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The passing of Lady Sheila Cruthers

Posted by ken On January - 7 - 2012


The passing of Lady Sheila Cruthers

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Lady Sheila with Sir James Cruthers and part of the Cruthers Collection of Women’s Art
Kerry Edwards/The West Australian ©


With sadness we report that Lady Sheila Cruthers, a passionate art collector and wife of Sir James Cruthers, who established Channel Seven in Perth, died on Friday 30 December 2011, aged 86. She provided vital support to Sir James, who she met in 1945 just before he started work at The West Australian as a journalist at the Perth Daily News, after his war service in the RAAF.

Lady Cruthers, who was born in 1925 as the ninth child of Italian immigrants Giovanni and Camilla Della Vedova, was the dux of her primary school and later worked as a secretary.

Lady Sheila was especially interested in twentieth-century art by Australian women, and in 1974 began collecting canvases by Australian women artists from the 1890s to the present. The collection, valued at between $4 million and $5 million, comprised more than 400 works by 155 Australian female artists including major works by leading artists such as Grace Cossington Smith, Margaret Preston, Joy Hester, Grace Crowley and Clarice Beckett. Contemporary artists featured include Rosalie Gascoigne, Susan Norrie, Narelle Jubelin, Tracey Moffatt and Julie Dowling.

Their son John said the apartment in New York had been a home away from home for many struggling artists.

“There were a lot of people who, when they got to New York their first port of call was Sheila Cruthers because she would show you around and give you a bed if you were hard up,” he said. “She often provided frequent flyer miles for artists to fly home for Christmas.” She started a group called Aust Art to raise money to buy Australian works to give to American museums.

“They were called ‘Sheila’s sheilas’,” Mr Cruthers said.

The Cruthers Collection of Women’s Art was donated to the University of WA in 2007. This was gifted to the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery by Sir James and Lady Sheila Cruthers. The gallery is located on the UWA campus.

On this occasion, Sir James made a toast: ‘Good on ya, Sheila’, as Sir James spoke about this amazing collection which began in 1974 when “Sheila saw The Girl in the Corner by Joy Hester and just had to have it”. According to Sir James “the collection just went on and on and on”.

Son John, said his family wanted to ensure the collection would be housed and cared for correctly.

The University of Western Australia’s Vice-Chancellor said the University was delighted the Cruthers family had chosen the UWA as a permanent home for their collection. It will allow the collection to remain intact and accessible to the public and will assist the University in its goal of achieving international excellence in the arts.”

The Cruthers family had a strong connection with UWA over several decades – not only with Sir James and Lady Cruthers, but also their son John and daughter Sue who studied at UWA.

Both Lady Sheila and her husband Sir James supported the National Gallery of Australia and the US National Portrait Gallery.

The Cruthers family have established the Cruthers Art Foundation to maintain the collection, purchase new works and support women’s art through scholarships, with The Cruthers Collection of Women’s Art at The University of Western Australia, being her enduring legacy.


VALE LADY SHEILA

I have been working on Sir James’s biography for over 2 years now with the original help of John and Sue Cruthers in establishing Sir James’s archive at the State Library of Western Australia and the Battye Library. Sir James left a treasure-mine of information about his life and his work as a strategic media manager here and overseas. Indeed, Sir James wrote major, book equivalent, stories on key aspects of his career, from setting up newspapers, creating and managing TVW7 and of course his work with Rupert Murdoch establishing Sky. Not least there are many famous controversies and characters in this personal history. I have spending much of my time typing up as part of Sir James’s biography and history of media in Western Australia these stories. What has emerged is the close relationship of Sir James and his wife Lady Sheila, both as a couple and as joint-sounding boards. Both also had a passionate interest in giving back to society and a philanthropy that has directly benefited Western Australia.

A humorous anecdote will give readers a sense of the sounding-board relationship between Sir James and Lady Sheila. Sir James knew that an ill wind blew was blowing his way in 1989 and that he was no longer part of Rupert Murdoch’s inner decision-making circle. This was picked up by both Sir James and Lady Sheila, adept at reading who was invited to what by who, from formal meetings through to dinners. Sir James and Lady Sheila decided to pull the plug before they had it pulled on them. Lady Sheila sent to Sir James a copy of his horoscope for the day he resigned from the Sky work with Murdoch – 15 February 1989. It read:

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23 – Dec 21) You are about to make a big departure from something you have become familiar with, or else it is about to make a big departure from you. This could be one of the best changes in your life, or one of the worst. It depends how sensible you are. (News American Publishing Inc).

Sir James resigned only from the Sky work with Murdoch, not from Rupert altogether of course. However, Lady Sheila ‘read the wind’ perfectly. Lady Sheila, like Sir James, is one of the great West Australians and a team to be envied.

(Sir James accepted a position at News American Publishing Inc as personal advisor to Mr Rupert Murdoch in 1983, and worked with Mr Murdoch for seven years in New York, London and Los Angeles. He was also chairman of The Sunday Times, part of the Murdoch empire.)

Professor Mark Balnaves
Senior Research Fellow in New Media
Department of Internet Studies
Curtin University of Technology



Published in The West Australian on Tuesday January 3, 2012

Obituary

Lady Sheila CRUTHERS

CRUTHERS (Lady Sheila):
Daughter of Giovanni and Camilla Della Vedova, loving and devoted wife to Jim, mother of John and Sue, grandmother of Sam and Theodore. Passed away Friday 30 December 2011. A complex and driven woman, Sheila overcame difficult early years to create a loving family and a wide circle of friends. As the wife and life partner of Jim, one of Western Australia’s leading post war businessmen, she flourished in Perth and later New York. Her dedication to women artists created the Cruthers Collection of Women’s Art at The University of Western Australia, which is her enduring legacy. We will miss her unconditional love for her family, her quick wit and her tremendous life force.
Vale Sheila



Published in: The West Australian Wednesday, 4 January 2012

CRUTHERS (Lady Sheila):
In memory of a dear Aunt with whom I shared so much fun. Sympathy to Uncle Jim, John and Susan. A life lived to the full. Love Kaye.



Published in: The West Australian Thursday, 5 January 2012

CRUTHERS (Lady Sheila):
Loved sister of Wally (dec) and aunt to Rodney and Kathy.
Deepest sympathy to Uncle Jim, John and Sue.


CRUTHERS (Lady Sheila):
A sorely missed spirit in the Australian – and particularly West Australian – artworld. Amazing achievements and keen collecting skills, yet never too busy to allow proud access to the family home to share the fascination of some truly remarkable artworks. Thanks to you, and to Sir James, for such generosity.
~ Andrew Gaynor, Melbourne, Victoria



Published in: The West Australian Friday, 6 January 2012

CRUTHERS ( Lady Sheila):
Deepest sympathy to the family of Lady Sheila Cruthers. Lady Cruthers will be remembered as a generous dedicated member of our community. The Cruthers Collection of Women’s Art at UWA is her lasting legacy within the University that will inspire for generations.
The University of Western Australia



Published in: The West Australian Saturday, 7 January 2012

CRUTHERS (Lady Sheila):
Sincerest condolences to Jim, John and Susie on the passing of a very individual lady.
Russell, Annie and family.



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2011 Highlights and Retrospect

Posted by ken On December - 30 - 2011



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We present here some nostalgia and the mostly good news stories that have happened in Perth, Western Australia during 2011.

Though there were a few regrets with some much loved icons being demolished, there are also many new and exciting developments taking place in the new year.

This includes plans for the future with reports on the almost complete Perth Arena, Perth’s proposed new stadium, the lowering of the railway with a new centre for the city and the futuristic riverfront developments.

Perth is the most isolated city in the World, yet it is a modern metropolis with sunny environment that has been populated by people seeking a better life, and in most case have achieved this.

Though isolated, we do get many visitors which in 2011 included the Queen and the luxury liner Queen Elizabeth, the Dalai Lama, Cirque Du Soleil, Teen queen Miley Cyrus, young Canadian pop sensation Justin Bieber, Riverdance, and the musical Wicked. There was also everything from the Australia Day fireworks, ‘How Ridiculous’ amazing us with their sporting skills, a Royal BBQ and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Perth, as was the RAC Channel 7 Christmas Pageant, and Heath Ledger being honoured with the new State Theatre opening, plus much more.



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Artwork courtesy of Seven Perth
  • The City of Perth Australia Day Skyworks on Australia Day, 26 January 2011
  • Peek inside new skyscraper City Square which gets a tiara and will contain BHP offices whilst the former WAN building will now be a four level bar and restaurant
  • The Perth Entertainment Centre making way for the Perth City Link project



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Artwork courtesy of Seven Perth
  • Proposal to build a multi-billion-dollar theme park in Perth
  • Perth’s new airport one billion dollar overhaul starts soon and will take ten years
  • Perth Arena showdown as situation heads to court where BGC could face fines
  • The Burswood stadium is now official with 2018 as the estimated finish time and may cost at least $700 million but we’ll lose a golf course



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Artwork courtesy of Seven Perth
  • Perth foreshore future with work to start early in the new year
  • Riverdance returned to Perth after 14 years
  • Cirque Du Soleil also returned to Perth



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Artwork courtesy of Seven Perth
  • Wicked the musical arrived in town, though star Burt Newton was admitted to hospital with viral pneumonia
  • Perth’s Oscar winner Shaun Tan celebrated after winning the Academy Award for best animated short
  • Teen queen Miley Cyrus ended her Australian concert tour at the Burswood Dome
  • The Dalai Lama also appeared at the Burswood Dome, where his Perth tour was sold out



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Artwork courtesy of Seven Perth
  • The ‘How Ridiculous’ team continued to exhibit their extraordinary sporting skills
  • Canadian pop idol Justin Bieber performed at the Burswood Dome
  • The 44th Channel 7 Telethon set a record of almost $13.5 million
  • The 85 year old Queen met with thousands of Western Australians for a BBQ on the Esplanade
  • More crowds attended the annual RAC Channel 7 Christmas Pageant



2011 Highlights and Retrospect

WA TV History
Here’s the mostly good news stories that have happened in Perth, Western Australia during 2011.


Another year has expired as sadly have a number of fondly remembered friends and colleagues.



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Brian Williams (TVW and film producer/director), Vic Kitney (engineer), Peter Piccini (performer), David Dallimore (6IX announcer), Reg Whilteman (Fat Cat), Gillian Berry (writer/producer/director/actor), Vick Evans (STW publicity) and John Hewitt (ABC operations)


There have been many events, though most news reports concentrate on the tragic rather than the joyful.

So we take this opportunity to dwell on the good news which happened locally, that has been captured by the television news cameras, supplemented here by our own humble footage. Only a prominent news service has the resources to do it thoroughly, when it comes to traditionally being there, no matter where or at what time.

The intrepid news camera-persons and helicopter pilots often capture scenes that are a great challenge, taking many risks and sometimes with a fatal outcome. Meanwhile, journalists with tenacity tell the stories and enlightening us on many unfamiliar matters we otherwise have no knowledge of, or access to. Journalists aren’t necessarily educators, and sometimes they get the facts wrong, the more reason to celebrate the training institutions which impart the much valued reporting skills and encourage a high class of participant.



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Paul Lockyer, Gary Ticehurst and John Bean


Much of the content here is courtesy of Channel Seven with additional insight courtesy of the ABC, who provide a valued glimpse of life in the future with convergence of all media forms edging closer.



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Apple TV


Even with convergence and the greater availability of content from around the world, courtesy of the internet, local news reporting is likely to stay the domain of the local television stations for some time. Firstly, they have the resources and secondly they have the trained reporting staff and professional presenters. Things may change over time as citizen reporters with powerful smart-phones convey the latest happenings direct from the scene. Accuracy, balance and quality control may be sacrificed in the process, unless people become more news wary and sophisticated in its treatment. Twitter has been known to break news much before the conventional media, though ill informed comments can lead to considerable misinformation. Accurate reporting involves the participation of knowledgeable people who research the issues and check their facts, whilst avoiding defamation.



