The Duchess of Sussex turned interviewer when she appeared at The 19th* Represents virtual summit on Friday. Meghan got to ask the questions as she interviewed the website's co-founder and CEO Emily Ramshaw about creating a transformative newsroom centered on gender equity.
When discussing with Emily the importance of a "women-focused news organisation", Meghan opened up about her own experience of hitting the headlines.
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WATCH: Meghan Markle opens up about her experience with the media
"I think what's so fascinating, at least from my standpoint and my personal experience the last couple of years, is the headline alone, the clickbait alone makes an imprint," the Duchess said in the pre-recorded interview.
"That is part of how we view the world and we interact with other people – there's so much toxicity out there. In what is being referred to, my husband and I talk about it often, that economy for attention. That is what is monetizable right now when you're looking at the digital space and media."
Meghan Markle interviewed the website's co-founder and CEO Emily Ramshaw
Meghan added: "You're just trying to grab someone's attention so you're going for something salacious versus something truthful. So I think once we can get back to a place where people are just telling the truth in their reporting, and telling it through a compassionate and empathetic lens, it's going to help bind people as a community."
Emily was previously editor-in-chief of The Texas Tribune, an award-winning nonpartisan digital news start-up, and serves on the board of the Pulitzer Prize. She co-founded The 19th with her Texas Tribune colleague, Amanda Zamora, in January 2020. Emily also studied at Northwestern University – the same college as Meghan.
Meghan Markle appeared on The 19th* Represents virtual summit
The Duchess spoke to Glamour last week ahead of the interview, saying: "The 19th*'s commitment to reporting and storytelling that lifts up those who are too often underrepresented in the media has never been more important.
"I'm looking forward to asking the co-founder what it means to build a media outlet with gender equity, diversity, and community at its core."
Meghan was among the high-profile guests to take part in The 19th* Represents' five-day summit. It also included appearances from Hillary Clinton, former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, and Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and founder of Pivotal Ventures.
Meghan Markle spoke of her own experience with the media
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It marked the Duchess' first appearance since the release of royal biography Finding Freedom earlier this week. The book, written by royal journalists Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, charts details about Prince Harry and Meghan's relationship, from their first date in 2016 up to the couple stepping back from royal life in March 2020.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes also confirmed that the Duke and Duchess had moved into their first family home with baby Archie in Santa Barbara in July, adding: "They have settled into the quiet privacy of their community since their arrival and hope that this will be respected for their neighbours, as well as for them as a family."
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