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Legendary broadcaster dies at age 87

<p>Legendary broadcaster and journalist Colin Chapman has passed away at the age of 87. </p> <p>After years of suffering from poor health, Chapman - who was known for his work in the media and as an author - died over the weekend. </p> <p>Chapman’s career spanned three continents and saw him as a print reporter as well a TV presenter, working for <span id="U842243185388XfE">BBC TV</span>, as well as having stints at the <span id="U842243185388uG"><em>Sunday Times</em>, <em>Financial Times</em> </span>and <span id="U842243185388pRF"><em>Observer</em>.</span></p> <p>He said previously, “There will not be many journalists who have been both writers and executives in the print media, and also on-camera performers and senior managers in radio and television.”</p> <p>He also enjoyed stints at the <em>New York Times</em>, <em>Washington Post</em> and <em>ABC</em>, where he was a founding producer of the network’s <em>The World Today</em>.</p> <p>Most recently, Chapman was the editor-at-large for the <em>Australian Outlook</em>, where his work included columns on elections around the world this year.</p> <p>During his renowned career, Chapman was not only an expert political analyst but also a revered foreign correspondent, including covering terror attacks in Hong Kong in the 1960s and international conflicts in Africa and the Suez region.</p> <p>He spent three periods in Australia - the last in 2004 - and was granted citizenship.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p> <p> </p>