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Citizen Reporting of the Justin Bieber concert


Citizen reporting may better represent public opinion once the means of reporting reaches everyone, and the audience maintains a discerning approach to content, to filter out the ridiculous and identify the genuine article. There is a lot of rubbish disseminated via the internet, but there is no compulsion to consume it.

Fortunately the young grasp new concepts and embrace them quickly, leaving the aged journal writers such as us with a challenging task to keep up so that we may convey what it means to our readers. There’s hope for us oldies if we take notice of what interests our children and grandchildren, for thats where its all happening.

Those who lived through the introduction of radio and television are slowly fading away. Only a few centenarians remember the horse and cart era, the introduction of the automobile and the aeroplane. The older folk tend to reminisce about the old days and fondly wish to relive them. Each era has its good and bad points, such as mental arithmetic before the advent of calculators. Unfortunately corporal punishment was rife in the schools back then, so there’s always some good and some bad. Medical advances are most welcome, particularly if the aged benefit by enjoying increased health and mobility. But then a longer life brings to the surface other ailments, such as dementia, which is on the increase as people survive longer.

The clever scientists are seeking cures for everything, though it may be the young who will live long enough to benefit most from it. Sadly some of the more intelligent are choosing to delay childbirth or even forgo it. Does this mean theres a risk the population may be dumbed down if the less educated and the socio-economically disadvantaged are the ones who breed like rabbits? More reason then for keeping the mentally agile elders as mentors, rather than being tossed on the scrap heap.

We need a discerning audience otherwise the program fodder we are fed will continue to be aimed at the lowest common denominator, though the greater choices being offered through new media has the potential to change everything. But will it be for the better?



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Most of the news content provided here is courtesy of Channel Seven in Perth


Seven News Perth is broadcast live every night at 6pm, presented on weeknights by Rick Ardon and Susannah Carr with sport presented by Basil Zempilas and weather by Natalia Cooper. Weekend editions are presented regularly by Emmy Kubainski or Sally Bowrey with sport by former West Coast Eagles player Adrian Barich.

Seven Perth’s news director is Howard Gretton, and the reporting staff featured in our video include Geof Parry, Emmy Kubainski, Sally Bowrey, Reece Whitby, Blake Johnson, Ryan Daniels, Alexis Donkin, Kate Smithers and Chris Reason.



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The convergence report is courtesy of 7.30 ABC


Veterans appearing in our video include Sir James Cruthers, Gary Carvolth, Audrey Long, Richard Ashton, Gordon McColl, David Hawkes, Earl Reeve, Peter Harries, Murray Jennings, John Harper-Nelson, Michael Palmer, David Ellery, John Barnett, Peter Holland, Jenny Seaton, Pixi Hale, Coralie Condon, Russell Goodrick, Brian Williams and Reg Whiteman… representing staff from Seven, the ABC, Nine and TEN.







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Brian Williams (1st June, 1934 – 12th December, 2011)


Peter Goodall sadly advised that Brian Williams (1934-2011) passed away at 6:40am on Monday 12th December, 2011, at the Kalamunda Hospital palliative care unit, following an operation and therapy, after suffering a brain tumour as a secondary cancer.

Brian was convalescing at home before entering the Mount Hospital for three weeks following by the Kalamunda Hospice for one week.

Channel Seven folk will remember Brian as a producer and director of many early programs at TVW from 1959 to 1967 and then from 1978 to 1979. Whilst working for Seven he established the very first WA film agency in 1978 which was known as the WA Film Council (WAFC).



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Terry Spence, Earl Reeve, Peter Goodall, Peter Harries and Brian Williams plan for the 729 Television Reunion at the Italian Club in 2006


Brian will be fondly remembered for playing a vital role in the fledgling days of TVW Channel 7 in Perth, when with only 86 staff members it became the first television station in Western Australia. Few people on staff had the experience of the then 25 year old Brian, who was trained in television at Melbourne Technical College and the ABC TV Training School in Sydney, to become the youngest producer/director in Australia at that time. With the exception of Beverly Gledhill and John D. Brown, all other early directors were to learn the craft on the job.



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Brian Williams with Frankie Davidson and Max Bostock in 1960


Brian described the early production office accommodation:

“I recall, Jan Farr was LLoyd Lawson’s secretary from the outset. I have a strong feeling Marion Leyer joined TVW to be Max Bostocks’s P.A. a few months in, while down the corridor in Production sat Lloyd, Jan Farr, John D Brown, Jean Hunsley, Coralie Condon, Penny Hoes, Wendy Nevard and moi! At times it seemed a little crowded and later on the crowd split up.”

Brian directed such early series as ‘Tuesday Date’ and ‘Saturday Showtime’ before creating a number of memorable specials such as ‘Do You Remember’, ‘Songs of the Wars’, ‘Invitation to the Dance’, ‘The Nutcracker’, ‘Baptism of Fire’ and ‘Bradman’ to mention a few of the many shows Brian was responsible for.



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Brian Williams with Richard Ashton and Gordon McColl at the 2006 AMMPT exhibition at the Perth Town Hall


TVW veterans Richard Ashton and Gordon McColl have been reminiscing about Brian’s contribution to the early years at Seven in preparation for writing this tribute for the web site.

Richard pointed out how there was always pressure to use two rather than three cameras, whether that be to conserve finite camera tube time, or to operate with less staff. On one occasion Brian was so unimpressed by these constraints that he purposely planned a show such that it could be achieved with only one camera. This required remarkable ingenuity as not only were there space constraints with the original Studio 2 (until enlarged) but he managed to maintain continuity between different acts as sets were changed. Brian achieved this by stacking each set behind the other so that after the solitary camera had dollied in, layers of that set were peeled away to cunningly reveal the next scene behind without adversely impacting on the production.



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1960 Floor Plan prepared by Brian Williams for the tiny studio for the production that used only one camera


Gordon explained that no matter how serious a situation, Brian was always good humoured about it.

It was not uncommon for Brian to dress up the staging area or hallway so that it could create the appearance that the original studio was larger than it was. For example, the band was located outside, between the studio’s big doors so that more space was available for the entertainers, yet the band was still visible for the cameras.

On one occasion Brian located the band in a tent outside the building, to enable even more room. Unfortunately the heavens opened up and the tent proved not to be up to the task of holding back the downpour. On another occasion the band was located in the tiny Studio 3 News studio, but on that occasion the audio department experienced technical problems and communications were lost between the two studios, causing no end of confusion to both the band and performers.

It was considerable relief when Studio 2 was enlarged and then the much larger Studio 1 was commissioned in 1963.

Brian was also renowned for throwing great parties in Mount Lawley at a time when TVW was very much a family, with staff working and playing together.



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Brian directing a film sequence with Rolf Harris


Whilst sorting through Brian’s newspaper clippings and memorabilia before TVW’s 50th anniversary, Richard and Gordon were able to chat with Brian about the early days at Seven, and enjoyed a long lunch with him at the Rose and Crown in Guildford before he entered hospital for his operation. On that occasion he looked well and did not dwell on his health problems.

It was unfortunate that Brian’s followup treatment prevented him from participating in a gathering of TVW veterans dating back to the 1959 opening of the station.The party was organised by Coralie Condon and Audrey Barnaby, and Brian was keen to attend, as he had missed out on the 2009 reunion, but it was not to be.



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Brian chatting with Audrey Barnaby, Judy Lee and Carolyn Noble in 1960


We all have fond memories of him, his humour and wit… and his enormous contribution. All the big specials were produced and directed by Brian until Max Bostock directed The Good Oil. Max points out that it was Brian who first enticed him to WA, after working with him at the ABC in Melbourne.

Brian Williams not only directed a number of TVW’s early series and memorable specials, but also engaged in a wide variety of activities from live commercial presentations to outside broadcasts, in particular the pioneering cricket OB’s and blazed a trail with the early Tonight shows and Miss WA Quest, etc.



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Brian Williams in Studio 2 control room with Tim Ball coordinating the presentation for the marriage of Princess Margaret to Anthony Armstrong Jones in 1960


In 1960, there was ‘Tuesday Date’ and ‘Saturday Showtime’.

In 1961, ‘Do You Remember’, was a trip down Memory Lane of Perth in the 1920’s.



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Brian directing Lloyd Lawson and Coralie Condon from the studio floor


Brian was often director for Lloyd Lawson’s ‘Today’ show, which ran from 1961 to 1965 on TVW.



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Lloyd Lawson with Brian Williams


Brian pointed out that TVW’s first Outside Broadcast was in 1962 from Kings Park, with coverage of the ‘Head of the River’. “Unfortunately, the first hour of the programme was hampered by fog on the Swan River. The presenter, Syd Donovan, was sitting on the escarpment in Kings Park and couldn’t see the rowing activity in the early events. It must have been a world record for ad-libbing.”

This was also the year of the Perth Commonwealth Games.

In 1962, Brian William’s ‘Songs of the Wars’ was a cavalcade of songs and music sung and played by Australians in conflicts from the Boer War through World Wars I and II.

In 1963 TVW’s Studio One was first used for Brian’s ‘Invitation to the Dance’ and he also directed a version of Tchaikovsky’s ballet masterpiece, ‘The Nutcracker’.

Then there was Baptism of Fire in 1964, a one-hour documentary on the first-ever naval engagement of the Royal Australian Navy when HMAS Sydney did battle with the German raider “Emden” off the Cocos Islands.

In 1965, he was involved when Mavis Bramston came to town and appeared on ‘In Perth Tonight’, for which he was the first director. Also that year, Brian produced the first documentary on Sir Donald Bradman, titled ‘Bradman’.

In 1966, Brian directed ‘Seven is Seven’, a special program presented in Studio One to commemorate TVW’s 7th anniversary.

News cameraman and studio director Peter Goodall enjoyed a long friendship with Brian from the earliest days at Seven, often working together on many big projects. Peter explains that Brian went on to be the executive director of the Queensland Film Corporation, and at one stage headed the WA Film Council.

Peter pointed out that:

“The early days of TV in this state were great fun and he was so important to such a large number of people myself included.

In the 60’s we began shooting/producing TV commercials on weekends while at Seven.

This went on for a number of years until I joined with Brian when he set up Glenn Films in Camelia Street, North Perth, which several years later became Brian Williams Productions at 361 Hay Street, East Perth.”

Former ABC, 6IX and TVW veteran Ted Bull said:

“How sad, I voiced a lot of doccos and adds for him in the seventies when he had digs opposite the old 6PR. And ran into him a couple of years ago outside the new ABC offices.

He smiled a lot.”

Jan Williams believes that one of Brian’s most important achievements was lobbying the government for a state funded film body in WA. All the other states had such a body. As a result in 1978, the Western Australian Film Council (WAFC) was born, with Brian appointed to make it work. Jan Hamer was appointed as Secretary to the Board and Brian’s assistant.

Brian was the coordinator (a part time position as he was still working for TVW) whilst Jan ran the office. The Board was nominated by Brian and appointed by the government. Funding came from the Department of Industrial Development (not as expected, the Department for the Arts). The Premier was then Sir Charles Court.

Brian was then asked to go to Queensland in 1980 to be the executive director of the Queensland Film Corporation, following which Brian and Jan married in 1984.

On his return to Western Australia, he was asked to instigate a review of the local industry. As a result, the WA Film Council evolved into ScreenWest and has been running successfully since 1992.

Brian had retired himself until invited to do some guest lecturing at the WA School of Art and Design on Production Management. This soon developed into a full-time occupation and he was appointed as Programme Manager of Film and Television, Broadcast Presentation, Photography and Music – over three campuses. It took a couple of years for these courses to be revised and accredited nationally, but it paid off.


Full details of Brian’s extensive career can be found at: http://watvhistory.com/2009/03/brian-williams/



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Brian and Jan Williams at the 2006 reunion for Channels 7,2 & 9 staff organised by AMMPT


Daryl Binning reports that Brian Williams was founding member of the Australian Museum of Motion Picture and Television (AMMPT) representing the TV industry. Brian was also a trustee of the AMMPT ancillary gift fund that distributed money to various projects. Daryl too enjoyed his friendship and the valued input Brian provided to the association.

Pam Nielson (nee Leuba) – WA’s first woman TV newsreader expressed her sincere condolences:

“I hope he didn’t linger too long at the end – I have very happy memories of working with him in the 60s.”

