James Dibble
Encyclopedia
James Edward Dibble AM MBE (4 February 192313 December 2010) was an Australian television presenter, best known as the presenter of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
's (ABC) Sydney
news, reading the first news bulletin in 1956, and remaining with the ABC for 27 years up until his retirement in 1983.
he gained his first ABC job in radio doing voice-overs.
Dibble was best known as the senior newsreader for ABC-TV
, beginning with the first televised news bulletin on ABN-2
Sydney on 5 November 1956. He reported the biggest news stories of the period, including the Soviet intervention in the Hungarian Revolution (in his very first bulletin; the events in Hungary caused the scheduled commencement of the ABC-TV news service to be brought forward), the assassination of John F. Kennedy
(1963), the disappearance of Prime Minister
Harold Holt
(1967), the Apollo 11
Moon landing (1969), the destruction of Darwin
by Cyclone Tracy
(1974), and the dismissal of the Whitlam government (1975).
He appeared as himself in episodes of the ABC-TV comedy series Our Man In Canberra and Our Man In The Company episodes, narrated segments of the radiophonic works 'What's Rangoon To You Is Grafton To Me'(1978) and 'Hot Bananas', written by Russell Guy and originally broadcast on radio station 2JJ (Double Jay)
. Dibble also did voice-over work for many newsreel
s, documentaries and educational films.
Spanning almost 30 years, his career at the ABC ended with his retirement in 1983. His last broadcast was on 10 June of that year.
at St Brigid's Primary School and then De La Salle College
. He served in the Pacific with the Royal Australian Air Force
during World War II as a wireless telegraphist.
Dibble never married or had children, but was described as a family orientated man.
He served as a director and chairman of the Peer Support Foundation, a president of the Rotary Club of Warringah, and a member of Rotary International District 9680 Public Relations Committee.
(MBE) on 1 January 1972 for services to media, and a Member of the Order of Australia
on 26 January 1989 for community and media services. He was also awarded a Centenary Medal
in 2001.
He was the first winner of the Better Hearing Australia Clear Speech Award in 1967, for his clear diction
. He also received Clear Speech Awards in 1968 and 1981.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
's (ABC) Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
news, reading the first news bulletin in 1956, and remaining with the ABC for 27 years up until his retirement in 1983.
Career
Dibble joined the ABC after the end of World War II. He started as a clerk in the accounts department. His voice soon attracted attention, and in CanberraCanberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
he gained his first ABC job in radio doing voice-overs.
Dibble was best known as the senior newsreader for ABC-TV
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
, beginning with the first televised news bulletin on ABN-2
ABN (TV station)
ABN is the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's television station in Sydney, New South Wales. The station began broadcasting on November 5, 1956. Its original studios were located in Gore Hill and were in use up until March 2004, when they were co-located with ABC Radio, Radio Australia and...
Sydney on 5 November 1956. He reported the biggest news stories of the period, including the Soviet intervention in the Hungarian Revolution (in his very first bulletin; the events in Hungary caused the scheduled commencement of the ABC-TV news service to be brought forward), the assassination of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
(1963), the disappearance of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Harold Holt
Harold Holt
Harold Edward Holt, CH was an Australian politician and the 17th Prime Minister of Australia.His term as Prime Minister was brought to an early and dramatic end in December 1967 when he disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria, and was presumed drowned.Holt spent 32 years...
(1967), the Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
Moon landing (1969), the destruction of Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
by Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, 1974...
(1974), and the dismissal of the Whitlam government (1975).
He appeared as himself in episodes of the ABC-TV comedy series Our Man In Canberra and Our Man In The Company episodes, narrated segments of the radiophonic works 'What's Rangoon To You Is Grafton To Me'(1978) and 'Hot Bananas', written by Russell Guy and originally broadcast on radio station 2JJ (Double Jay)
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
. Dibble also did voice-over work for many newsreel
Newsreel
A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
s, documentaries and educational films.
Spanning almost 30 years, his career at the ABC ended with his retirement in 1983. His last broadcast was on 10 June of that year.
Personal life
Dibble was the son of Roland and Vera Dibble. He attended school in MarrickvilleMarrickville, New South Wales
Marrickville, a suburb of Sydney's Inner West is located 7 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district in the state of New South Wales, Australia and is the largest suburb in the Marrickville Council local government area...
at St Brigid's Primary School and then De La Salle College
De La Salle College
De La Salle College may refer to:* De La Salle College, Malvern in Malvern, Victoria, Australia* De La Salle College in Ashfield, New South Wales, Australia* De La Salle College Waterford in Waterford, County Waterford, Ireland...
. He served in the Pacific with the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
during World War II as a wireless telegraphist.
Dibble never married or had children, but was described as a family orientated man.
He served as a director and chairman of the Peer Support Foundation, a president of the Rotary Club of Warringah, and a member of Rotary International District 9680 Public Relations Committee.
Awards
Dibble was appointed a Member of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(MBE) on 1 January 1972 for services to media, and a Member of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
on 26 January 1989 for community and media services. He was also awarded a Centenary Medal
Centenary Medal
The Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
in 2001.
He was the first winner of the Better Hearing Australia Clear Speech Award in 1967, for his clear diction
Diction
Diction , in its original, primary meaning, refers to the writer's or the speaker's distinctive vocabulary choices and style of expression in a poem or story...
. He also received Clear Speech Awards in 1968 and 1981.