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How much sport will you be able to watch for free under proposed new Australian broadcast rules?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-fujak-290599">Hunter Fujak</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-rowe-16403">David Rowe</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a></em></p> <p>Watching sport on television and other screens is integral to the <a href="https://researchdirect.westernsydney.edu.au/islandora/object/uws%3A57259">cultural lives of many Australians</a>.</p> <p>This is why, in 1995, the anti-siphoning scheme was introduced to ensure sport “<a href="http://www.tandfebooks.com/isbn/9780203758397">events of national importance and cultural significance</a>” would not be captured exclusively by pay TV at the expense of free-to-air coverage.</p> <p>There have been enormous <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780429402265-5/television-tony-bennett-modesto-gayo-david-rowe-graeme-turner">changes in television</a> since and this analogue-era legislation is increasingly out of step with the modern digital media landscape.</p> <p>Critically, under current definitions, streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon fall outside a scheme restricting subscription broadcasters like Foxtel.</p> <p>The federal government <a href="https://anthonyalbanese.com.au/media-centre/labor-will-support-local-tv-free-sport-in-the-streaming-age">promised</a> before its election in 2022 to review the anti-siphoning scheme. Its subsequent <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/Bills_Search_Results/Result?bId=r7132">Communications Legislation Amendment (Prominence and Anti-siphoning) Bill 2023</a> is designed to close the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/streaming-platforms-will-soon-be-required-to-invest-more-in-australian-tv-and-films-which-could-be-good-news-for-our-screen-sector-198757">regulatory gap</a>” that has emerged within media law since Netflix’s launch in Australia in 2015.</p> <p>The Senate referred the bill to its Environment and Communications Legislation Committee. Its report has just been released and will help shape Australians’ access to sport media content.</p> <h2>The importance of prominence</h2> <p>“Prominence” refers to the discoverability of individual media applications, such as Netflix or 9Now, on the user homepage of smart televisions.</p> <p>The federal government is troubled by overseas services like YouTube and Amazon being immediately visible on smart televisions through commercial licensing agreements, effectively “burying” Australian free-to-air TV.</p> <p>Public service broadcaster SBS, for example, <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/anti-siphoning-prominence-laws-australia-free-to-air-tv-channels/87bc8ddd-4120-4542-864e-2c84a781411e">claimed</a> during Senate hearings that one television manufacturer demanded both a placement fee and a 15% share of revenue to feature on the television’s homepage.</p> <p>Prominence is crucial in sport because anti-siphoning legislation is based on the principle that, although in <a href="https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/finance/finance-news/2023/03/06/tv-habits-australia">general decline</a>, free-to-air TV is still the most effective, <a href="https://accan.org.au/files/Reports/ACCAN%20Research%20Snapshot%20How%20Australians%20Watch%20TV.pdf">low-cost, readily-accessed</a> vehicle for delivering premium sport to a majority of Australian households.</p> <h2>Anti-siphoning</h2> <p>While often criticised by <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/have-your-say/anti-siphoning-scheme-review">subscription media companies and many sports</a> as anti-competitive, anti-siphoning legislation is significantly responsible for the continued abundance of free major sport on our televisions.</p> <p>In a portent of the risks ahead, <a href="https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3807634/amazon-prime-video-secures-icc-broadcast-rights-in-australia-t20-odi-world-cup-world-test-championship-2024-27">International Cricket Council</a> World Cups will disappear from free-to-air television between 2024 and 2027, after the world governing body signed an exclusive four-year deal with streaming platform Amazon.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-boss-flies-to-us-for-talks-with-media-companies-20220425-p5ag16.html">AFL</a> also reportedly met Amazon in 2022 as part of its media rights negotiations.</p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/regardless-of-the-rules-sport-is-fleeing-free-tv-for-pay-and-it-might-be-an-avalanche-154640">Loopholes</a> in the scheme are also being increasingly exploited. This problem was exposed in 2018 when <a href="https://www.cricket.com.au/news/3296093/tvs-antisiphon-list-and-cricket-explained">Australian one-day international cricket matches</a> went behind a paywall, despite being listed as free-to-air events.</p> <p>As <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/streaming/nrl-calls-for-technologically-neutral-overhaul-to-sport-broadcasting/news-story/31fc06ab986e12c7e6f720df33d23ad1">Foxtel</a> told the Senate hearing, both Nine (Stan) and Ten (Paramount+) are now hybrid networks, able to move acquired sports from free-to-air broadcast to behind a streaming paywall.</p> <p>At present, free-to-air networks cannot be compelled to acquire the rights to any sport, broadcast them if they do, or refrain from on-selling them to a pay platform.</p> <h2>What are the implications for sport and other viewers?</h2> <p>The majority Senate report broadly supported the federal government’s existing <a href="https://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/rowland/media-release/exposure-draft-prominence-regulations-released">exposure draft</a>.</p> <p>Regarding prominence, this means free-to-air channel “tiles” will be highly visible when you turn on a new smart TV. A 12-month phased implementation of a prominence framework was recommended by the committee – and would only apply to new televisions.</p> <p>The committee also broadly accepted the draft bill’s anti-siphoning provisions, which will affect what and where sport is viewed by fans.</p> <p>First, the listed events will be expanded by 30% and incorporate more women’s and parasports. They include the AFLW and NRLW finals, NRLW State of Origin, and the Summer Paralympic Games.</p> <p>To provide counterbalancing benefits to subscription broadcasters, sport events not acquired by a free-to-air broadcaster will become more quickly available to subscription platforms (12 months before an event starts, rather than six months before). This provides subscription platforms with greater lead-in times to plan, organise and promote their content schedules.</p> <p>The most controversial recommendation related to the scope of anti-siphoning laws, affecting how Australian viewers can access sport in the medium term.</p> <p>It supported the government’s position, on grounds of excessive competitive advantage, that anti-siphoning should only apply to terrestrial broadcasting. This excludes digital rights for live streaming through broadcast video on demand apps such as 9Now, Seven+, iView and SBS On Demand.</p> <p>Commercial free-to-air broadcasters called this a “<a href="https://www.mediaweek.com.au/industry-reacts-to-prominence-and-anti-siphoning-findings/">nightmare scenario</a>”, as they <a href="https://www.freetv.com.au/access-to-local-tv-services-and-free-sport-under-threat-unless-laws-are-strengthened/">estimate</a> 50% of households will be watching TV online by 2027.</p> <p>For viewers without televisions connected to aerials, this could make major sport events on free-to-air TV unavailable. Although terrestrial TV is still the most <a href="https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/10.1386/jdmp_00098_1">universally available screen sport vehicle</a>, aerials are no longer routinely installed in new housing developments.</p> <p>Research by the <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/television-research">Australian Communications and Media Authority</a>, though, indicates that free-to-air network claims about disappearing TV aerials are somewhat exaggerated. Nonetheless, as modernisation was a central justification for the anti-siphoning reforms, the strategic compromise over broadcast video on demand apps will inevitably be scrutinised.</p> <p>Notably, in a dissenting minority report, the Greens were unhappy the bill did not go far enough in either prominence or anti-siphoning. They reserved their right to reject it unless suitably amended to guarantee global corporations could not capture Australian sports rights.</p> <h2>What happens next?</h2> <p>The amended bill must pass through Parliament to become law, and its final shape and the fate of any amendments are as yet unknown.</p> <p>While it is widely, though not universally, acknowledged action is needed to protect free screen sport viewing, intense disagreement remains among competing interest groups over what is to be done now and in the future.</p> <p>To safeguard their viewing interests, Australian sport fans will need to watch these formidably technical debates as closely as their favourite sport contests.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/226499/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hunter-fujak-290599">Hunter Fujak</a>, Senior Lecturer in Sport Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-rowe-16403">David Rowe</a>, Emeritus Professor of Cultural Research, Institute for Culture and Society, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/western-sydney-university-1092">Western Sydney University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-sport-will-you-be-able-to-watch-for-free-under-proposed-new-australian-broadcast-rules-226499">original article</a>.</em></p>

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Sports journalist dies during Australian Open broadcast