Jocelyn Treasure, widow of former TVW co-founder Brian Treasure laments that it is:

So sad to hear of Brian’s passing. I have very fond memories of Brian and Maureen in the “golden years” when we were all in our twenties. He was handsome, suave and fun-loving, and always impressed me with his air of flair and sophistication.. He and Maureen gave very stylish parties with “grown up” food and drinks (like martinis). Brian was very confident of his talent and was never afraid to “push the buttons” of executives when he wanted to experiment with a creative innovation. I always secretly admired him for it.

Do such colourful people exist in the world of television today?”

Former TVW Sales Manager and Managing Director Greg Byrne expressed gratitude for Brian’s help during the very hectic period of live commercials when all manner of household appliances where shepherded into the tiny studio for a brief rehearsal before going live to air, followed almost immediately by another for a different client. Sometimes complicated by the fact that they were selling similar products and were continually trying to better each other.

“I liked Brian – he was always prepared to help me with those very demanding ‘live’ commercials prior to the advent of videotape.”

Stan Fildes, who was Sales Manager and General Manager of Sydney and Melbourne sales thought of Brian as:

“Quite the sophisticated and worldly guy—with a serenity that was rather more ABC than TVW! Brian was a good friend while I was in Perth.

In the early sixties, with local sales revenue still being difficult to come by (even with a brilliant team of sales guys like Greg Byrne, Harvey Bean et al—not to mention the world’s best salesman Brian Treasure), most of our time was taken-up with devising sales pitches to the locals. To demonstrate to the team (I was assistant sales manager to BST) that even the most unlikely prospects could be ‘sold,’

I approached my wife Lois’s Uncle Albert who ran a struggling radiator repair business in Fremantle. An unfriendly and suspicious Yorkshireman, Uncle Albert took some convincing (over several weeks in fact) that for the price of a 30-second commercial, TVW could indeed turn his ailing business into a thriving concern. Well, finally he relented, I got the money in cash—and then came the really hard part: how to put an effective live (no video tapes then) commercial about radiator repairs together! Well, the first step was to offer a free cup of tea in the canteen to my friend Brian Williams—and present him with the challenge of saving Uncle Albert’s radiator business. What ensued is now regarded by people who were there at the time, as both the longest (3.8 minutes) and most spectacular 30-second commercial produced (and ever likely to be produced) in the history of television.

To explain:

Brian gathered our best on and off-camera talent together (David Farr I recall, was the male lead) he then designed a set larger than anything that had ever been devised before—complete with a running stream, weeping willows, wild flowers, a boat (avec oars) and a leading lady (whose name escapes me) and appropriate English garden-type music, to complete this idyllic scene of David rowing his paramour to goodness-knows-where.. The voice-over content I can’t recall either, but suffice to say its relevance to the unfolding, quite lovely Barbara Cartland-ish scene delighting our viewers was at best tenuous!

(I have two footnotes:

  1. Uncle Albert’s few friends congratulated him on the commercial—but he got no new business, and
  2. the best salesmanship involved was after the event when I had to convince BST that even though we were in breach of Broadcasting standards by running an almost four minute commercial, the vision was such as to justify it being considered as Australian progam content if we were asked to explain… Now there’s ‘tenuous’ for you!)

Briefly this time, but also in a ‘selling’ context, I will never forget the ever-suave Brian Williams trying to convince both Brian Treasure and Frank Moss that the purchase of two very expensive bottles of French perfume listed on his (Melbourne visit) expenses claim and presented to two female (I feel sure) ABC-TV producers was justified on the basis of the need to establish ‘goodwill’ between our two stations.


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Brian Williams, Stan Fildes and Brian Treasure Entertaining and business always seemed to go hand in hand


Brian (Williams) lost the argument even after (or perhaps because of) courageously suggesting to BST that he BW, had heard that our (then) esteemed sales manager BST, sometimes bought a new shirt on his expenses!

(Another footnote: BST was even less impressed with the Accounts department guy who put-in a claim for the cost of Melbourne tram tickets—feeling that this kind of action could have ‘economic’ consequences for sales people in particular, when making interstate trips. The actual language used was rather more forceful, but the message was the same!)

Well there you have it. Sorry about the length of the first BW story—but the size of the ‘production’ kind of justified it!

I think everything that has been said about dear Brian W. has been spot-on. A cliché maybe, but he was the quintessential gentleman in every sense. His abilities in the business were many and of high quality always. Another cliché perhaps –but he will most definitely, be sorely missed by all who knew him.”

We’ll all remember him as he was… that wonderful mischievous smile and great sense of humour which endeared him to his workmates, encouraging them to do that little bit more every-time, as he was a joy to work with.



Brian’s funeral was a family only affair as per his request.



Published in The West Australian December 14, 2011


WILLIAMS (Brian Keith):
Beloved husband of Jan, loving father of Karen, stepfather of Alan, Ian and Dani, father-in-law of Michael, Elizabeth and Ian. Dear Beekers to Sophie, Isabelle, Emilie, Tanika and Cody. Passed away peacefully on 12th December. Forever in our hearts.


WILLIAMS (Brian Keith):
Dearest Brian, I treasure the time we had together and will hold you in my heart for the rest of my life. Au Revoir Mon Cher, Jan


WILLIAMS (Brian):
AMMPT members are saddened to learn of the passing of one of its foundation members and a pioneer of the local television industry.



Published in: The West Australian Thursday, 15 December 2011


WILLIAMS (Brian Keith):
Dearest FB, we will miss your wit and wisdom and we look forward to the day we again share stories, laughter and bubbles in the book shop on your cloud.
Love Karen and Michael.


Williams (Brian ): Thank you for being such a wonderful father to us and grandfather to our beautiful Emilie. You will always be our shining light and even if you are not by our sides anymore, you will forever be in our hearts. We love you Brian. Dani, Ian, Emilie and Shaka.


WILLIAMS (Brian K):
Great friend and mate of Wally and Kate, Peter and Gail. We “The Vicars” will miss him greatly. “Open one for us when you get there”. Love and much sympathy to his wife Jan, daughter Karen and their families.


WILLIAMS (Brian K):
Great mate and cohort for 50 years. Wonderful times remembered. The mischief and adventures we had will be no more.
“It’s a wrap, Beakers”. Peter and Gail Goodall will miss you.


WILLIAMS (Brian): Friend, colleague, inspiration. Will be sadly missed. Heartfelt condolences to Karen, Jan and families.
Brian, Chris, John, Penny.



Published in: The West Australian Friday, 16 December 2011


Williams (Brian ):
You’re now at peace Brian. We’re very saddened by your passing. You loved mum dearly. In loving memory, Ian, Liz, Sophie and Isabelle.


WILLIAMS (Brian):
Goodbye our wise and loving brother-in-law and uncle. So many great discussions and wonderful memories. Merredy, Ross, Michael and Bronwyn.


WILLIAMS (Brian):
Goodbye old friend.
Thanks for your help, particularly in the early years. Max Bostock.


WILLIAMS (Brian):
Heartfelt sympathy to Karen and Michael, Jan and family on the sad passing of Brian. Fondly remembered. Julie and John.



Published in: The West Australian Saturday, 17 December 2011


WILLIAMS (Brian):
Our love and sympathy to Jan, Karen, Michael and families. Your depth of life, wit and knowledge will be sadly missed.
Another hole in our wall of wonderful memories. Rob, Sue and the Thomas family.





Local program needs Vs Central Control

Posted by ken On December - 9 - 2011


Lamenting the loss of local Perth TV content and investigating modern means for re-cultivating it… regaining some semblance of local control.


If you want to know where the local bands are playing, the newest show in town and where’s the latest club or nightspot in Perth, then television is no longer the best place to look, unless people have discovered it on the Community TV channel, Community Radio Station, or newspaper? We were better informed when there was lots of local live shows on 7, 2 and 9. Not only that but Seven and Michael Edgley were cross promoting everything from the Great Moscow Circus, the Bolshoi Ballet to Disney On Parade. At His Majesty’s Theatre, in the big tent or at the Perth Entertainment Centre. Entertainers from far and wide were appearing on ‘In Perth Tonight’ and at popular nightclubs like La Tenda. ‘Club 7 Teen’ and Johnny Young had guest performers and promoted the local bands, which appeared at the Embassy, Canterbury Court or any number of popular venues. Seven and Nine conducted a number of talent quests from ‘Perth’s New Faces’, ‘The Entertainers’ to ‘Stars of the Future’ and ‘Young Entertainers’. Radio also did an excellent job promoting all manner of local attractions, often supported by competitions and other forms of public involvement.


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Channel Seven & Edgley Extravaganzas


Rather than reporting on the exciting aspects of nightlife and entertainment at Northbridge, Fremantle and all around town, now we’re more often likely to get TV news reports of antisocial behaviour. At least the local variety shows of yesteryear concentrated on what’s happening in Perth with an emphasis on the fun and good news stories. Visiting celebrities, interviews with colourful characters, local satire, comedy sketches with song and dance sequences. There isn’t the scope or opportunity to dwell on the local scene as there was, unless it can fit in with the nightly news spot.

Television decisions that were once made in Perth are now made in Sydney or Melbourne.

Reflecting over the past fifty years and more, one can easily experience a degree of melancholy for what we’ve had and what we’ve lost. When television station control was diversified there was scope for each state to experiment, innovate and target the specific needs and tastes of their communities. We were more parochial back then with the road east still full of potholes and covered in bull dust. Perth was more like a big country town than a capitol city of great consequence. Wanneroo Road was soon surrounded by bush once a vehicle had gone past Dog Swamp. Albany Highway was dotted with small settlements separated by farmland. Cannington, Kenwick, Maddington, Gosnells, Kelmscott and Armadale were distinct identities, not merged as part of the greater suburbia. One did not have to venture far out before encountering a sign preclaiming the end of the metroplitan area.



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Perth – 1940s, 1950s and 1960s


Phone numbers started with a letter, such as M19761, to later be replaced by a number as 619761. Then they added a 3 to the front and later added a 9.


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Old Australian bakelite phone with letters used in the prefix of the phone number


Kalamunda, Armadale, Wanneroo and other areas had county number plates, with Kalamunda being represented by a KM prefix, Armadale was AK and Wanneroo WN.


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Katanning Regional Number Plate


Perth was more isolated then, and by necessity more independent. It wasn’t practical for our milk to come from the eastern states and our perishables were grown locally. Our population was small enough to insulate us from the higher crime rates of the bigger cities, until Eric Edgar Cooke went on his rampage.

There were still quite a few cars with crank handles, vehicles we now consider vintage. Longstroke engines, wooden spoked wheels and canvas roofs were not uncommon. On top of that, the occasional baker and milkman still had a horse drawn conveyance, and the Dunny Cart man was gradually being replaced by the sewerage system, or at least septic tanks..



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Manual Petrol Bowser


Electric petrol bowsers were replacing the hand pump and the Narrows Bridge was opened in 1959, the same year that television started in Perth.



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1959


Radio no longer reigned supreme. Our world would never be the same again.

Fast forward to the 1980s, when ‘programmes’ became ‘programs’.

Rather than each television station becoming grander with their programming scope, the opposite happened as ownership fell into fewer and fewer hands. Some resented the way this was done, as a heavy hand was often observed sacrificing the less fortunate for increased profitability and the concentration of control, wealth and the means of production in a centralised location over east.

Both commercial stations and the ABC were affected by this increasing trend.

Staff in WA often referred to the ABC as the Sydney Broadcasting Corporation for the way they greedily wanted everything and took it.

No matter how flawed the decision, Sydney called the shots, there was very little autonomy left. Like the time Perth questioned the highly outrageous nature of a pedophile related national radio program which seemed to glorify the practice and was broadcast by order of Sydney, which then caused federal parliament to erupt and budget consequences the ABC suffered for decades thereafter. Unfortunately every other branch is affected when Sydney shoots itself in the foot.

One could be forgiven for thinking that head office perceived itself as having a monopoly on brains and that all other states should follow slavishly.

The head office culture still seems to be strong today as our article Reports on ABC Programs and Staff touches on.

