Australian Media Hall of Fame launched

Keynote address to the gala inauguration dinner by investigative journalist Kate McClymont


VIEW THE FULL LIST OF HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES HERE

More than 50 late and living legends of journalism in New South Wales have been inducted into the Australian Media Hall of Fame, which celebrates how great journalism has enriched the history of the nation. 

The inductees – reporters, photographers, broadcasters, cartoonists, editors and publishers - were honoured at a gala dinner in Sydney on Friday 10 November inaugurating the national phase of the Hall of Fame project. 

They include trail-blazing women journalists Ita Buttrose and Anne Summers, star broadcasters Mike Willesee and John Laws, global investigative journalists Phillip Knightley and John Pilger and publishers Sir Frank and Kerry Packer.

The keynote address to the dinner was delivered by veteran Sydney Morning Herald investigative journalist Kate McClymont, who also was inducted for her outstanding contribution to Australian journalism. 

The Australian Media Hall of Fame is an initiative of the Melbourne Press Club aimed at celebrating through individual stories how journalism has benefitted the Australian public and shaped our history. 

Melbourne Press Club CEO Mark Baker said journalism had played a vital role in exposing corruption in all levels of government, business and other institutions for more than two centuries. 

“It is important the public understands this when the traditional business models of journalism are being challenged and people are being asked to pay for journalism in new ways,” Baker said.

“The Media Hall of Fame shows how great journalism matters and is worth paying for, indeed is vital for the continued health of our democracy.” 

The latest NSW inductees join 81 Victorians honoured between 2012 and 2014 and another 30 pioneers of NSW journalism – from first settlement to the 1930s – whose names were announced in June. Inductees from other states and territories around Australia will be announced at a dinner in Canberra late next year. 

The judges for the NSW selections were former Fairfax editor Michael Smith (chair), media commentator Mark Day, media historian Professor Bridget Griffen-Foley of Macquarie University and Guardian Australia photographer Mike Bowers.


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