By Sue Javes
Artificial insemination is unusual training for journalism but for Kate O'Toole it has been the pathway to her dream job in national current affairs. The 29-year-old presenter of Triple J's Hack studied animal husbandry at Sydney University, hoping to one day become a vet, but realised halfway through the course that she hated science.
"I almost switched to communications," she says, "but worried I'd find the course a wank so I decided to finish the science degree and pursue rural journalism."
After graduating, she offered herself up for work experience with the ABC's rural department. "The boss of rural said it would be at least six months before they advertised a position. Then he called back two days later and said, 'How soon can you be in Adelaide?' " That led to postings in Port Pirie, Mackay and Port Macquarie before moving back to Sydney to present Country Hour on the NSW regional network.
O'Toole says it was a shock to be offered the job on Hack when the original presenter, Steve Cannane, left to work on JTV three years ago. "I was nearly too chicken to apply and only did so at the urging of a couple of mates. You've got to understand Steve Cannane was my idol and Hack was my favourite show on radio, so the idea of working in that role was beyond anything I could comprehend."
Hack is a sort of AM or PM program for 18- to 25-year-olds. It mostly follows the daily news cycle but approaches each story in a way that will connect with a younger audience. The program has about 405,000 listeners, not counting the 64,600 internet downloads each month.
"It's not about dumbing it down for the kids," O'Toole says. "It's the only space where young people all over the country can see themselves and their demographic reflected and find a connection with issues and events happening nationally and around the world."
For instance, when this year's federal budget was unveiled, Hack homed in on changes to the youth allowance, with Julia Gillard in the studio fielding questions from concerned students. O'Toole remembers one girl saying to the deputy prime minister: "Is it that you don't know or don't care?"
"There's a dialogue in the media about the apathy of young people," O'Toole says. "It's crap. You should have seen the phones light up that day."
O'Toole deliberately keeps her presenting style much less formal than other current affairs shows. "I went to the 40th birthday celebration of PM last week and they were talking about the importance of authority. But it's different for young people. They can pick when you're talking shit. I'm not an authority on anything. I wouldn't want people to think of me as an authority figure on any subject except my capacity to gather the facts and tell people what I have discovered."
O'Toole says she is rarely shocked by what young people have to say and believes there is an honesty in the discussions on Hack that sets the program apart. But she has had some surprising moments. "One time, we were talking about secrets and this guy rang to say he was a lifesaver and that 10 years earlier he had deliberately let somebody drown. He knew the person and decided they weren't worth saving. I have to admit, I was pretty shocked by that."
Hack , Triple J, weekdays at 5.30pm.
© 2007 The Sydney Morning Herald