Every so often the notion of WA secession pops up with grievances about Canberra’s interference. People are always questioning the quality of decisions made and how well represented we are by the parliamentarians. Old media is also considered part of the problem with its fascination with short sound bites rather than detailed analysis. This concern has been exacerbated by the ‘News of The World’ affair in Britain, where the media ethics are now under close examination. New media provides interactive avenues to vent one’s spleen and share views and dissent through social networking. People can also self publish on Blogs and upload their case as a video on YouTube. Email is also a powerful tool for circulating ideas. Anything that is a true revelation soon goes viral. Though most of the viral content consists of jokes, cartoons and funny pictures, often lampooning the politicians in Canberra.

The Internet inadvertently provides the tools to assist revolutions, such as that taking place in the middle east. Its one of the great forces changing the world and it has little respect for borders or dictators. It is gradually white anting a number of repressive regimes. The Internet revolution is subtle and can confound those who do not understand it. This is presently having an impact on the retail sector with consumers preferring to buy on-line, where they can find great bargains.

The Internet also has an impact on the broadcasting industry, where at first little notice was taken until the ABC began innovating with a variety of online services which compliment their traditional outlets. The ABC is not influenced by flagging newspaper circulations or a tendency for advertisers to shift their focus online. They can try new things without fighting a rear action, unless a powerful lobby group persuades the government that the ABC should be sold like Telstra, the Commonwealth Bank, Aussat, and Qantas or at worst disbanded. The Murdoch empire has often argued against the BBC and ABC as seen in their recent attempt to wedge the Australia Network away from the ABC.

The Australia Network is funded partially by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as well as some advertising. The channel is targeted at local audiences in 44 countries across parts of Asia, the Pacific and India.

All Australian television networks now have an online component, some more than others.

At the end of this article we’ll examine the ramifications the Internet is having on our present broadcasting model, and how the ordinary people can now participate more in the generation of content. They also have more control over what they see. Local content may not reappear as it was, but be reincarnated in a different form, more suited to the ever changing methods of program distribution.


Some Interesting Media Trends

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October 2011 research conducted by Ofcom – The independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries


The Perth radio listening public is unlikely to tolerate their breakfast announcers sitting in Sydney and presenting a largely eastern states orientated breakfast session, unless they were conditioned to it, as has happened with our local television audience.



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Perth Radio Breakfast Announcers in 2009


Gone are the popular Earlybirds with Trina Brown, Sandy Baker and all the other morning TV presenters who followed. Gone also are the local children’s programs, along with Fat Cat and his friends, other than saying goodnight at 7:30 pm. Or Flapper the Elephant for those who tuned to Channel 9. The same goes for the local woman sessions, the local evening and teenage variety shows that were highly popular in past decades… and a plethora of other local content on all stations.


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Earlybirds was a forerunner to breakfast television beginning on TVW and SAS before going national on Network 10


Local multi genre evening radio programs were also very popular on Perth ABC radio. More popular in fact than all the other states. Sydney and Melbourne ABC ratings paled in comparison to the keen bunch of presenters who broadcast from the Adelaide Terrace studios, each night from 7pm till midnight on 6WF. Each night was different and each night was special, as they catered for a specific audience without alienating the rest. Familiar voices who were intimate with not only their audience but also the content they presented.

How this came about is interesting as the very early ABC announcers were drawn from people with cultured British accents or a theatrical background. The selection criteria was very strict as recruits needs not only a trained voice, with good reading and breathing skills, but a good general knowledge of languages and current events. They needed to convey an authority as they announced programs and music whilst also able to tackle events such as the Anzac Day parade. There was even a requirement that announcers dress formally, even though their listening audience could not see them. This would eventually change as announcers were drawn increasingly from commercial Radio stations in later years, and a rebellion took place in music. Starting with Bing Crosby and later Frank Sinatra, as popular music started to overtake the classics on the airwaves. Further shattered by the arrival of Rock n Roll, though the ABC did things in moderation, always an alternate to the high sell commercials, who even adopted pseudo American accents at one point, emulating what rated best in the US.

ABC listeners in particular liked the friendly on-air manner, breezy presentation, robust humour and endless variety of jokes from John Juan (1901-1979) which endeared him to thousands of 6WF listeners for thirty-five years. His recognisable signature tunes were, There’ll be a Silver Lining, We’ll Meet Again and Up with the Curtain. His most popular programs were ‘The Breakfast Session’, ‘The Hospital Hour’ and ‘I’ll Pay That One’.

On John Juan’s retirement from the breakfast session in 1974, 6WF’s most popular spot was taken by David Hawkes, who increased the tempo with non stop music with the occasional news, clever quips and endless funny grabs from all manner of amusing moments to remark on what was happening at that time. David exhibited a manual dexterity that few could hope to match in effortlessly manipulating every conceivable device in the studio to orchestrate a bewildering source of music, humour and topical information, to entertain and amuse even those recovering from a hard night and a hangover. David had a particular dislike for lazy lyrics where singers substituted words for repetitive sounds, rather than some meaningful language, which seemed to be a popular fad at the time, and a trend that regularly gets resurrected.



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ABC Perth Announcers – photographed in the 1970s and 1980s


George Manning then took over from David to keep the session in the top ratings. The problem was that everytime an ABC announcer grabbed the top spot, the commercials would grab them. This happened with David, George, and Eoin Cameron, though they all returned to the fold after a period in the commercial wilderness.

The image of the ABC being full of stuffed shirts was not always an accurate one. Former state manager, the late Arthur Povah fondly referred to the family environment at 6WF in the 1930s, when staff numbers were small. There was always a degree of hi jinks taking place away from the microphone, and sometimes in front of it with pranks such as setting fire to news scripts midway through a bulletin. One radio newsreader managed to maintain his on-air decorum whilst being stripped naked by mischievous colleagues, as veteran announcers recall. Staff who worked for ABC radio in Perth have fond memories of the camaraderie that existed among the announcers, even at times when management seemed to be an obstacle.

Pride in their work and a high degree of professionalism was always exhibited on air, though sometimes the damnedest things would happen which would surely test the sanity of staff and be of wonderment to the audience.

On once occasion, Sydney decided to supply the two minutes of silence for Remembrance Day on a tape recording. The tape started with the Last Post, as a final farewell to symbolise that the duty of the dead is over and they can rest in peace, to be followed by two minutes of silence at “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” so that “in perfect stillness the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the Glorious Dead”. It is tradition to break the silence by playing Reveille, which symbolises an awakening in a better world for the dead, and also rouses the living back to duty, now their respects have been paid to the memory of their comrades. Unfortunately, the tape contained no Reveille, which meant the silence well exceeded the specified two minutes as studio staff went into panic mode. There was a furry of people rushing around on the public holiday trying to locate a recording of the piece. On this particular day the silence extended well beyond ten minutes before Reveille was played from a gramophone record, located after a long search, followed by a breathless announcer returning all stations to their normal programs.

The two minute silence was always a test of the system as the transmitters were programmed to play an apology and standby music should there be a prolonged break. Much like the time some bright spark in Sydney decided to produce a program of new music where one had to imagine the orchestra. The tape contained a variety of announcements giving credit to the creator of this masterpiece, which consisted of multiple segments of dead air. A program that lasted forty five minutes in total, punctuated equally by descriptions of what we should be imagining, then silence, followed each time by transmitter apologies with the same bit of standby music, which soon became painfully repetitious. That was the serious music world of 6WN, which occasionally inflicted some seriously odd things on the listener.

Meanwhile sanity was prevailing on 6WF, the popular music station. Except during those times when the audience was subjected to prolonged sessions of federal parliament.

During the evenings, Earl Reeve had a fondness for Country Music and conveyed that statewide to a captive audience. Earl would smile whilst pointing out that this was a fact, as many of his requests came from the incarcerated in Fremantle Prison.

Peter Harrison played jazz and spoke with an authority that only a former musician devoted to this esoteric genre could impart. Every recording was transported in for the evening from Peter’s home record library, with each cutting as pristine as the day they were pressed. A passion also shared by fellow announcer Ron Morey.

From the late 1960s through the 1970s announcers increasing moved from commercial Radio stations. People like Peter Holland, Peter Newman, George Manning, Murray Jennings, Don Gresham, David Ellery and David Hawkes. It was also a time when music tastes were changing with the “British invasion” of American music, Motown and Classic Rock: The Sounds of the 1960s. Soon to be followed by music with a message in the form of folk and beyond.

Though George Manning started off his radio career as a PMG technician in training, attached to the ABC, where he helped install the facilities back in 1959. To later fulfil an ambition of becoming an announcer in 1964, after getting his start behind the microphone at a regional commercial radio station.

George recalls that ABC announcing required a working knowledge of German, French and Italian. “I’m not sure to this day what that meant,” he confesses, before confiding that he picked up foreign pronunciation by listening to other people’s audition tapes as “a little trainee technician.”

Murray Jennings recalls that:

Peter Holland started the Rock nights, modestly at first, in the late 1960s, with ‘Looking Through a Glass Onion’ taking its title from a John Lennon song. That developed into the Monday Rock & Blues nights which he ran for some years, shedding the ‘Folk / Rock’ element in 1975, which prompted me to kick start the Folk nights.

I was moved to write a letter to ‘The Australian’, to correct their writer for claiming that Chris Winter pioneered Rock radio in Australia, on 2JJ. They published the letter.

After Peter Holland went to TV News full time, Dave Ellery took over Monday Nights for a time, then when he left to go commercial I volunteered for Mondays and did them for 4 years and loved it. Rock and Blues being other big interests of mine. But it also got me out of yet another supervision shift…gave me something meaty to chew on. I preferred that to ticking off reel-to-reel tapes on a clipboard and writing up Duty sheets, etc etc etc.

Another commercial radio recruit, Peter Newman started his radio career at 6GE Geraldton. After a stint at 6TZ Bunbury, he joined the 6PR Good Guys, Perth’s top radio station in the exciting days of early ‘Top Forty’ radio.

Then after brief sojourns at 6PM, 6KY and Channel Nine he embarked on a 17 year career at the ABC.

Peter Newman filled another niche by covering the sounds of the 1960s. Peter was not only a musicologist but a historian in his research and knowledge of the early days of rock and roll. Every golden oldie was treated as a revelation and accompanied by a back story that only the artist themselves would normally be privy to.

Michael Palmer provided an evening of familiar music from which expatriate Poms could gain nostalgic pleasure. A friendly voice to anyone far away from their homeland.



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John Harper-Nelson, Michael Palmer and David Hawkes in 2010


Murray Jennings catered not only for folk and bush bands but also to the Australian psyche. For the musicians servicing this need, were also catering to the basic Aussie mind, soul and spirit. The many talented locals who pursued this form of home grown entertainment.

Murray not only enabled the Western Australian public a chance to witness this alternative culture by offering opportunities for the music to be heard, but enthusiastically promoted the bands and venues where live performances could be experienced in the flesh.

The Sunday Times reported on this phenomenon in November 1985, after Murray had been servicing this area for the previous decade. Oddly enough, the article mentioned the ‘tiny’ studio from which this was being broadcast, whereas in fact, the studio was rather large by normal broadcast standards. Not only did it accommodate Murray and all the broadcasting paraphernalia down one end, with space also to interview a number of guests, but there was sufficient space down the other end to accommodate a band, or as in one case a band and a group of clodhopping dancers, in appropriate colourful attire.



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This proved most entertaining to the studio crew, as not only were they witness to the quirky performance, but also the visuals that the radio listeners were missing out on.

Murray Jennings picks up the story:

“Yes, that was one of my proudest moments, broadcasting live on radio, the Perth Morris Men, in their full dress gear, with their sticks and bells. The audience could ‘see’ the action as clearly as if they were in the studio with us. When I was at 6IX in 1967-69, a Macquarie Network slogan was ‘Radio is TV for people with imagination’.

We got great phone calls and letters after the Morris Men’s performance.

Not as easy to convey to a listening audience were Kel Watkins’s ‘String Stories’, told with commentary while he did amazing things with string figures. We enjoyed a few contemplative silences during that one. But it did inspire a lot of people to turn up at his Folk club gig the following weekend.