<p dir="ltr">Renowned sports journalist Mike Dickson has passed away while reporting on the Australian Open. </p> <p dir="ltr">The father-of-three was just 10 days away from celebrating his 60th birthday when he collapsed on Wednesday, with his heartbroken family confirming the news of his passing. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We are devastated to announce that our wonderful husband and Dad, Mike, has collapsed and died while in Melbourne for the Aus Open,” his wife Lucy wrote, also attributing the statement to their children Sam, Lucy and Joe.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For 38 years he lived his dream covering sport all over the world. He was a truly great man and we will miss him terribly.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Australian Open organisers said tournament officials were shocked by the news of the popular journalist.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We are shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Mike, our long-standing colleague and friend. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family," the organisation said on X.</p> <p dir="ltr">The UK Daily Mail reporter’s passing has led to scores of tributes including from tennis greats such as Tim Henman and the organisers of the US Open and Wimbledon.</p> <p dir="ltr">The organisers of Wimbledon said it was “deeply saddened” by Mr Dickson’s death. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Mike covered so many of our Championships during his remarkable career in journalism and brought so many stories to so many sports fans around the world.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The US Open said he was “one of the most well respected journalists in the industry,” while the World Tennis Association said Mr Dickson was a “highly respected figure on Tour among players, coaches, staff and everyone connected with tennis”.</p> <p dir="ltr">British tennis player Tim Henman held back tears on TV when discussing Mr Dickson, saying, “It’s incredibly sad that he passed away in Melbourne. He was a great friend of the tennis community”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p> </p>

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"It is hard to say": News anchor announces health news during broadcast

<p>A US news anchor has teared up during a live broadcast as she shared the news of her cancer diagnosis. </p> <p>Sara Sidner, a host of the CNN News Central program, announced with her loyal viewers that she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, and is currently undergoing radiation treatment. </p> <p>The 51-year-old news presenter shared she is in her second month of chemotherapy, as she is preparing to undergo a double mastectomy.</p> <p>At the end of the news broadcast, Sidner told viewers, "I don't smoke, I rarely drink, breast cancer does not run in my family. And yet here I am, with stage 3 breast cancer - it is hard to say out loud."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C12fWHxMqnY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C12fWHxMqnY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by CNN (@cnn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>She went on to say she was feeling positive about the future of her illness, saying stage 3 breast cancer "is not a death sentence anymore for most women."</p> <p>Sidner became emotional as she urged women to conduct self-exams and to not skip their routine mammograms. </p> <p>"Try to catch it, before I did. I have thanked cancer for choosing me," she said, as her voice broke.</p> <p>"I am learning that no matter what we go through in life, that I am still madly in love with this life and just being alive feels really different for me now... I don't stress about foolish little things."</p> <p>In October, Sidner traveled to Israel to cover the ongoing war with Hamas when she was told she would need to undergo a biopsy upon her return to the US. </p> <p>After her diagnosis was confirmed, she told <a href="https://people.com/sara-sidner-breast-cancer-diagnosis-exclusive-interview-8423441" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>People</em> magazine</a> that she has found strength in the devastating stories she was told by those facing the reality of war. </p> <p>"Seeing the kind of suffering going on, where I was and seeing people still live through the worst thing that has ever happened to them with grace and kindness, I was blown away by their resilience," Sidner told <em>People</em>.</p> <p>"In some weird way, it helped me with my own perspective on what I am going to be facing."</p> <p><em>Image credits: CNN</em></p>

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Huge broadcast blunder sees new footage of late Jock Zonfrillo mistakenly aired

<p>Footage from the delayed<em> Masterchef Australia</em> featuring late host Jock Zonfrillo was accidentally made available for streaming.</p> <p>Channel 10, the network behind the hit cooking competition series, had previously vowed to postpone the series in the wake of Zonfrillo’s death. In a statement shared on social media, they had written that they were “deeply shocked and saddened at the sudden loss”, and that “<em>MasterChef Australia</em> will not air” on its anticipated premiere week- nor any sooner than May 8.</p> <p>However, in a tragic broadcast blunder, 17 minutes of content made it online, showing Zonfrillo alongside his fellow judges - Melissa Leong and Andy Allen - as they welcomed special guest Jamie Oliver, and their contestants.</p> <p>Zonfrillo in particular had presented a former contestant - who had previously left the show in 2021 to prioritise his mental health - with an apron, before asking how he was doing. </p> <p>The clip was removed as fans and mourners drew attention to the mistake, but the damage had been done, and the upset was prevalent.</p> <p>As one insider told <em>The Daily Mail</em>, the future of the show was in the hands of the late chef’s wife, Lauren Fried, and family. </p> <p>“It will really come down to Jock’s family and what they feel he would have wanted,” they said, despite the network itself and the sponsors connected to the series reportedly believed to be onboard with proceeding with the new season. </p> <p>“Commercially, and in terms of timing, this is a disaster. It is simply diabolical,” the source continued. “But not even a major TV network would be ghoulish enough to put anything other than the wishes of Jock’s family first and foremost.”</p> <p>While the future of <em>Masterchef Australia</em> remains unknown, Zonfrillo’s co-hosts are taking the time to process their devastating loss, with both breaking their silence to share touching tributes to their friend on social media. </p> <p>“Four years ago, the three of us stood on a precipice and leapt together,” Melissa wrote, before describing the impact the late chef had had on her life, and how he was “always supposed to be the bulletproof one who outlived us all.”</p> <p>She went on to note everything she admired about him, from his kindness to his ability to carry “far more on your shoulders than most could ever know.” </p> <p>“This all feels too raw to process still, I suspect it will for some time,” she concluded. “Such is the impact of a life lived so large, with so much levity and entirely on your own terms.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CruwFWyLsPZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CruwFWyLsPZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Melissa Leong | FOODERATI (@fooderati)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Andy’s post began in a similar manner, with the chef opening up on how Zonfrillo had changed their lives, and how they never could have anticipated how close they would all grow. </p> <p>“You've become such an inspirational and important part of our lives. Sure, you've taught me so much about food, but it's the lessons I learnt about what it means to be a great father, husband and friend that I'll take away from our time together and will last forever,” he wrote, alongside a series of pictures and one video of his late friend. </p> <p>In a heartbreaking list, Andy outlined just a small fraction of the ways he’d miss Zonfrillo, wrapping things up when he declared “you really were the complete package mate and life will never be the same without you …</p> <p>“Give it up for Jock Zonfrillo.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrujL7AyMaF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrujL7AyMaF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Andy Allen (@andyallencooks)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Iconic artist and broadcast pioneer John Pickup passes away at 91

