Power is never given, it is always taken.  It cannot be demanded. If you don't have the power to be heard, you won't be. 

"But the men have decided that I’ll be better off listening to Richard Poplak, who is journalist from whom we hear from everyday and Pravin Gordhan, who has been flavour of the month for months". - Probably because other people want to hear more from them, because what they say is interesting, relevent and useful.