home station | Radio National, Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
| Hosted by | Tegan Taylor and Beverley Wang |
| Original release | 1992 |
| Website | www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/lifematters |
Life Matters is a magazine-style radio program that has been broadcast on Radio National by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 1992. The first presenter was Geraldine Doogue, and as of 20 January 2025[update] the program is presented Monday to Thursday by Tegan Taylor (replacing Hilary Harper) and by Beverley Wang on Fridays. Covering a range of social and personal issues, it airs each weekday at 9 a.m., and is repeated at 7 p.m.
History
[edit]Life Matters was devised in 1992 as "a program charting social change" by a trio consisting of Doogue (already an established and acclaimed broadcaster), Norman Swan (general manager of Radio National at the time), and producer Joanne Upham. Doogue had been recruited to Radio National in 1991 to present Offspring, a predecessor program to Life Matters, after losing her passion for hard news following her high-profile recruitment by the ABC to work in news and current affairs including the launch of The National, the networks' contentious and unsuccessful remoulding of their evening television news and current affairs hour[1]
Presenters
[edit]- Geraldine Doogue presented the program for eleven years from its inception.[2]
- Julie McCrossin presented the program from 2002 to 2005.[3]
- Richard Aedy presented the program from 2006 to 2011.[4][5]
- Natasha Mitchell presented the program from 2012 to 2016.[6]
- Amanda Smith presented the program from 2017 to 2018.[7]
- Hilary Harper and Michael Mackenzie presented the program from 2019[8][9] until Mackenzie's retirement in May 2022.[10]
- As of February 2024[update], Life Matters is presented by Hilary Harper from Monday to Thursday and Beverley Wang on Fridays.[11][12]
- As of 20 January 2025[update] Tegan Taylor replaces Hillary Harper in presenting the show Monday to Thursday, with Beverley Wang continuing in the Friday broadcast role.
Format and description
[edit]Life Matters covers a range of topics relating to personal relationships, health, financial and work issues, "and the world". It interviews experts and invites listeners to contribute by phoning in and sending text messages.[11] Throughout its history, the show has also had a rolling offering of special regular segments & feature series, with recent notable examples including Dated: Love Online After 50, Hillary Harper's very personal five-part investigation of later-life searching for romance and relationship in the online era of dating apps (following the breakdown of her 20-year marriage),[13][14] as well as Ask Aunty, the programme's final Friday segment which takes a lighthearted examination of sometimes quirky, sometimes awkward social and personal dilemmas and presents one such case to invited guests (usually a duo) to examine and advise on, with the guests being a mix of comics, humourists, writers and relationship experts.[15]
From its inception the program has been broadcast on weekdays from 9 am.[1] As of February 2024[update], it is repeated at 7pm, and past episodes are also available on the ABC Listen app.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Tarica, Elisabeth (11 July 2002). "Doogue's 10 years with the issues that matter". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ^ "Geraldine Doogue - ABC Radio National". ABC Radio National. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ^ "Hungry for breakfast". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 August 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ^ "Richard Aedy - ABC Radio National". ABC Radio National. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ^ Bodey, Michael. "Radio National announces the 2012 schedule". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ^ "Natasha Mitchell - ABC Radio National". ABC Radio National. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
- ^ "Changes at ABC radio: Margaret Throsby leaves daily radio, Chris Bath joins". Sydney Morning Herald. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
- ^ "ABC RN announces new shows and voices in 2019". ABC Radio National. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 December 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
- ^ "Life Matters - Programs". ABC Radio National. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
- ^ Mackenzie, Michael (5 May 2022). "Michael Mackenzie hangs up his mic, parents behaving badly on the sidelines at kids' sport and gift giving". ABC listen. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ a b c "Life Matters with Hilary Harper and Beverley Wang". ABC listen. 18 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
- ^ "Beverley Wang". ABC Radio National. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
- ^ Harper, Hilary. "Dated: Love Online After 50 | Life Matters with Tegan Taylor and Beverley Wang". ABC listen. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
- ^ Harper, Hilary (13 February 2024). "DATED 01 | Hearts on the line". ABC listen. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 1 February 2025.
Two years after the breakdown of her 20-year marriage, Hilary Harper feels like she might be ready to date again... Having never made contact with the world of dating apps and profiles, she feels overwhelmed wading into things again.
- ^ "Ask Aunty | Life Matters with Tegan Taylor and Beverley Wang". ABC listen. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2 February 2025.