<p>John Pickup OAM passed away on Tuesday at home in Murwillumbah.</p> <p>The broadcast pioneer, who spent over 40 years working at the ABC, enjoyed a varied career across Australian TV and radio.</p> <p>As well as his broadcast work, John found success with the Brushmen of the Bush - a group consisting of five Broken Hill artists. They dedicated their time to depicting the outback and garnered international recognition during the '60s and '70s.</p> <p>The group - John Pickup, Erin Minchin, Pro Hart, Hugh Schulz, and Jack Absalom - came together when artist Erin Minchin needed help with a charity fundraising exhibition. They went on to showcase their work around the world, raising thousands for charity along the way.</p> <p>"They donated a lot of paintings to charities all over the country," fellow Broken Hill artist Howard Steer said of their generosity.</p> <p>Pro Hart’s wife, Raylee Hart, told the ABC that “there was a great sense of community” around them while reflecting on time spent with the Brushmen.</p> <p>John was the last surviving member of the Brushmen of the Bush after Jack Absalom’s death in March 2019.</p> <p>Despite John’s skill with a brush, it was not his painting that saw him awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2020, but instead his 57 years of service to broadcasting.</p> <p>Opening up to AnArt4Life about the honour, John said, “while I am extremely proud to receive an OAM, I was also honoured to receive numerous messages from people thanking me for training them in broadcasting as that training sent them on their present career path: to receive these messages of congratulations was very gratifying".</p> <p>John launched his media career in 1947, and moved to the ABC in 1950, where he remained for more than 40 years. He spent time in the sound effects department, as a manager, and as a broadcaster for the company.</p> <p>But his most unique role comes from his time with sound, when his right hand secured itself a place in the history books by becoming the first “animated object” ever seen on Australian TV in 1956.</p> <p>John was a floor manager at the time, tasked with opening a book set to feature in the broadcast’s opening shot.</p> <p>"I took my right hand up to makeup, had it satisfactorily made up," he told ABC Radio National's Late Night Live of the incident.</p> <p>“Come eight o'clock, I get the cue from the floor manager. I pick up the book, I open to the first page,” John went on, “it just so happens that … my right hand is the first animated object seen on national television."</p> <p>Raylee Hart, while speaking of John, noted that Pickup’s death marked the end of an era, but shared her hope for the future in knowing that “there’s always something else for another era.”</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

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Radio host dies in the middle of his live broadcast

<p>A local radio presenter has died in the middle of a live broadcast after suffering a heart attack. </p> <p>Tim Gough, a 55-year-old journalist from Suffolk in the UK, was the presenter of the daily breakfast show for GenX Radio Suffolk.</p> <p>An hour into the show, the music stopped playing halfway through, leaving audiences confused about the interference. </p> <p>The music resumed a few minutes later but Mr Gough, who had been speaking just moments earlier, did not return and later the station confirmed he had passed away.</p> <p>GenX Radio Suffolk posted on their social media accounts, "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to inform you, our dear friend and breakfast host Tim Gough passed away this morning whilst presenting his program."</p> <p>"Our love to his family, son, sister, brother and mum."</p> <p> </p> <p>"Tim was doing what he loved. He was 55 years old."</p> <p>The host, whose radio career dated back to 1986, had wished his listeners a good morning and gave weather updates across Suffolk, just minutes before Grey Day by Madness stopped abruptly.</p> <p>The father-of-one spoke his final words after playing Brown Sugar by the Rolling Stones, commenting that it was the birthday of bass guitarist Bill Wyman, a Suffolk resident.</p> <p>James Hazell, managing director of GenX Radio Suffolk, took over the broadcast to inform listeners of the situation. </p> <p>He said, "Despite the best efforts of the paramedics, who were on site very quickly, some 20, 25 minutes doing what they could to revive to - it was not to be."</p> <p>"I really have no words at this stage, he was 55-years-old, very healthy. Who knows why these things happened, but its happened."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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Reporter stops live broadcast to save drowning child