At that point, for the record, strong mention should be made of the Tech Ops who helped me set up the live broadcasts. I say ‘helped’, meaning that I couldn’t have operated without them. Especially as 95% of them obviously enjoyed getting really involved. This willing co-operation carried on into those last years in the late 1980s when I fronted ‘Country Calling’ for Producer, Jon Farkas.

As with such events as the W.A. Folk Festivals and some Folk concerts attended by ABC recording crews, these blokes (most listed below) went all out to help with live Country music events, such as the Langley Park set-up for the 1988 Bi-Centenary celebrations, the Corrigin Tractor Pull weekend, the Northam Country Music weekend, and our crazy spectacular in the ABC’s upper carpark, with the audience hanging out of the apartment windows next door, or on plastic chairs, displacing the cars, while the late Kevin Daly (comedy writer and performer) did his comedy routine and he and I tried to do a two-hander until the wind blew some pages of his script from his clipboard and when someone handed them back to him in the wrong order, I said it didn’t matter, nobody will notice (they were very Spike Milliganesque) and I was right.

Some Tech Op names (in no order of priority): Peter Burnett, Bruce Jones, the late Bob Weggelaar and John Hewitt, Edo Brands, Graham Boyd, Dave Carlisle, Craig Balmer, James O’Shea, Ken Brand, etc etc…

Regarding jazz, Harro and Ron Morey, etc… I’m happy to say that I was able to fill in for Harro when Ron was taken off air. Jazz has always been as big as ‘Folk’ related music to me, so I had a couple of very enjoyable stints, especially in the late 80s, not long before the Sydney Broadcasting Corporation shut us down.

Also, in the interests of accuracy, other announcers were skilled and interested enough to step into the shoes of specialist presenters when the latter went on annual leave, or were sick.

Tony Clough, Doug Foley, Robyn Johnston… all three of them filled in magnificently on Folk & Beyond, not just as a ‘holding operation’…they did their research and enjoyed it.

The multifaceted George Manning broadcast in many roles from newsreading, breakfast, stints on 6WN, occasion television appearances and many years as a regional program manager. George also energetically presented the golden oldies before the themed evenings came to an end.

Sadly these unique Western Australian shows were dropped by dictate of the ABC’s head office bosses, to be substituted by a less popular format that Sydney insisted upon, in the lead up to centralised program distribution, as happened with television.

The Aussat satellite was enabling the inexpensive distribution of programs across the continent, and new technology was enabling time zone delaying that was no longer labour intensive. This turned 6WN into Radio National, with the content being presented on the east coast. This also impacted on 6WF, now called 720, but not to the same extent as this network was wisely deemed ‘local radio’.

One of the casualties on 6WN was the bright and breezy breakfast session presented by Charles Southwood with producer Tony Howes. Prior to this show, 6WN listeners were subjected to a long session of depressing music more suited to increasing suicide statistics than waking people up in a happy and joyous frame of mind, for the entire session was devoted to funeral music and dirges of the most morbid nature. This was in stark contrast to the effervescent personality of Charles, who had to suppress his charm and wit, as anything approaching happiness was out of character with the archaic programming philosophy of that day.

At this time, Eoin Cameron was providing his own form of breakfast anarchy on 6WF, in the studio next door.

There were times when both 6WN and 6WF crews would enjoy a communal cuppa during a shared news bulletin in the Duty Supervisor’s office, where Eoin would share his latest politically incorrect humour with the teams to much mirth and merriment. The intellectually amusing Charles was a wonderful foil for Cameron during these off air moments, which invariably were more entertaining than anything being broadcast. It would brighten the whole day up for the lucky staff who got to enjoy these extraordinary happenings.

Unfortunately management was not amused when this frivolity extended on-air one morning when Eoin, who would occasionally monitor the solemn and depressing musical proceeding on 6WN, launched a mischievous attack on his friend and colleague in the neighbouring serious music studio. He caught Charles mid sentence, as he was pulled from his chair whilst Eoin commandeered the microphone, to subject his unique form of anarchy upon an audience not accustomed to such indiscretions and wanton informality.

Eoin was no doubt suitably chastised for this rebellion, which management really couldn’t do too much about as his refreshing style has taken 6WF to the top of the ratings. A role Eoin has continued to do for many decades, with a few breaks, much like the former vaudevillian John Juan had in an earlier era.

Eventually the 6WN breakfast was revamped with Charles at the helm, as a much more entertaining affair of bright music and happenings, until Radio National was launched on that frequency and Charles was seconded to the ABCFM network, which was based in Adelaide.

The popular 6WF evening themes, which were unique to WA, were to be lost over the course of many management changes and the eventual displacement of all the presenters who made that possible, during the halcyon days of ABC local radio broadcasting. For there was a movement away from entertainment as people with journalistic skills were preferred to those with trained voices. Talkback and chat programs took their place.


The solution is to grasp new technologies and opportunities that can provide a local voice

Much has changed over the decades as more listening choices become available. There was the movement away from the AM band to FM, the introduction of a myriad of narrowcast and community stations and the many new digital stations, not to mention the thousands of Internet based radio outlets. In addition there are the podcasts which have become increasing popular among the younger generations.

Video podcasts and internet only IPTV shows are also appearing, so once the new high speed National Broadband Network becomes established, even more opportunities will become available to broadcast content without need for a licence or the heavy handed approach of old media management. All manner of innovation will be possible and hopefully popular concepts which we experienced on ABC local radio in the 1970s and 1980s can once again flourish and provide an impetus to local talent and local interests, which were denied in the name of centralisation.



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Popular High Definition Podcasts freely available on iTunes


Not only home users seeking entertainment, but schools, colleges and universities have taken to podcasts as an easy means of distributing education worthy content aimed at children, young people, teachers and parents.



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Vast range of free Educational Podcasts available


There are literally thousands of podcasts available from a variety of sources. Some are audio podcasts in MP3 format, others are standard and high definition video podcasts of broadcast quality.

It is possible for the bastions of old media to consider podcast technology as being disruptive, as they do not adhere to the usual radio and television business model regarding established practices and preconceptions about audiences, consumption, production and distribution.

This is because no one person owns the technology; it is free to listen and create content, which departs from the traditional model, where instead producers are consumers and consumers become producers and can engage in conversations with each other via the Internet.

The iTunes Store puts thousands of free podcasts at your fingertips, using a simple to use interface. There are charts to indicate new releases and list them by popularity. A selected podcast can either be streamed or downloaded. It is also possible to subscribe so that no episodes are missed. iTunes also enables you to manage your podcasts so that items played can be identified compared to those yet unheard or viewed. You too can be a producer and participate.



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The ABC has a large range of free Podcasts on iTunes representing many shows


This concept gives the user full control over their content, so that it is available on demand, rather than the user be subject to the program choice of another.

iTunes then extends this concept to include television shows and movies, so that a similar degree of control is available. Though in this case the content is for hire or sale.

Another aspect of Podcasts and on-demand TV shows is that most free-to-air live programs go out at a specific time, and unless one is continuously recording them, the content will be missed. Whereas the downloads can be viewed whenever convenient and kept if there is something important on the show.

These concepts may be alien to the older generations, but are common knowledge and use by the younger generation.



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Example Australian TV Shows available on iTunes for rent or buy


This is why old media broadcasting is at risk in the long term unless it can reinvent itself. Content production and sales is another matter, as the public have an insatiable appetite for content in one form of the other. This also included the ever increasing sophistication of computer games which are appearing more as interactive movies where the player is one of the characters and the story has a large variety of outcomes. This means that the player does not tire after one session, as they can play endlessly until attracted by the next high technology game incarnation.



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Realistic computer games enable users to play in a high definition surround sound virtual world of make believe


Using the internet, we’re not forced to take content other than what we desire. Because the United States has pioneered much of this, they then were the first wave. Western Australians can also be part of this revolution, as we don’t have to wait for government approval, as the government is still scratching its head on how to control it. It just needs locals to take the reins in their hands to blaze a new trail, as our radio and television pioneers were doing decades ago.



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A very wide range of US TV shows are on iTunes for rent or buy



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Recent Movie Releases on iTunes for rent or buy


Learning techniques and the available multimedia rich tools make the old classroom blackboard obsolete, and with it the painstaking copying of mind numbing notes into an exercise book as archaic as the dead sea scrolls. Technology is changing at such a rapid rate that our future leaders will have to keep up. There’s little point teaching yesterdays techniques to tomorrows teenagers.

The WA colleges, academies and universities are training new batches of youngsters each year, though often they learn faster than the education system can cope. Particularly when it comes to computer skills. Some children are proficient navigating an iPad before they can even speak. Its an exciting new world, we just need to make sure that we give our youth all the opportunities they can get, to not only learn but also to put these newly acquired skills to good use… without being forced to go over east or over seas to achieve it.

The WA based people who are acquiring these skills need an outlet here to express them… otherwise the siphoning off to Sydney and Melbourne will be ongoing.

We often hear people complain how dull Perth is. Its possibly because of the endless brain and talent drain, as demonstrated by the many Western Australians who have excelled on leaving our State.

Hopefully resources can be directed at making this possible, otherwise our education services will continue to benefit the eastern states. Meanwhile, we should not forget the broadcasting veterans who can provide a mentoring role. The means of program delivery may change over time but the basic concepts of good program making do not.





Vic Kitney Tribute

Posted by ken On December - 1 - 2011


Vic Kitney Tribute

June Holmes sadly reported the passing of Vic Kitney, who for those working at STW9 in the 1960s, will remember as the station’s first Chief Engineer, from before the station was built and opened in 1965 until 1968.



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Cedric Woods with Vic Kitney at the TVW 50th anniversary in October 2009


Vic married Lorna Romey (1928-1998) on 1 April 1950 at St Peters, Ballarat, Victoria. There are three surviving children, Michael, Roger, and Karen from that union. In 1960, Vic married Evelyn McCullagh and have a son Philip.

Vic served in the RAAF with the Number 3 Telecommunications Unit and worked for 6AM in Northam before venturing into television with TVW7 in 1959, specialising at the transmitter. Many staff at the transmitter were passionate HAM radio operators, as was Vic, a keen radio innovator and amateur (VK6VK) playing around with double sideband, using the phasing method to suppress the carrier and pioneering the use of radio teletype (RTTY).



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Vic was associated with the above TVW-7 transmitter at Bickley (32°0′34″S 116°4′57″E) and the STW-9 transmitter at Walliston (31°59′57″S 116°4′15″E)


Vic then took on the responsibility of Chief Engineer at STW, from when the office was first located in Parliament Place, West Perth, before the studios were built.

Then in 1968, Vic spent 14 months at the Antarctic base of Mawson in the role of Senior Technical Officer for Communications and as an assistant to the doctor.



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The base was named after the geologist and explorer Sir Douglas Mawson (1882-1958)


Mawson is situated on an isolated outcrop of rock on the coast in Mac.Robertson Land, at the edge of the Antarctic plateau. It is Australia’s first continental station and the longest continuously operating station south of the Antarctic Circle.



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Mawson location: 67°36′ S 62°52′ E.


Of his first tour of the Antarctic, Vic wrote:

“During 1968 there was a fire in the transmitter building, which fortunately was quickly brought under control. However one wall of the building was completely burnt out. A working effort repaired the building, but the transmitters took some time to clean out the soot and examine the wiring and cabling etc. These were brought back to service in a few days and after a general clean of the remaining mess, things were back to normal.”

Just before his first tour expired at Mawson, he broke his leg, but it was set crooked and had to be broken and reset on returning to Perth. Whilst his leg was still in plaster, Vic rejoined TVW and spent a period at Mount Goldsworthy TV Facilities, a mining town east of Port Hedland, where both Seven and Nine had set up a cable television service for the residents. Mt Newman mining also benefited from this service. The content was provided on videotape by both stations for viewing throughout the company town. This was done at the request of the iron-ore mining company who paid for the infrastructure. It was the first example of ‘cable’ television in Australia.



