Welcome to Quick Q – Monday Media’s weekly Q&A series dedicated to finding out more about the personalities that matter most in the Australian media landscape.

Every week, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age asks key figures across corporate media, business, sport, federal politics, radio, television and culture to answer a series of questions about their life, careers, hobbies and news habits.

This week’s questionnaire is with 2GB’s afternoons host, Deborah Knight.

How did you get your big break?
My first job was in the newsroom at regional radio station 2WG in Wagga Wagga, and it was the best way to learn, being thrown into the deep end reporting on everything from local council to local crime and community events. I wish there were more opportunities in regional media across the board for up-and-coming journalists.

What are daily news media habits?
I read the papers online and check social media before going to bed and send story suggestions to my radio team for what we could chase the following day. Every morning I do the same and I listen to a lot of radio and watch a lot of TV news. That’s what’s great about holidays - it’s a chance to switch off a bit and read and listen for fun instead of thinking about the next story. (Although my husband will attest that I don’t ever REALLY switch off.)

Which living person do you most admire? Dolly Parton. She is a living legend. She writes hit songs, hit musicals, funds charities like the Imagination Library giving children access to books, and she even pumped a million of her own dollars into creating the Moderna vaccine. I’d love to meet and interview her. If you’re reading this Dolly - you’re welcome any time on Afternoons with Deborah Knight...

Your guilty streaming pleasure?

I’ve been watching Season 2 of The Great on Stan. It’s clever, cheeky, and brilliant and with Aussies at the helm with the creator Tony McNamara and Belinda Bromilow in a starring role. As Molly would say - do yourself a favour...

Which phrase do you overuse?

“Stop doing that”. With 3 kids, there’s a lot of that on the home front.