<p dir="ltr">A Channel 7 reporter has been hailed a hero after rescuing a child during his live broadcast.</p> <p dir="ltr">Paul Burt was in Surfers Paradise in Queensland when a 10-year-old boy behind him got caught in a rip.</p> <p dir="ltr">Burt immediately stopped his reporting and jumped into the water to help the child who was with his family of inexperienced swimmers from Pakistan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There was a 10-year-old boy ... that got dragged out into this fierce gutter, and of course into this rip,” Burt told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/gold-coast/gold-coast-reporter-stops-live-cross-to-save-drowning-boy-in-rough-surf-c-6693814" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a> after rescuing the boy. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Being of a light weight he managed to stay afloat and come in adjacent to the southern side of the gutter.</p> <p dir="ltr">“About four or five of us jumped in and basically pulled him back to the beach.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He explained that the boy had taken in a “fair bit of water in” and was treated by paramedics on scene.</p> <p dir="ltr">Burt took the opportunity to warn swimmers not to risk their lives because they may not get that lucky.</p> <p dir="ltr">Watch the incredible footage <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/gold-coast/gold-coast-reporter-stops-live-cross-to-save-drowning-boy-in-rough-surf-c-6693814" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 7News</em></p>

Caring

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Beloved broadcaster passes away suddenly

<p dir="ltr">New Zealand radio host Bruce Russell passed away suddenly on Sunday night, shortly before he was due to start his shift on-air for Newstalk ZB.</p> <p dir="ltr">The talk-radio network confirmed the news of Russell’s passing at the station’s office in central Auckland in a statement on Monday morning.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Bruce Russell, one of our long-time Newstalk ZB hosts, passed away unexpectedly but peacefully last night,” Newstalk ZB said in its <a href="https://twitter.com/timmie_bee/status/1518532862664114177" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Bruce was a wonderful team member and a talented host and newsreader who brought joy to our audiences for many years.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The conversations he had on-air brought him loyalty from listeners young and old both throughout the night and on his Saturday night show.</p> <p dir="ltr">“His inimitable personality in the newsroom and in the studio would always entertain his colleagues too.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-290d73e4-7fff-2ce2-ffc5-8a59933ac5cb"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Our thoughts are with Bruce’s family at this sad time.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Absolutely heart broken at the news of Bruce Russell's passing. He was an absolute genius, and one of the funniest people I've ever meet and worked with. He would let me sit in on his overnight show, while I was a journalist at NewstalkZB and I loved his humour and knowledge. <a href="https://t.co/L5nFohGVHM">pic.twitter.com/L5nFohGVHM</a></p> <p>— Chris Lynch (@chrislynchmedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/chrislynchmedia/status/1518364767777624064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Tim Dower, a long-time colleague of Mr Russell, described him as a “great mate” while announcing the news on-air on Monday, per the <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/long-time-newstalk-zb-host-bruce-russell-dies/7DGFTLOALT5XCKEAFQCHMXYIMA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know this news will be very upsetting for many of our listeners, especially those who have been loyal to Bruce over so many years and there are so many of you,” Mr Dower said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-63fa7cd9-7fff-4a85-3ce0-0125598941b3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“He brought a particularly sharp sense of humour to his work and to his workplace. He always wanted to give it the very best he could, he was an absolute professional. He loved his work, just loved it.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shocked and deeply sad about the news my dear friend, valued colleague and old-school broadcaster Bruce Russell died last night. So many memories, a wealth of information, and always quick to find wicked fun in everything. Sincere condolences to Lorna and Andrew. <a href="https://t.co/GUzbzQ78WZ">pic.twitter.com/GUzbzQ78WZ</a></p> <p>— Joe Gilfillan (@JoeGNZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeGNZ/status/1518332072405831680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The radio station also halted its usual programming and opened the lines for listeners to pay tribute to Mr Russell.</p> <p dir="ltr">Colleagues, both former and present, and fans have also taken to social media to share tributes to Mr Russell, who was in his early 70s when he died.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I am devastated,” sports broadcaster Miles Davis wrote. “Bruce was one of a kind and a colleague for over 20 years.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-cbec1e9e-7fff-634f-5663-05b87b9280d4"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Always made me laugh with his dry sense of humour and helped me a lot with his advice. I shall miss him as will his audience. My thoughts with family. Rest easy my old friend.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Many memories of Bruce Russell, but when I truly realised his greatness was a night in 2020: I was jolted awake by a big quake, so on went ZB. Caller after terrified caller, calmed by Bruce’s measured and empathetic way. Masterclass. There for all the lonely people. RIP you icon <a href="https://t.co/r4zILWUnIx">pic.twitter.com/r4zILWUnIx</a></p> <p>— Lorna Subritzky (@lornaexplorernz) <a href="https://twitter.com/lornaexplorernz/status/1518420204568518656?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Bruce Russell was the most uniquely hilarious, individual person I’ve ever known,” sports reported Guy Heveldt tweeted. “He would turn a dull day into the most enjoyable time with his quick wit and personality. </p> <p dir="ltr">“But also a very supportive man who backed me a lot.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-87a21e21-7fff-7aa0-4d84-6ce4111b33da"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Rest easy Bruce, you’ll never be forgotten.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Bruce Russell was the single most enigmatic, eccentric, hilarious, never boring colleague I’ve ever had. So sad to wake up to the news of his death. He brought so much joy &amp; companionship to his thousands of listeners. &amp; for his workmates, nobody livened up an office like Bruce. <a href="https://t.co/alz5GohUe4">pic.twitter.com/alz5GohUe4</a></p> <p>— Tim Roxborogh (@TimRoxborogh) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimRoxborogh/status/1518352426390396928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Newstalk ZB host Tim Beveridge said Mr Russell was the fabric of the station and estimated his colleague had more than 100,000 on-air conversations in his career.</p> <p dir="ltr">“His death has left a hole in many people’s lives, including his treasured listeners, for whom he was not just a talkback host, but also a friend, counsellor and companion,” Mr Beveridge <a href="https://twitter.com/timmie_bee/status/1518532862664114177" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Twitter.</p> <p dir="ltr">After starting out writing commercials, Mr Russell’s time as a broadcaster saw him work across the country “doing every shift under the sun” at community stations, according to his ZB bio.</p> <p dir="ltr">He is survived by his wife Lorna and son Andrew.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-1b582604-7fff-8e95-aba6-afe9e20aebe2"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