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Vic Kitney during the Goldsworthy days, circa 1970s


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Bob Wynne, Vic Kitney, Bob Penno and Peter Partridge on a Sunday out at Pardoo Creek as the tide was rising



Vic also played a role in setting up TVW’s new colour OB van, travelling to Melbourne to initiate installation after the body of the van was constructed there.



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Vic with TVW’s new colour OB van


Vic later moved to Tasmania and worked as a transmitter technician for TVT6 Hobart (and changed his call sign to VK7VK until his return to WA), before returning to Antarctica in 1983 for another 14 months. He retuned to Tasmania to marry Maida (Madia Francis) Klgi, who sadly passed away in 1987. On returning from Tasmania he worked for a television services company in Busselton, before retiring in Bunbury.



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TVT6 Hobart, Tasmanian Television Limited 50th Birthday in May 2010 – Eyvonne Wilson, Vic Kitney, Neil Cracknell


Vic’s family were orchardists at Donnybrook, with his father Jack Kitney also a HAM operator.

Vic passed away on Saturday November 26, aged 82. The much loved father of Michael, Roger, Karen and Philip. Father-in-law of Dale, Di, Wayne, and Hazel. Grandfather of Anneka, Tahni, Samantha, Kristen, Narissa, Simmone, and Rueban and great Grandfather of 9.

Philip Kitney advised that his father’s funeral service will be 10.30 am at Karrakatta on Monday 5 December, all welcome. Afterwards all invited to join family and friends at their Riverton home for lunch.


Many thanks to the following contributors for this tribute: June Holmes, Beb Penno, Cedric Woods, Ian Stimpson, Philip Kitney, Bert King, Richard Ashton, Derrick Wright, Don Graham and Terry Spence.


Published in The West Australian on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

KITNEY (Victor John):
Passed away on Saturday November 26, aged 82. Much loved father and father-in-law of Mike and Dale, Roger and Di, Karen and Wayne, and Phil and Hazel. Dearest Grandfather of 7 and great Grandfather of 9.
Rest peacefully our dear Dad. Loving memories, from us all.

KITNEY (Victor):
Goodbye Dad, signing off for now. Memories of my father, ex RAAF, Antarctic Expeditioner, amateur radio enthusiast (VK6VK) and a fine ballroom dancer. Your many friends and family will miss your talents. 73’s. Love from your son, Roger and Diane

KITNEY (Victor John):
Much loved grandpa of Narissa and Erik, Simmone and Joe, Rueben and Tanya. Great grandpa of Caitlyn, Kayde, Ruby and Lily. You will never be forgotten.


Published in: The West Australian Wednesday, 30 November 2011

KITNEY (Victor John):
Much loved Dad of Mike and Dale, dear Grandpa of Sam and Mike and Krit and Rich, and great grandpa of Jack, Kyle, Charli, Hudson and Dane. Dad was a fine raconteur with many tales to tell of an interesting life. He loved meeting and talking with people, and enjoyed his travels and his hobbies, especially amateur radio and dancing. He fought his long battle with illness with good humour and fortitude.
We’ll all miss you greatly old mate.


Published in: The West Australian Thursday, 1 December 2011

KITNEY (Victor John):
Brother of Royce and Merle. Uncle of Pam, Gwenda, Janet and Albert. With Jesus and friends.

KITNEY (Victor):
Deepest sympathies to Mike, Dale, Sam and Kris and all the extended Kitney family on the loss of Vic, a great bloke. Rest in peace. John, Joy and the Knowles family.


Published in: The West Australian Friday, 2 December 2011

Kitney (Victor John ):
Much loved Dad of Karen and Wayne, and Grandpa of Anneka and Tahni. Resting peacefully now. Goodbye Dad, take care!

KITNEY (Victor):
Phil and Hazel, thinking of you in your time of sadness, we are there for you. Greg, Christine, Caleb and Arian.





The end of Local TV… or is it?

Posted by ken On November - 24 - 2011


The end of Local TV… or is it?

At a recent gathering of folk involved in the media, former TVW Managing Director Kevin Campbell detailed the desirable affects of an intensely-local television format, which proved most successful in Canada.



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Former TVW Managing Director Kevin Campbell


This is the Citytv concept.


Kevin also outlined his funding initiative for community television, and the worth of this medium as a means of maintaining local content, since the big networks have moved away from providing this adequately. This notion involved commercial stations giving a small percentage (0.25% to 0.50%) of their gross income to a body such as the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for distribution to the community TV stations within Australia, to assure their viability.

Unfortunately the politicians have yet to grasp the worth of this proposal.

Perth’s community television station West Television (WTV) is a locally focused broadcaster aiming to reflect Australia’s cultural diversity and provide an alternative viewing platform. Combining nationally produced shows with locally produced material. WTV delivers a broad range of local programs targeting the diversity and needs of the community with documentaries, films, sport, music, education, multicultural, entertainment, leisure and lifestyle programs.



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West Television Limited


West TV Channel 44 claims to be Perth’s only 100% locally run TV station, which is something the mainstream stations can no longer claim.

At this point one needs to place the issue in its historical context, so that the reader may appreciate what has been lost and how this came about.

One of the factors that kept TVW Channel 7 a ratings leader for so long was its close association with the community, being recognised for its local presence and ongoing involvement with the audience.



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Hole in One Day – Birdman Rally – Milk Carton Regatta


Much local production contributed to this. Activities which connected with the public and often brought them into the studios or grounds, whether that be for the annual Telethon, studio tours, as a studio audience, or activities such as the Hole in One Days, where the vast lawn area took on the appearance of a fair ground with rides, food, drinks, contests and entertainment. Then there was the Birdman Rally, Milk Carton Regatta, the Christmas Pageants, and many more.



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STW Local Productions


STW also had its share of local productions with many in the children’s and variety category. Channel Niners Club, The Entertainers, Perth Young Entertainers, Appealathon, Clash of The Creatures, The Squirrels Club, Flapper’s Super Heroes, Flapper’s Fun Factory, New Faces, Summergirl, About Homes, Girl About Town, Clapperboard and many more, including documentaries. Nine Perth’s local productions have had a strong focus on WA-centric lifestyle such as Garden Gurus (Lifestyle – Gardening), Just Add Water (Perth summer lifestyle), The Wonders of Western Australia and Postcards WA (Travel).



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John Barnett, Sue Nash, Brendon Julian and Philippa O’Connell


Veteran of the ABC, NEW and STW’s Postcards, John Barnett reports on his experiences with Postcards and Just Add Water.

“Both programs were an extremely brave venture by then manager Paul Bowen. Brave in that to put them to air was a very costly exercise. Apart from the cost of in house production the locally owned station still had to pay the network for the programmes that were not used as they were replaced by the local productions. The other big gamble that Bowen took was that I only took on Postcards provided that we had total independence on what stories we did.”

“The segment producers also had the right to can any segment that we shot that we felt was not worth the ‘Postcards seal of approval’. I don’t think we ever had to use that right. It proved to be a correct decision because the programme rated extremely well. Sadly however as is so often the case the sales department gradually got their claws into it and started selling promises of a Postcards story in exchange for advertising.”

Regarding how things have changed, John offered the following observation:

“I can’t help but remark that I can’t understand how the stations get away with the blatant advertorial local programmes that go to air now.”

“I can understand why it happens – the answer is in the networks, as I stated at the start. They have to defray the costs of not only local production, but of the network programmes they replace.”

“From my point of view though the sad thing is that Postcards proved that you can get the ratings without the station prostituting itself.”

“The viewing public are not idiots and can distinguish between rubbish and well made programmes.”

“Perhaps the answer will come from a backlash against blatant commercialism, and community programming become the result. But it’s such a costly medium a successful result along those lines seems a long way from fruition.”


Unlike TVW and STW, the ABC’s ABW Channel 2 in Perth was relayed to an ever increasing scope of regional transmitters, and because of their wide coverage, provided much local content aimed at Western Australians all over the State. The Rural Department presented programs such as the Weather, To Market, Country Call, Town and Country Magazine, Greenfingers etc. People engaged in presenting these included John Barnett, Tony Bagery-Parker, John Colwill, John Tefry, Graham Macaffee, Anthony Patrick Wykham-Fiennes, Rory Sutton, Owen Grieve, Grant Woodhams, Michael Schultz, George Shaw (poultry) and Clee Jenkins (wildlife). Then there were the 5 to 7 Rural contributors like Phil Harwood (Pets) and Phil Bodeker (Gone Fishing) and others. The ABC was also engaged in early variety shows, education, talks and the pioneering of local current affairs. Outside broadcasting has always been a strong point with the national broadcaster, and remains so to this day.



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ABC Announcers
Ian Beatty, Earl Reeve, Clive Hale, James Fisher, Sandra Harris, Eoin Cameron, Doug Folley, Ann Conti, Peter Newman, David Ellery, Peter Holland, Olga Nye, Ian Hasleby, Chris Fenton and Pat Harding


TVW established a brisk pace in the field of local production before STW came on the scene in 1965. Shows such as Spotlight, Relax with Rolf, Children’s Channel Seven, Teen Beat, Tuesday Date, Oriental Cavalcade, Today, Televisit, Do You Remember, Dwellingup Fire Telethon, Club 7 Teen (Gary Carvolth), Perth Commonwealth and Empire Games (covered also by the ABC), Songs of the Wars, Viewpoint, Sport at Seven, Manhunt, Invitation to the Dance, The Nutcracker, Hootenanny, Baptism of Fire, Sandover Medal, Sports Star of the Year, Miss WA Quest, Miss West Coast, Miss Australia Beach Girl, In Perth Tonight, The Good Oil, Bradman, Club 7 Teen (Johnny Young) and many Football OB’s. The tempo did not ease during the watch of Sir James Cruthers, Brian Treasure and Max Bostock. Local production was still being championed by Kevin Campbell right up to his retirement in 1999.



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TVW Local Productions


TVW Limited was based on the proposition that they were a ‘local’ company representing the interests of Western Australia and Western Australian investors. The station was not formally or financially locked into one or other of the Eastern states networks. Western Australia was isolated and television was then an independent operation. Initially programs were either on film or live, until videotape enabled the sharing of quality recordings of television shows made in various Australian TV studios with electronic cameras, rather than film.

It was not until July 1970 that a micro-wave link enabled direct program transmission between the east and the west, but at great cost to book the Telecom bearer. In 1977, Kerry Packer was frustrated by Telecom’s high prices and lack of flexibility so lobbied the Fraser Liberal federal government for a simple, off-the-shelf system that would link TV stations by using a small number of expensive ground stations.

The government wanted to take it a stage further to allow people in remote areas to receive TV, radio and reliable telephone service for the first time, and provide a number of interchange circuits to enable radio and television stations to share programs in real time, and provide data links for businesses between distant premises.

In 1978, STW9 decided to affiliate with the Nine Network, while retaining full control over its programming and advertising decisions.

Meanwhile, matters with the Telecom provided Eastern States link got worse, which by 1981 had risen 1200% over the previous four years, so the government formed AUSSAT, a government owned company to own and operate Australia’s national satellite system.

In 1982, Robert Holmes a Court and his Bell Group bought TVW-7 and in 1983, Alan Bond’s Bond Corporation bought a major share holding in STW-9.

In 1985, Australia’s first two satellites were launched (A1 in August and A2 in November) and the domestic satellite services commenced.

The AUSSAT domestic satellite launch significantly reduced the cost of program delivery to Perth from the east and vice versa.

In March 1987 a Senate Select Committee recommended that the ‘two station’ rule be abolished as part of a total replacement of the old Broadcasting Act 1942, which opened the door for further television station acquisitions.

The same month, Alan Bond bought the key Channel 9 stations TCN in Sydney and GTV in Melbourne from Kerry Packer for about $1 billion and added them to QTQ-9 in Brisbane and STW-9 in Perth, to form the Nine Network.

The next month (April 1987), the Christopher Skase Qintex organisation purchased Channel Seven in Sydney (ATN), Melbourne (HSV) and Brisbane (BTQ) from John Fairfax Ltd, to begin the process of building the Seven television network. Meanwhile, in the same month Frank Lowy bought two key Channel 10 stations, TEN in Sydney and ATV in Melbourne from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation for 842 million.

