This Day Tonight
Encyclopedia
This Day Tonight was an Australian Broadcasting Corporation
(ABC) current affairs program of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
TDT was hosted for the first eight years by journalist Bill Peach. The original on-air team was Peach and reporters Peter Luck, Paul Murphy
, Brian Joyce and June Heffernan. Noted Australian journalist, author and filmmaker Tim Bowden
also worked on the show as a producer. Other producers included Stuart Littlemore
and John Crew
.
It was a training ground for a generation of leading Australian TV journalists, including Gerald Stone
(later the producer of the Australian 60 Minutes), Richard Carleton
, Caroline Jones
, Mike Willesee
, George Negus
, Mike Carlton
and Allan Hogan
.
TDT was renowned for its hard-hitting interviews, a craft brought to a high degree of perfection by Carlton and Negus; the program subjected Australian politicians to a novel degree of questioning and raised the hackles of politicians on both sides who were unused to being placed under such scrutiny. It also broke new ground with its famous “empty chair” tactic, naming politicians who had declined to appear on the show and showing the empty chair where an absent invitee was supposed to be seated.
However TDT sometimes took a more irreverent approach to stories. One notable example of its sometimes controversial editorial approach was a musical comedy sketch that satirised the actions of then-NSW Premier Robert Askin
, who was reported to have ordered his driver to “run over the bastards” when anti-war demonstrators threw themselves in the front the car in which he and visiting U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
were travelling.
TDT also ran annual April Fool’s Day stories, including the “Dial-O-Fish” (an electronic device attached to a fishing rod that could be set to catch any desired species), a story alleging that the Sydney Opera House
was sinking into the harbour, and a bogus report about the supposed abolition of the 24-hour clock and the introduction of a metric (or decimal) time system. Each of these reports generated considerable feedback with hundreds of viewers reportedly taken in by the hoaxes.
TDT won many awards during its run including Logie Award
s for “Best New Program” in 1967, “Most Outstanding Coverage of Political Affairs” in 1971 and “Outstanding Contribution to TV Journalism” in 1977.
The show was axed in 1978 but the format was revived in the mid 1980s by The 7.30 Report
, ABC-TV’s current program of this genre hosted by Kerry O’Brien which continues to the present. It screens Monday to Thursday, replaced on Fridays by the state-based Stateline.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
(ABC) current affairs program of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Overview
When TDT premiered in 1967 it was the first regular nightly current affairs program on Australian TV, and it extended ABC’s award-winning coverage of current affairs, which had begun in the early 1960s with its flagship weekly program Four Corners.TDT was hosted for the first eight years by journalist Bill Peach. The original on-air team was Peach and reporters Peter Luck, Paul Murphy
Paul Murphy
Paul Murphy may refer to:* Paul Murphy , Australian political journalist.* Paul Murphy , award-winning Australian cinematographer* Paul Murphy , American jazz drummer...
, Brian Joyce and June Heffernan. Noted Australian journalist, author and filmmaker Tim Bowden
Tim Bowden
Tim Bowden , is an author, radio and television broadcaster and producer, and oral historian. He was born in Hobart, Tasmania....
also worked on the show as a producer. Other producers included Stuart Littlemore
Stuart Littlemore
Stuart Littlemore QC is an Australian barrister and former journalist and television presenter. He is best known for his time as writer and host of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Media Watch program, which he presented from its inception in 1989 to 1997...
and John Crew
John Crew
John Crew was an English barrister and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1654.Crew was the second son of Ranulph Crewe and his wife Julia Clipsby. He matriculated from St John's College, Cambridge at Easter 1619 and was admitted at Lincoln's Inn on 28 October 1618...
.
It was a training ground for a generation of leading Australian TV journalists, including Gerald Stone
Gerald Stone
Gerald Louis Stone is an American-born Australian television and radio journalist, television executive and author.-Early years:Raised in Columbus, Ohio, Stone graduated in political science from Cornell University and in 1957 started work as a copy boy for the New York Times.In 1962 he emigrated...
(later the producer of the Australian 60 Minutes), Richard Carleton
Richard Carleton
Richard George Carleton was a multi-Logie Award winning Australian television journalist.-Education:Carleton was born in Bowral, New South Wales...
, Caroline Jones
Caroline Jones
Caroline Jones AO is a distinguished Australian television journalist and social commentator.She joined the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Canberra in 1963 and later became the first female reporter for This Day Tonight, and then the Four Corners presenter from 1973 to 1981...
, Mike Willesee
Mike Willesee
Michael Willesee is an Australian television presenter.Mike Willesee came to prominence in 1967 as a reporter for the ABC's new nightly current affairs program This Day Tonight , where his aggressive style quickly earned him a reputation as a fearless political interviewer.-Career:Willesee figured...
, George Negus
George Negus
George Edward Negus is an Australian author, journalist, and television presenter. He previously presented 6:30 with George Negus on Network Ten, until it was axed by the Network on 19 October 2011.-Education:...
, Mike Carlton
Mike Carlton
Mike Carlton is an Australian media commentator and broadcaster. He formerly co-hosted the daily breakfast program on Sydney radio station 2UE with Peter FitzSimons and later Sandy Aloisi. He is a columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald, having been sacked from the position on 29 August 2008, for...
and Allan Hogan
Allan Hogan
Allan Hogan is a veteran Australian journalist.Hogan studied commerce at the University of New South Wales and became interested in journalism when he got involved with the university paper...
.
TDT was renowned for its hard-hitting interviews, a craft brought to a high degree of perfection by Carlton and Negus; the program subjected Australian politicians to a novel degree of questioning and raised the hackles of politicians on both sides who were unused to being placed under such scrutiny. It also broke new ground with its famous “empty chair” tactic, naming politicians who had declined to appear on the show and showing the empty chair where an absent invitee was supposed to be seated.
However TDT sometimes took a more irreverent approach to stories. One notable example of its sometimes controversial editorial approach was a musical comedy sketch that satirised the actions of then-NSW Premier Robert Askin
Robert Askin
Sir Robert William Askin GCMG, was an Australian politician and the 32nd Premier of New South Wales from 1965 to 1975, the first representing the Liberal Party of Australia. He was born in 1907 as Robin William Askin, but always disliked his first name and changed it by deed poll in 1971...
, who was reported to have ordered his driver to “run over the bastards” when anti-war demonstrators threw themselves in the front the car in which he and visiting U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
were travelling.
TDT also ran annual April Fool’s Day stories, including the “Dial-O-Fish” (an electronic device attached to a fishing rod that could be set to catch any desired species), a story alleging that the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
was sinking into the harbour, and a bogus report about the supposed abolition of the 24-hour clock and the introduction of a metric (or decimal) time system. Each of these reports generated considerable feedback with hundreds of viewers reportedly taken in by the hoaxes.
TDT won many awards during its run including Logie Award
Logie Award
The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award, the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a...
s for “Best New Program” in 1967, “Most Outstanding Coverage of Political Affairs” in 1971 and “Outstanding Contribution to TV Journalism” in 1977.
The show was axed in 1978 but the format was revived in the mid 1980s by The 7.30 Report
The 7.30 Report
The 7.30 Report is an Australian nightly television current affairs program, that was shown on ABC1 and ABC News 24 at , Mondays–Thursdays...
, ABC-TV’s current program of this genre hosted by Kerry O’Brien which continues to the present. It screens Monday to Thursday, replaced on Fridays by the state-based Stateline.