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BREAKING: Broadcaster Brian Henderson has died aged 89

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sydney broadcaster Brian Henderson has died aged 89 following his battle with cancer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The news was confirmed by Channel Nine, where Henderson hosted the Sydney 6.00pm weeknight news from 1957 until he retired in 2002.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Beginning his career in the late 1950s, Henderson holds the record for the longest-serving television news presenter, and hosted the music program </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bandstand</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> from 1958 to 1972.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nine’s Peter Overton said he had received a text from Henderson’s wife Mardi confirming that the legendary presenter had died at about 4.50am.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“She said that he was at peace when he passed away and he was surrounded, he had Mardi and beautiful daughters Jodie and Nicole,” Overton said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ve spoken to them this morning and they are naturally as a family just gathered and sitting and reflecting on this man who had, may I say, a wicked sense of humour and was so engaged in the news right up to his passing.”</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842862/henderson.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b1156a0680964343890ab9cf45c880ae" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Nine</span></em></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Today</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> host Karl Stefonavoic described Henderson as an “absolute legend”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A gentleman and a total professional who provided guidance for so many colleagues and generations who followed,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We loved him.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Peter Costello, Nine’s Chairman, also paid tribute to the presenter, noting his warmth, professionalism, and legacy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Brian Henderson was the best of the best, he was iconic. The ultimate professional and the trusted face of television news for generations of Australians,” Mr Costello said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Hendo was not just a much loved newsman, he also brought modern pop music to generations of Australian teenagers through his hosting role on </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bandstand</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He was trusted, he had a warmth that he brought into the living rooms of millions of Australians. He will be deeply missed but his giant legacy and contribution will live on in the DNA of Nine.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Henderson was known for his tag-line, used to sign off at the end of every newscast - either “... and that’s the way it is” or “the way it is”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He won two TV Week Gold Logies, the first in 1968 for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television while hosting </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bandstand</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and the second in 2013 when he was inducted in the TV Week Hall of Fame.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Henderson was also recognised for his contributions to TV news, entertainment and journalism in 2009 when he was made a Member of the Order of Australia.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2014 Henderson revealed he was battling throat cancer, followed by kidney cancer in 2020.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He is survived by wife Mardi, their two daughters Jody and Nicole, and two children from his first marriage.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Nine</span></em></p>

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Broadcaster apologises for offensive bungle

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Dutch public broadcaster has been forced to apologise for wrongly subtitling the German national anthem using Nazi-era lyrics while it was being played before the team’s Euro 2020 match against England.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NPO issued the apology on Twitter, with the account saying “the wrong verse was accidentally shown” and apologising to viewers who were offended by the error during the match on the morning of Wednesday, June 30 (AEST).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“During the live subtitling of the German national anthem at the European Championship match England-Germany, the wrong verse was displayed by mistake,” NPO said on Twitter.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This was a mistake by one of our subtitlers. We apologise to viewers who were disturbed by this.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The verse beginning with the words “Deutschland, Deutschland ueber alles” was removed in 1945 following the end of World War II due to its association with the Nazi regime.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The lyrics include the line “Germany, above all, above everything in the world” - which summed up Hitler’s desire to take over the world.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: NPO</span></em></p>

Mind

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Live broadcast debacle: News anchor hilariously interrupted by son