Then on 27 December 1987, SAS-10 and ADS-7 switched frequencies and network affiliations in Adelaide, ADS moved to channel 10 and SAS moved to channel 7. SAS was owned by TVW Channel 7 in Perth and ADS was owned by Kerry Stokes.

Meanwhile in Perth, Brian Treasure’s West Coast Telecasters, funded by Kerry Stokes and Jack Bendat, was the successful applicant for the Channel 10 licence, but they sold the company to Frank Lowy’s Northern Star Holdings before it went to air. The sale took place in August 1987, when Lowy also purchased ADS-10 in Adelaide from Kerry Stokes, to complete the Ten Network. The following year, on Friday May 20, 1988, Perth’s third television station NEW Channel 10 opened.

In 1996 Kerry Stokes acquired a strategic stake in the Seven Network, and Nine and Ten have undergone ownership changes, but the network structure seems set in concrete, though the owners may change from time to time.

The same dynamics that impacted on the commercials stations also hit the ABW local activities. No longer was there a need to freight in programs for presentation by a full crew replaying films and videotapes. Virtually all television shows are now networked and little made in WA. Satellite program distribution and time shifting delay machines made many staff redundant.

New technology, the satellite and ownership changes enabled the Seven, Nine and Ten Networks to be formed, following the 1987 change in government policy.This was the death knell to autonomous and independent stations, and every network, commercial or ABC moved to the centralised distribution of programs based in Sydney and Melbourne. Even the regional broadcaster WIN (who now own STW-9 and NWS-9 in Adelaide) presents its programs from the Sydney located MediaHub facility, which is a joint venture between WIN and the ABC. SBS always existed as a centralised structure.

AUSSAT’s predicted revenues were not achieved under its business plan and the company was left with large losses. AUSSAT was then bought by Optus in 1992, as a part of its tender to obtain a telecommunications licence that would allow it to compete with Telecom Australia. In 2001, Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) acquired Cable & Wireless Optus Limited.

Canada bucked this trend with its Citytv concept.


The CityTV Concept in Brief

WA TV History
Citytv stations had an intensely-local format based on newscasts aimed at younger viewers, nightly movies, and music and cultural programming.


Moses Znaimer is the broadcast pioneer best known for his work creating the television phenomenon known as Citytv, which was founded in Toronto in 1972 and pursued a programming strategy targeting hip, young and urban audiences.



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Moses Znaimer


Citytv stations had an intensely-local format based on newscasts aimed at younger viewers, nightly movies, and music and cultural programming. They produced much more local programming than most other Canadian television stations, including the daily talk show CityLine; magazine series such as The New Music, Toronto Rocks, FashionTelevision, Life on Venus Ave. and MovieTelevision; and interactive series such as Speakers’ Corner. As well, the station often pursued synergies with its sister cable networks.



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Citytv


Speakers’ Corner was a television series which aired weekly on Citytv, featuring numerous unscripted short segments on a variety of topics as recorded by members of the general public such as rants, jokes, music performance, etc. After the video was complete, it was edited for television. The show was an example of Citytv founder Moses Znaimer’s philosophy of interactive broadcasting.

The Breakfast Television studio had windows facing the street, and as a result, passers-by were shown on camera, behind the hosts and guests. While the employment of storefront studios has now spread worldwide, Citytv was the first to have such a layout.

Eventually the culture changed as ownership changed and by 1981 CHUM Limited acquired full control with the sale of Moses Znaimer’s interest in the station. Then in 2007, CHUM’s five Citytv stations were sold to Rogers Communications.

Rogers Media then announced the cancellation of Speakers’ Corner in 2008, citing the emergence of other interactive media. Then following the impact of the 2009-2010 economic crisis and structural problems facing the conventional television sector in Canada, Rogers Media announced cost-cutting measures at the Citytv stations on January 19, 2010, which included massive layoffs and the cancellation of a number of newscasts.



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More like a conventional TV station under new ownership


As The Globe and Mail’s TV columnist John Doyle wrote one week after the dismissals, “one of the continent’s most recognizable news brands has been destroyed,” arguing that corporate powerhouse Rogers Media had “disemboweled” what once made City special.

Meanwhile, what Moses Znaimer did for the hip, young and urban audiences of 1972, he’s now advocating for Canada’s largest and most affluent demographic – the 45 plus, which he calls the “zoomed” generation, or “baby boomers with zip”, defined as people in their 50s, 60s and 70s who want to remain socially and culturally engaged and active.



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Baby Boomers with Zip


His latest company ZoomerMedia was formed in December 2007 and now operates several Internet properties including a portal and a social networking site, all targeted to older adult audiences.

Moses Znaimer made the statement that “The problem is not too much television, but too much of the same television.”

The multiple channels in Australia obtained through digital television does not mean better TV, as much of it contains regurgitated shows, often with standard definition fare taking up a high definition channel.



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Free to Air Digital Stations


Even though PayTV offers many more channels, there’s no guarantee that what you want will be available when you need it.

Hence the growing popularity of view on demand services. Every genre can be serviced through the Internet and the source can be anywhere in the world. Yet there continues to be new talent discovered daily by gifted people uploading their compositions, acts or unique perspective on the world. What becomes viral is what the world likes, rather than be filtered by some company executive whose value judgements may often be out of kilter with the real world.

It seems that the only way unfettered experimentation with the various demographics can be achieved is through the Internet, which is not controlled by the present media barons. Anyone with initiative and imagination can participate. No television licence or costly infrastructure is involved to get started, as the means of production is now more affordable and available to all with creative ideas and the motivation to try. Though YouTube contains a motley assortment of user created content, there are some gems emerging. Former broadcast and cable personnel are also being attracted to the new media, following dissatisfaction with working in the old.

A good example is Leo Laporte, who broadcasts from his TWiT ‘brickhouse’ studios, based in Petaluma, California, USA. His shows are licensed under the Creative Commons, and are distributed via direct download from the TWiT.tv website, or from Apple’s iTunes Store. There is no download charge from either source. TWiT.tv became one of the first major advertising-supported podcast networks. In 2010, Laporte mentioned that his network would do three to four million US dollars in advertising revenue for 2010.



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John C. Dvorak, Patrick Norton, Leo Laporte and Kevin Rose on the first show from the new TWiT ‘brickhouse’ studios


Here is a case where a mainstream cable network self destructed though culture and ownership changes.

Back in 1998, Ziff-Davis began the popular ZDTV, a geek network with a mass following, later to be owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s Vulcan Ventures, to become TechTV a cultural hub for technology information worldwide. At the height of its six year run, TechTV was broadcast in 70 countries, reached 43 million households, and claimed 1.9 million unique visitors monthly to its website. After a number of ownership and name changes it alienated many of its followers. The fans have since flocked to its former hosts’ webcasts, most notably the TWiT Network and Revision3.

There’s no reason Western Australians can’t tap into this avenue of opportunity. Many former WA program makers have been made redundant or retired from the industry. Young hopefuls are being trained by the highly regarded WA Academy of Performing Arts and other institutions. But many have to look to the east or overseas for employment.

The recent gathering of folk involved in the media, referred to above, includes the former TVW Managing Director Kevin Campbell. This informal think tank is examining opportunities in Perth. Other members of the group include Bret Treasure, David Hawkes, John Cranfield, Ross Tinney, Richard Rennie, Jason Jordan and Trevor Kelly. This group includes people who have been or are presently connected with West TV, television presentation, production, management, operation and engineering with TVW, the ABC and 6IX. David Hawkes was also the inaugural head of broadcasting at the WA Academy of Performing Arts and Richard Rennie is the founder of the Light and Sound Discovery Centre. Trevor Kelly has a long association with engineering, planning and installation of broadcasting facilities. Bret Treasure’s father was a co-founder of TVW Channel Seven, Perth’s first commercial FM radio station 96FM, established the Perth Entertainment Centre and gained the licence for Perth’s third commercial television station NEW Channel 10 in Perth. Bret is also a Committee member of the Australian Web Industry Association and the Communications Manager for the National Speakers Association of Australia.

We hope to report further on this venture in the following weeks.

Other related stories include:





New Age Museums can dramatically boost tourism

Posted by ken On November - 18 - 2011


New Age Museums can dramatically boost tourism


In our recent story titled “Finding a new home for TV stations and memorabilia” we pointed out that the Australian Museum of Motion Picture and Television (AMMPT) has been seeking a home for the last decade, without success. It would seem that remembering our immediate cinema, radio and television past is not the highest priority in certain quarters.

Meanwhile, the Wireless Hill Telecommunications Museum is undergoing changes where there will be a different emphasis and style of presentation… designed to appeal to more people and display a wider range of fields. This is covered in great detail in our series “Wireless Hill Future” – in six parts.

Other countries cherish heritage and preservation most dearly. Maybe because their history extends for centuries rather than back to 1829 and the humble origins of the Swan River Colony.



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Harry Smith – the immediate past vice president of AMMPT


Immediate past vice president of AMMPT Harry Smith visited a futuristic museum in England, from which we in Perth can learn much. The National Media Museum (formerly the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television) is a museum in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. This is not an old establishment holding dusty relics from the distant past, but a new, bright and colourful living museum that encourages the hands-on public to participate. It is a huge complex on a small hill overlooking the Bradford City Town Hall and the City Centre.



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The National Media Museum sitting on a small hill


The Museum is situated right in the heart of Bradford, which has a population of 300,000 people and attracts over 600,000 visitors per year. It exists to promote an appreciation and understanding of media through eight floors of galleries, an extensive collection and research facility, and three cinemas including an IMAX theatre.



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The museum attracts over 600,000 visitors per year


The National Media Museum has three cinemas:

  • The Pictureville Cinema containing 306 seats
  • The Cubby Broccoli Cinema (in memory of Cubby Broccoli, producer of James Bond films) containing 108 seats
  • The IMAX cinema


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The Pictureville Cinema entrance


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The IMAX cinema entrance


Two interactive television galleries were developed to let visitors operate cameras on a studio set with programmed sound and lighting, use vision mixers, to read a news item from an Autocue and discover how Chroma-key works. A television studio that enables live broadcasting from the museum was first used by British breakfast’s TV-am and later Nickelodeon. This equipment is used to teach students from the School of Computing, Informatics & Media (SCIM), with whom the museum has a partnership for Bachelor of Science (BSc) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) courses in media and television.

The museum is also host to courses taught with the University of Bradford’s Electronic Imaging and Media communications (EIMC) Department including BSc Media Technology & Production, BSc Creative Media & Technologies, BSc Computer Animation and Special Effects and BA Media Studies. Subjects include broadcast television using the TV studio on its top floor.

EIMC graduates work across the new media industries in organisations such as the BBC, FreeServe, Granada Media and numerous smaller production and postproduction facilities. Students exhibit their final year project work at the National Media Museum, where The Degree Show is an opportunity for employers and members of the public to see the results of an intensive year’s work.

The EIMC Degree Show is held in the Pictureville Cinema, which is one of the best equipped cinemas in the world. It is equipped for 35 mm, 70 mm, 2K resolution and Cinerama projection. The cinema features Dolby Digital EX, DTS and 8 Channel SDDS digital sound systems.


The National Media Museum has seven permanent exhibitions:

  • Kodak Gallery – Covering photography from the 1840s.
  • Experience TV – 200 objects from museum collections, and hands-on displays.
  • TV Heaven – An opportunity to select from 1000 television programmes to watch.
  • Magic Factory – The science behind television.
  • Animation – The history of animation, with a permanent “Animator in Residence” involved in the museum’s workshops.
  • Profiles Gallery & IMAX Projector Box – the film collection.
  • Games Lounge – Retro games from your childhood to play in the foyer area


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Television galleries that let visitors operate cameras on a studio set

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Discover how Chroma-key works

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A studio set with programmed sound and lighting and vision mixer


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Vintage arcade games


The youth relate most favourably to the early computer games which evolved throughout their childhood. It is this type of nostalgia they connect to, rather that items they have never heard of. Yet opportunities exist to introduce youngsters to devices which were forerunners to gadgets they are familiar with. At a young age they learn to use a QWERTY keyboard as a computer input device, but then are fascinated when introduced to and explained the origins of the typewriter. Sending SMS or TXT messages is all the rage with youngsters, yet aged exponents of Morse Code can demonstrate an uncanny ability to send messages faster using ancient technology.


