Life Matters

Life Matters
Country of origin	Australia
Language(s)	English
Home station	Radio National, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Hosted by	Hilary Harper 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 February 2024^[update] the program is presented by Hilary Harper (Monday to Thursday) and Beverley Wang (Fridays). Covering a range of social and personal issues, it airs each weekday at 9 am, and is repeated at 7 pm.

History

Life Matters was created as "a program charting social change" by Doogue, then Radio National general manager Norman Swan and producer Joanne Upham in 2002. Doogue had been recruited to the ABC in 1991 to present Offspring, a predecessor program to Life Matters.^[1]

Presenters

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]

Format and description

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]

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

^ ^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.

External links

Official website

[SMH_-_11_July_2002_-_Doogue's_10_years_with_the_issues_that_matter-1] 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-2] "Geraldine Doogue - ABC Radio National". ABC Radio National. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 28 October 2013.

[SMH_-_13_August_2005_-_Hungry_for_breakfast-3] "Hungry for breakfast". The Sydney Morning Herald. 13 August 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2013.

[Richard_Aedy_-_ABC_Radio_National-4] "Richard Aedy - ABC Radio National". ABC Radio National. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 28 October 2013.

[The_Australian_-_15_November_2011-_Radio_National_announces_the_2012_schedule-5] Bodey, Michael. "Radio National announces the 2012 schedule". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 28 October 2013.

[Natasha_Mitchell_-_Natasha_Mitchell_-_ABC_Radio_National-6] "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-7] "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_2019-8] "ABC RN announces new shows and voices in 2019". ABC Radio National. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 4 December 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2019.

[9] "Life Matters - Programs". ABC Radio National. Retrieved 16 February 2021.

[10] 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.

[feb2024-11] "Life Matters with Hilary Harper and Beverley Wang". ABC listen. 18 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.

[12] "Beverley Wang". ABC Radio National. Retrieved 19 February 2024.

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