<p>A news anchor was met with the strange situation of shooing her son off of a live broadcast. </p> <p>American channel NBC’s very own national security and military correspondent Courtney Cube was busy with her intense report on the Syrian crisis when her son managed to stumble onto her set in front of cameras. </p> <p>At first, the journalist appeared flustered by the situation when she apologetically said: “Excuse me my kids are here, live television.”</p> <p>However she took the odd obstacle in her stride and continued on with her report despite her son pulling her hair to get her attention. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Sometimes unexpected breaking news happens while you're reporting breaking news. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MSNBCMoms?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MSNBCMoms</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/workingmoms?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#workingmoms</a> <a href="https://t.co/PGUrbtQtT6">pic.twitter.com/PGUrbtQtT6</a></p> — MSNBC (@MSNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1181934431696760832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>A producer at the Washington DV studios eventually cut to a mp of the Middle East so Kube had time to get her son off of the live set. </p> <p>When the camera came back on her, her young son was no longer there but it didn’t take away from the hilarity of the situation for viewers. </p> <p>“I love everything about this (well, except the news being reported),” former U.S. Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal said. </p> <p>Others praised MSNBC for allowing working mothers to bring their children to work. </p> <p>“MSNBC, thank you for highlighting this sweet moment and supporting your working moms,” one user wrote. </p> <p>A fellow journalist shared his own hilarious experience, adding “I completely understand you @cKubNBC.”</p> <p>Attached to the sympathetic tweet by Jacob Mycoff, a meteorologist for US based station<span> </span>WMassNews<span> </span>was an image of her daughter cheekily in the corner of one of his broadcasts. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">When you take your kids to work.... <a href="https://t.co/BtavdwMhmu">pic.twitter.com/BtavdwMhmu</a></p> — Jacob Wycoff (@4cast4you) <a href="https://twitter.com/4cast4you/status/1162912979773480962?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Kube has twin boys named Jake and Ryan, so it is not clear which one exactly was causing trouble for his working mummy however MSNBC didn’t seem to mind the funny moment. </p> <p>It’s not the first time a parent has been interrupted by their kid while talking on live TV.</p> <p>Professor Robert Kelly was famously disturbed by his children while he was speaking to the BBC in 2017.</p>

Family & Pets

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“We might be biased”: ABC chair Ita Buttrose admits broadcaster lacks diversity

<p>ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose has admitted that the accusations over the media outlet being biased may be accurate.</p> <p>Conservative voters have slammed the news organisation and its presenters of a left-wing bias and now the chair has said that those statements may have some merit, with a few reporters letting their own views cloud their judgement.</p> <p>Buttrose was appointed as chairwoman of the ABC in February after her predecessor Justin Milne resigned.</p> <p>“Sometimes I think we might be biased,” Buttrose told ABC Radio Melbourne on Wednesday. “Sometimes we could do with more diversity of views. I haven’t got a problem with anybody’s view, but I think we need to make sure ours is as diverse as we can make it.</p> <p>“People, without really knowing it, let a bias show through. I think we can all do that. But the way you deflect the critics that like to give us a tough time is by having a wider viewpoint.”</p> <p>Buttrose, who has previously been named Australian of the Year, was brought into the corporation during a time of turmoil as the ABC had freshly sacked managing director Michelle Guthrie.</p> <p>Ms Guthrie alleged she was pressured from those higher up to fire chief economics correspondent Emma Alberici and political editor Andrew Probyn for criticising the Liberal party.</p> <p>However, Mr Milne denied all accusations, saying the sacking of the two journalists had nothing to do with him.</p> <p>Buttrose informed ABC staff about job security, saying they have nothing to worry about despite an annual funding indexation freeze from July 2019, which will set them back $84 million over three years.</p> <p>According to the 77-year-old, there are currently no plans to shut down ABC radio and television branches.</p> <p>“There are many things that can be cut. There are many things that can be changed,” she said.</p> <p>The media mogul will sit down with Communications Minister Paul Fletcher next week to discuss funding and the future of the broadcaster.</p> <p>“It’s no good bleating and whimpering,” she said. “We’ve got to present a case as to why we need it, what it’s for, where it’ll take us, what our plans are for the future, what the digital impact will be on the way we do broadcasting.”</p> <p>According to the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), close to $340 million has been slashed from the ABC base funding since 2014.</p>

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Legendary sports broadcaster Darrell Eastlake dies after long battle with Alzheimer’s

<p>Iconic sports broadcaster Darrell Eastlake has died aged 75 after fighting a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease and emphysema.</p> <p>Eastlake, best known as the booming voice of State of Origin, passed away at a nursing home on the NSW Central Coast.</p> <p>His wife of 22 years Julie was by his side through it all, visiting him every day at his aged care facility.</p> <p>“I'm the only one who can still get a laugh out of him,” she said previously.</p> <p>“Sometimes he forgets who I am, like Christmas Day one year he actually told me 'thank you for coming to visit but you should be getting along to your family’.”</p> <p><img width="442" height="249" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/05/13/00/3419FF4200000578-3576172-image-a-5_1463094191481.jpg" alt="Darrell Eastlake, 73, with wife Julie. The couple had been married 22 years" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-6621b692ef126e98"/></p> <p>The rugby league and Commonwealth Games commentator’s death comes 13 years after he retired from his media career in 2005.</p> <p>Fellow broadcasting legend Ken Sutcliffe recalled working alongside the big personality.</p> <p>“Darrell used to get to a fever pitch from very early on in the game,” Sutcliffe told The Daily Telegraph in 2013.</p> <p>“He’d get so excited that David Hill, our executive producer, stood behind Darrell in the broadcast box at Lang Park with a rolled up Courier Mail.</p> <p> “He’d belt him over the head if he started getting too carried away but Darrell just kept on calling in his own unique style.</p> <p>“He had his own unique style. You heard his voice and you knew you were watching State of Origin.</p> <p>Eastlake loved all sport and also called surfing, 500cc Motorcycle World Championship, Formula One and weightlifting in a career that spanned four decades.</p>

