July 2008 Woman in Media: Bettie Kemp

Bettie Kemp has
always had a flair for the media, and after years of mastering different skills
to survive in the competitive communications world, she is now making her mark
in the equally competitive world of sports media with outstanding work on Radiosondergrense (RSG) which was recently recognised,
when she walked away with a merit award at the SAB Sports Journalist of the
Year Awards.

Bettie joined
RSG, as a young girl, while still in school, and began acting in radio plays.
Over the years, she has also read news on radio and TV, written and produced
documentary programmes, and directed dramas. She currently also acts in the
daily radio soap Insimbi which has
been running for three years.

This
multitalented woman has a zest for life, and encourages women keen to break
into sports media to find a sport that inspires and fascinates you, and then
become passionate about it. Bettie’s transition from drama to sport came about
because of her family; her husband and son were sports fanatics, and she had to
find a way to survive in this sports mad household, so she joined in the fun.

Her ability
to move so gracefully from drama to sport and carve a niche in this exciting
world of sports media must be admired. It shows that you don’t have to change
who you are in order to fit in, especially in a male dominated environment like
sports media.

What we love
about Bettie is her soft, feminine approach to her work, yet her ability to produce
hard hitting work, that go on to touch so many people. She is currently working
on a new documentary on Paralympics star, double amputee Oscar Pistorius.

Bettie’s
favourite sports stars are "the ones who start out as underdogs and have to
fight their way to the top, amidst a myriad of obstacles, the ones who refuse
to give up, like Oscar".

One of the
sports broadcasters Bettie admires is the late rugby commentator Gerhard Viviers.
She was spellbound by him because "he transformed an ordinary ball game into a
Shakespearean drama of blood and tears". Bettie’s greatest ambition is to
continue to transfer people to another magical world through creative work

Introducing
July’s gsport Woman in Media; RSG’s Bettie Kemp!

Bettie, how did you feel when you were recently
recognised at the SAB Sports Journalist of the Year Awards?

I was so
pleased and proud! No casual, blasé ambling up to the podium for me. I could
hardly contain my joy – more for the programme’s sake than for my own, because this
award put the subject once again in the spotlight – in this case: the pain and
strain behind the fame of professional boxers, as portrayed by one of South
Africa’s most colourful boxing families: the Toweels 

Tell us about your role at RSG (Radiosondergrense) (100 – 104 FM) What does
your job entail?

As a
freelancer, I’ve had to master a number of jobs to survive in this competitive communication
world: From reading news on radio (and TV) to writing and producing documentary
programmes, directing dramas and acting in the daily radio soap "Insimbi"
(which has been running for three years)

What did you do before you joined RSG?

There was
never a "before RSG" time for me, as that was the place where it all started when
I was still a school kid and began acting in radio plays. Over the years I just
added other disciplines such as TV and theatre 

Where does your passion for sport come from?

I married a
sports fanatic who was an excellent sportsman himself. Our son inherited his
father’s sporting genes. He went on to study B.Sc. Sport Science at varsity. To
survive in this household I had to figure out how to combine my drama with
their sport interests – in the end it paid off well for me    

What is your favourite sport to report on and why?

Currently it
is athletics – I’m working on a new documentary on Paralympics star, double
amputee Oscar Pistorius

Who are your favorite sports stars?

I love the
ones who start out as underdogs and have to fight their way to the top, amidst
a myriad of obstacles, the ones who refuse to give up, like Oscar  

How do you keep fit?

Running
around, balancing a household and several jobs. I also try and find time for the
gym, long walks with my dog, cycling and jogging – especially in summer 

How can we further improve the state of women’s sport
in South Africa?

Making it
more attractive by giving it more recognition in print, radio and
television 

How have you dealt with challenges that have come
your way as a woman in sport?

I just worked
harder and longer hours, making it not so easy for the rest to catch up 

Which sportsperson would you most like to interview?

Tennis star
Serena Williams. What an incredible gentle, humble spirit and likeable person in
that super strong body  

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?

Certainly the
merit award at the SAB Sports Journalist of the Year, opening up new
opportunities

for me in the
creative world of sport/drama 

How are you expecting South Africa to fare at the Olympic
Games?

There may
just be a few pleasant surprises in store for us

What is the best advice you have received?

Stop
competing with others; rather strive to achieve your personal best, in whatever
you tackle.

gsport strives to celebrate femininity. How would you
define femininity and what role does it play in your life?

It is
beautifully expressed by current tennis stars Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic. You
can be competitive in the world of sport without compromising your
femininity. 

What is your advice to women who want to break into
sports media?

Find a sport
that inspires and fascinates you. Once you become passionate about it, you are
halfway there.  

Who are some of the sports broadcasters you admire?

The late
rugby commentator Gerhard Viviers. I was spellbound by him, not because I loved
rugby. On the contrary, but because he transformed an ordinary ball game into a
Shakespearean drama of blood and tears. The theatrical aspect of his broadcasts
was pure magic and stayed with me till this day.     

What inspires you?

Raw talent, determination
and being unstoppable – like tennis star Rafael Nadal.

Who are your role models?

Sport stars who
come out tops after years of sweating it out in anonymity in the not so
spectacular arenas. . . Just think of Ryk (Neethling). Suddenly we all want to
dive in        

What do you hope to be doing in 2010?

Soaking up
the atmosphere of a world sporting event, generating awe inspiring stories for
my scripts 

What is your greatest ambition?

To continue
to transfer people to another magical world through creative work