We’re excited to launch the next episode of our interview series at IRS+, dedicated to celebrating and amplifying the voices of talented women in our network.
In this series, we highlight the journeys, achievements, and perspectives of women in radio, with the goal of inspiring other women to explore careers in this dynamic industry and to champion greater gender diversity in media. The stories of these incredible women within the IRS+ network are not just inspiring – they’re essential to share.
In this latest episode, we had the pleasure of interviewing Victoria Martin, Radio Presenter, Radio Nova 100.
From hosting her first rock radio show in 2020 to becoming the first female presenter of the legendary Friday Night Rock Show on Radio Nova, Vikki talks about the moment she got bitten by the live radio bug and the pure joy she feels curating music for her listeners every Friday night. In this inspiring interview, Vikki reflects on the growing representation of women in radio, the impact of mentors, and why radio’s unique intimacy still matters in a digital world. Her message to aspiring women in the industry? “Do it now. Join us. We’re waiting for you.”
Listen to the full interview now or to read about Vikki’s journey below.
What inspired you to pursue a career in radio, and how did you get started in the industry?
My entry into the radio industry came back in 2020. I was offered an opportunity to host a rock radio show on an Internet radio station, and I can tell you that it really is true, that once you get bitten, by that live radio bug, I’m afraid there’s no going back for that. First time I did my live radio segment, that was it for me. I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to go back to “normality”. From there, I was offered a very unique opportunity to compete in the International Radio Star Search competition. I was honoured to finish in the top ten of that competition, which kind of only spurred me on then and gave me a few notions really. You know, that I could really do this.
So, I put my head down and I put together a demo and I was offered the opportunity to host on Dublin City FM. Being a musician and being Irish and given the opportunity to present a show which gave a platform to new emerging Irish artists, as well as established Irish acts, I absolutely loved hosting that, that was right up my alley. When things kind of came to a little bit of a standstill, I decided to study a Masters in Broadcast Production out in Dún Laoghaire and as advised by the course coordinators, they said send your demo to radio stations, which you really like.
So, anyway some time passed and you can imagine my astonishment when one day my phone rang and it was none other than Kevin Branigan on the other end. He hadn’t finished the sentence when I’d already agreed to the gig, and the rest, as they say, is history. And I’ve been with the Nova team ever since.
What has been the most rewarding experience in your radio career so far?
It would probably be the day that I was called into Radio Nova for a meeting with Kevin and Clint and I was sat down and they proceeded to tell me that they wanted to offer me the job of presenting the Friday Night Rock show. I’ll never forget that moment because it was something that I didn’t even dare to dream about. I mean, I’d listen to the Friday Night Rock Show for so many years. It’s an institution. There’s nothing like it on Irish radio and to hear the words coming out of somebody’s mouth that you now are becoming the host of that… It will stay with me forever.
It was also becoming the first female host of that show, which for me was very important as a woman in radio and in music. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel the pressure of that moment. There was a lot of doubts that ran through my mind. But the one thing that I held on to was that I absolutely loved this show and I wanted to take this show, make it my own, and keep it thriving for as long as humanly possible.
I’m a music lover and every single week, even when I’m exhausted from the week that I’ve had, when I walk into that studio at ten o’clock and I open that fader and I play those songs that I’ve curated throughout the week, for those listeners, it’s indescribable, the feeling that I get, and I think that’s really noticeable if you listen to me, the joy that I feel while presenting that three hours of radio.
What are your thoughts on the current representation of women in radio?
As a female who grew up in 1990s Ireland, I really do believe that Ireland as a whole has made an amazing transformation in the way that Irish women and girls and females are represented across the board. That being said though, I think we still have a long way to go before we can say that we fully reached the equal levels on both sides.
At the moment, I think there’s a lot more female voices in Irish radio than there has ever been, and I think that is crucially important. Especially for young women, little girls, the radio comes on and they hear a female voice coming back at them. Are we there yet? Probably not. But at the moment, I really see a change and it’s just fantastic. There are some absolute powerhouses in Irish radio at the moment.
And of course, a big shout out to my fellow Nova girls: Dee Woods and Emily Brew. They are just two of the phenomenal women that are working in this industry at the moment, and I think all we need to do is to keep adding to that.
In your view, what steps do you think could be taken to have female voice in media more equally represented?
I really do believe that the steps we can take towards representing more female voices in the media is acknowledging how important those voices actually are. As a young woman growing up in 90s Dublin and being an absolute fanatic for the radio, it was hard sometimes to find myself represented in some of the presenters, predominantly male voices.
Growing up, I have two presenters that to this day, I still love and who made huge impact on me. And that is Debbie Allen and Allison Curtis, who I always loved her exotic voice coming out of the radio, her female power. It was around the time of the Spice Girls. She was such girl power. And she stayed with me forever and made quite an impact on me.
So, I believe that the generations coming now also deserve that and they need that. You know the world is such a different place now that everybody needs a voice that they can relate to. I think that’s why it’s really important and why we should make steps to make sure that more female voices are given the opportunity to be heard on Irish radio.
What advice would you give to women aspiring to enter the radio industry?
My advice is simple. If you are thinking about going into radio, do it and do it now. Don’t wait. Don’t waste any time. Figure out a way to get your foot in the door and just go for it. It’s a really exciting time to be a woman in Irish radio at the moment. And there’s loads of us. And we’re multiplying. So, if you’re thinking about it, do it now. Join us and come and be part of the gang. We’re waiting for you.
What role do you believe radio plays in today’s media environment, especially with the rise of digital platforms and podcasts?
This question is actually really easy for me to answer, because for a long time before I sat behind the microphone, I was the person on the other side of the radio. I know how it feels. You’re feeling a certain way and the person on the radio, connects with you, either through music or a story that they’ve told.
For me, it’s that intimate personal experience that radio offers that it just simply cannot be rivalled by any other media. I mean, I love podcasts. I love TV film, but I genuinely believe that radio is just special, because it’s so personable and people turn into it for comfort all the time.
Especially in Ireland – we’re a nation of radio lovers and we proved that during the lockdown that when everything else was going wrong, we turned to radio in our droves for comfort. I don’t think that’s going to change anytime soon. I believe radio is unique. It can offer people something that other digital mediums, they just don’t.
Can you talk about any mentorship experiences you’ve had, either as a mentor or mentee, and how they’ve impacted your career?
Although I think I have learned a lot in the last four or five years, I don’t think I’m in a position to be a mentor just yet. But never say never. But when it comes to being a mentee, this question again is really easy for me to answer as part of the Radio Nova team, because we have somebody in Nova that I refer to as the man, the myth and the legend, and anybody that is familiar with Nova will know exactly who I’m talking about. He is somebody who is an absolute pro in giving encouragement, positive feedback. He never got frustrated with me. Every time I had a question, he answered it in full and he was always there when I needed some help. I’m talking about our very own Clint Drieberg, and he might be the most positive person I’ve ever met in my entire life. He just has a way about him. The advice and experience that he has given me in the last year or so, working at Nova is completely invaluable to me and I’m eternally grateful to him for that.
What projects are you currently excited about?
So, I’m really just excited about being a part of the Nova family at such an exciting time. We’re growing at such a rapid rate that I can hardly keep up sometimes. I mean, we are now the number one music station across the entire commuter belt. And that is astonishing.
But also, I’m just really excited to see what brand new elements I can bring as the first female presenter of the Friday Night Rock Show every single Friday from ten o’clock on Radio Nova. It’s a job that I am immensely proud of. And it is a job that I am honoured to hold. So, watch this space.
Victoria Martin, Radio Presenter, Radio Nova 100