Caring

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10 most-watched TV broadcasts in Australian history

<p>Television has come a long way since it was launched in Australia in 1956, evolving from black and white to colour, analogue to digital, standard definition to HD, 2D to 3D and internet-connected screens found in many homes around the world. And, in the past 60-odd years, Aussies have watched hundreds of thousands of hours of TV. But what are the most-watched televised events in our country’s history? Let’s find out.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales</strong> – In 1997, an estimated two billion people around the world – including millions of Australians – tuned in to farewell the People’s Princess after her shock death.</li> <li><strong>Wedding of Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady Diana Spencer</strong> – 16 years earlier, the world was transfixed by the “fairytale wedding” between Prince Charles and Princess Diana, watched by around 750 million globally.</li> <li><strong>2000 Summer Olympics closing ceremony</strong> – The 2000 Sydney Olympics are close to many Australians’ hearts – so much so that the closing ceremony was watched by a staggering 6,641,000 of us.</li> <li><strong>2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony</strong> – Likewise, the unforgettable opening ceremony had an audience of 6,518,000 in Australia alone.</li> <li><strong>Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton</strong> – Can you believe the royal wedding was six years ago? Watched by around 162 million people, including 5.7 million Australians.</li> <li><strong>1984 Summer Olympics opening ceremon</strong>y – Despite a rocky lead up to the games, the Los Angeles Olympics opening ceremony remains one of our most-watched broadcasts.</li> <li><em><strong>The World of The Seekers</strong></em> – The Ten Network aired this TV movie in 1968 when The Seekers were at the height of their popularity not only in Australia, but also the UK and USA.</li> <li><strong>Boxing: Lionel Rose vs. Alan Rudkin</strong> – In 1969, Australian audiences were glued to their screens as boxing legend Lionel Rose defended his world title – in fact, 72 per cent of households tuned in.</li> <li><em><strong>The Sound of Music</strong></em> – It hit cinemas in 1965, but it wasn’t until 12 years later that the wildly popular Julie Andrews musical film aired on Australian television – and we loved it.</li> <li><em><strong>Roots</strong></em> – This critically-acclaimed 1977 American miniseries starring LeVar Burton brought the bestselling novel of the same name featuring Kunta Kinte to the screen for the first time. It was remade last year, airing on SBS.</li> </ol> <p>Tell us in the comments below, how many of these televised events did you see live? What are your memories of watching the events?</p>

TV

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Veteran BBC broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan passes away, aged 77

<p>Terry Wogan, whose warm Irish brogue and sly, gentle humour made him a star of British television and radio for decades, has died. He was 77.</p> <p>His family said in a statement that Wogan died Sunday surrounded by his loved ones "after a short but brave battle with cancer".</p> <p>"Sir Terry Wogan died today after a short but brave battle with cancer. He passed away surrounded by his family. While we understand he will be missed by many, the family ask that their privacy is respected at this time."</p> <p>The disc jockey and presenter was a staple of British broadcasting, best known for his long-running BBC radio morning show Wake Up To Wogan, his annual hosting duties for Britain's coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest and his longstanding association with the Children in Need telethon.</p> <p>Born in Limerick, Ireland in 1938, Wogan began his broadcasting career on Irish network RTE before moving to the UK and the BBC, for whom he hosted quiz programmes, game shows and a 1980s television talk show.</p> <p>His strengths were a deep, buttery voice, dollops of Irish charm and a wry sense of humour. His Eurovision commentary affectionately mocked the kitsch pop music competition, at which Britain generally fared badly.</p> <p>He hosted Wake Up To Wogan between 1972 and 2009 – with a break from 1984 to 1993 – and made the show the most popular on British radio, with 8 million listeners. Wogan called his fans TOGS, for Terry's Old Geezers or Gals.</p> <p>Prime Minister David Cameron said: "Britain has lost a huge talent – someone millions came to feel was their own special friend."</p> <p>Former CNN talk-show host Piers Morgan tweeted that Wogan had been "one of the greatest broadcasters who ever lived".</p> <p>Fellow BBC broadcaster Jeremy Vine said someone once asked Wogan how many listeners he had.</p> <p>"Instead of answering 9 million, which would have been accurate, he said: 'Only one'. And it was this approach that made him one of the greatest broadcasters this country has ever seen. He only ever spoke to one person."</p> <p>Wogan, who had joint Irish and British citizenship, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.</p> <p>First appeared on <a href="http://www.Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Stuff.co.nz</strong></span></a>.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/02/cat-shows-dog-how-to-escape/"><strong>Hero cat shows anxious dog how to escape</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/01/petition-to-put-fred-hollows-on-5-dollar-note/"><strong>Petition to put Fred Hollows on $5 note gains support from high profile Aussies</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/news/news/2016/01/can-you-find-the-6-words-hidden-in-this-picture/"><strong>Can you find the 6 words hidden in this picture?</strong></a></em></span></p>

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