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The Games Lounge in the foyer area


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Retro games from your childhood to play in the foyer area


The museum now hosts the BBC’s Bradford offices, and studios for BBC Radio Leeds and the BBC Bradford and West Yorkshire Website. The glass-fronted atrium houses a coffee shop with fast food meals area, and a souvenir and gift shop. The museum also hosts a number of film festivals which attract international speakers and new and classic works from around the world. Harry Smith points out that it is a truly impressive operation, a place where the visitor can spend a whole day if need be and still want to go back for more. Entry to the museum itself is free to the public, whilst the IMAX 3D theatre complex is on a paid ticket entry of about 8 pounds. Harry says that he witnessed various school buses delivering and collecting visiting school and college students from different parts of the country. In addition to this the place was simply buzzing with lots of other visitors, members of the public and moviegoers.

Curator of Cinematography Michael Harvey (who helped establish the museum in 1983) explained the museum operations to Harry and how it is funded, and showed him their collection and restoration program, storage, displays etc. When they took over the building, a peppercorn rental was agreed with the local City Council, and that rental of one pound per year still stands.



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The National Media Museum pays a peppercorn rental


Harry was then given an extensive and informative tour of their facilities by one of the staff. He was shown their storage and restoration rooms, which are absolutely mind blowing with the amount of television and film equipment they have in storage, all housed on walls and walls of Dexion style racking and storage shelving. Some of the televisions in storage date back to 1936.

Harry was invited to take a look in their camera storage area, which he also found mind blowing, with items stored in racks and Compactus style mobile shelving systems. Some of the equipment sighted had been rejuvenated and some was even operational, although a large amount was simply awaiting restoration.



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Harry Smith found the Museum mind blowing


AMMPT’s Daryl Binning also had the opportunity to visit this prestigious museum, and commented on the amount of money required to set up the behind-the–scenes storage and restoration facilities, the scale of which only a public funded entity can provide – similar to that of the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) in Canberra.

It would be wonderful if we can emulate this in Perth, should our mining and resources rich environment welcome such an imaginative concept. The fact that Bradford attracts twice the number of tourists as the city’s population, should not be underestimated by forward thinking people. If it can be duplicated here, the number of added tourist dollars attracted to Western Australia would then be an incredible boost to our local economy, alluring consumers to the central business district and injecting much needed funds into our retail sector and accommodation industry.

Unlike Perth, which has demolished most of its early architecture, Bradford has many fine Victorian buildings still standing, with a rich history going back to the Saxon times. It is a city that has reinvented itself since the decline of its textile industry, to now be a very popular tourist destination that takes full advantage of the public’s keen interest in cleverly displayed media memorabilia. In the process, Bradford has substantially benefited from its entrepreneurial spirit, which wisely took advantage of these revenue generating opportunities.





Most Popular WA TV History Web Pages

Posted by ken On November - 15 - 2011


Most Popular WA TV History Web Pages

According to Google Analytics, the WA TV History web site has to date had 1,145,714 successful requests for individual web pages.

The actual figure is much larger than that as Google Analytics were not installed on the site as of day one.

The visitors come from all over the globe, with the vast majority coming from Australia, followed by the Philippines, United States, United Kingdom and Canada.


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Over this period, our peak readership was during October 2009, following the many stories on Seven folk leading up to TVW’s 50th anniversary.


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The web page analytics not only shows how many users accessed individual web pages, but can differentiate between one user and another, how many times they viewed each page and for how long. This is represented as the user’s IP address, of which nearly 26,000 have visited our site. We have no knowledge of who the individuals are. Most users are dynamically issued an IP address by their ISP. Even with an ADSL connection this can vary over a day. So only the ISP is capable of identifying their customers, and this usually relates to billing matters, though it does offer a means of tracking hackers.

The ability of the Internet industry to monitor its audience is infinitely superior to that of radio and television stations who have difficulty determining how engaged their audience is with the content. A radio or TV set may be turned on, but there is little guarantee that the household is devoting their full attention to it. The Internet is also more interactive than old media, even though telephone talkback and polls offer some feedback. For this reason old media is adopting the Internet to overcome this deficiency. The ABC is a trailblazer in doing so, though the others are following close behind.


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The above statistics relate to our Reg Whiteman Tribute. Reg was the life and soul behind children’s favourite Fat Cat for several decades, and who died in Perth on Thursday July 28, 2011, aged 82. The viewing statistics relate to the week following his demise.


Here are the cumulative statistics between then and now which show how popular his tribute was…


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Reg Whiteman (1929 – 2011) Fat Cat Tribute

http://watvhistory.com/2011/08/reg_whiteman_tribute/

4,442


Reg02Thumb.jpg

Postscript to Fat Cat
http://watvhistory.com/2011/08/postscript-to-fat-cat/
792


Please note that the longer a web page exists on the site, the more visits it will attract. Though when a topic is fresh it tends to get lots of hits, then a trickle of visitors continue discovering the item over time. Other than direct visitors and people navigating around the site, Google is the next most influential factor in attracting readers.

The figures below represent the analysis provided by our web hosting company in the United States.



Most Popular Web Pages


001Thumb.jpg

TVW Reunion Photos courtesy of Annette Purvis
http://watvhistory.com/2009/11/tvw-reunion-photos-courtesy-of-annette-purvis/
78,552
  


002Thumb.jpg

Peter Croft – Evolution of transmission facilities
http://watvhistory.com/2009/03/peter-croft-evolution-of-transmission-facilities/
72,783


003Thumb.jpg

Bob Hope Down Under – 1978 TV Special
http://watvhistory.com/2009/05/bob-hope-down-under-1978-tv-special/
62,427


004Thumb.jpg

8 Years with 7 in the 60’s by Brian Harrison-Lever
http://watvhistory.com/2009/11/8-years-with-7-in-the-60s-by-brian-harrison-lever/
57,433


005Thumb.jpg

Jan Boyd (nee Ladner) Channel Seven Ballet photos
http://watvhistory.com/2009/08/jan-boyd-nee-ladner-channel-seven-ballet-photos/
57,375


006Thumb.jpg

TVW Special Projects Department
http://watvhistory.com/2009/04/tvw-special-projects-department/
51,352


007Thumb.jpg

Tribute to Robbie Snowden 1948-2009
http://watvhistory.com/2009/12/tribute-to-robbie-snowden/
50,375


008Thumb.jpg

Valued stories from the rank and file
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47,367


009Thumb.jpg

Coralie Condon’s contributions to theatre and television in WA
http://watvhistory.com/2010/10/coralie-condons-contributions-to-theatre-and-television-in-wa/
45,788


010Thumb.jpg

Ongoing Media Challenges
http://watvhistory.com/2010/01/ongoing-media-challenges/
42,380


011Thumb.jpg

TVW Opening
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38,218


012Thumb.jpg

Radio 6PM Reunion
http://watvhistory.com/2010/04/radio-6pm-reunion/
36,757


013Thumb.jpg

Chapter 9 – A History of Commercial Television in Perth, WA
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34,671


014Thumb.jpg

TV Roll Calls
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34,580


015Thumb.jpg

Kay Linton-Mann (nee Sunners) remembers…
http://watvhistory.com/2009/08/kay-linton-mann-nee-sunners-remembers/
34,407


016Thumb.jpg

Peter Goodall demonstrates News Film equipment
http://watvhistory.com/2009/04/peter-goodall-demonstates-news-film-equipment/
33,826


017Thumb.jpg

TVW Reunion Recap
http://watvhistory.com/category/tvw-reunion-news/
32,940


018Thumb.jpg

Tribute to Veronica Overton-Low
http://watvhistory.com/2010/09/tribute-to-veronica-overton-low/
32,909


019Thumb.jpg

The Ron (DINGO) Reddingius Story
http://watvhistory.com/2009/07/the-ron-dingo-reddingius-story/
31,047


020Thumb.jpg

Brian Williams
http://watvhistory.com/2009/03/brian-williams/
30,529


021Thumb.jpg

Future site for Seven and a flash back in time for Michael Edgley
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30,389


022Thumb.jpg

Comments posted by people registering for the TVW reunion
http://watvhistory.com/2009/06/comments-posted-by-people-registering-for-the-tvw-reunion/
30,037


023Thumb.jpg

ABW Channel 2 – 50th Anniversary
http://watvhistory.com/2009/12/abw-channel-2-50th-anniversary/
30,023


024Thumb.jpg

The 6IX Story by John Cranfield – Part 1
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/the-6ix-story-by-john-cranfield-part-1/
29,787


025Thumb.jpg

Staff Photos
http://watvhistory.com/reunion/Photos/Photos.html
29,198


026Thumb.jpg

The Seven Logo Hunt
http://watvhistory.com/2010/09/the-seven-logo-hunt/
28,198


027Thumb.jpg

Chapter Seven – A History of Commercial Television in Perth, WA
http://watvhistory.com/2009/09/chapter-seven-a-history-of-commercial-television-in-perth-wathe-main-event-–-round-one-–-1958-1970the-contest-for-supremacy-in-western-australian-commercial-television-tvw7-versus/
27,102


028Thumb.jpg

Chapter 8 – A History of Commercial Television in Perth, WA
http://watvhistory.com/2009/09/chapter-8-a-history-of-commercial-television-in-perth-wa/
26,405


029Thumb.jpg

Vic Jones reflects on the early days of Audio
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/vic-jones-tvw-1960-1966-1983-1995-2006-‘till-now-reflects-on-the-early-days-of-audio/
26,270


030Thumb.jpg

TVW Reunion Photos – Sunday October 18, 2009
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/tvw-reunion-photos-sunday-october-18-2009/
23,577


031Thumb.jpg

Trina Brown
http://watvhistory.com/2009/05/trina-brown/
22,425


032Thumb.jpg

ABC Presenters reminisce about the 1960s, 70’s and 80s
http://watvhistory.com/2010/12/abc-presenters-reminisce-about-the-1960s-70s-and-80s/
22,108


033Thumb.jpg

“From Fixed Lenses and Black and White Cameras” – The Changing World of the TV Director by Producer/Director Keith Mackenzie.
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/from-fixed-lenses-and-black-and-white-the-changing-world-of-the-tv-director-by-producerdirector-keith-mackenzie/
22,047


034Thumb.jpg

Eric Walters – Tribute to a Veteran Newsreader
http://watvhistory.com/2010/08/eric-walters-tribute-to-a-veteran-newsreader/
22,022


035Thumb.jpg

Gary Carvolth
http://watvhistory.com/2009/03/gary-carvolth/
21,924


036Thumb.jpg

Bret Treasure writes about his father Brian Treasure – Former joint Managing Director of TVW
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/bret-treasure-writes-about-his-father-brian-treasure-former-joint-managing-director-of-tvw/
21,137


037Thumb.jpg

Reunion Attendees
http://watvhistory.com/reunion/Reunion_Attendees.html
20,971


038Thumb.jpg

A message from Rolf Harris
http://watvhistory.com/2009/11/a-message-from-rolf-harris/
19,817


039Thumb.jpg

The TVW Secretaries – Introduction
http://watvhistory.com/2009/09/the-tvw-secretaries-introduction/
19,816


040Thumb.jpg

Staff and Crews
http://watvhistory.com/reunion/Photos/Pages/Staff_%26_Crews.html
19,776


041Thumb.jpg

Being paid to have fun by Tom Creamer TVW 1965 – 1996
http://watvhistory.com/2009/11/being-paid-to-have-fun-by-tom-creamer-tvw-1965-1996/
19,388


042Thumb.jpg

TVW won the Television Society of Australia award for best “Television News Item – MANHUNT” in 1963
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/tvw-won-the-television-society-of-australia-award-for-best-“television-news-item-–-manhunt”-in-1963/
19,134


043Thumb.jpg

Reunion Dinner at the historic Romany Restaurant
http://watvhistory.com/2009/11/reunion-dinner-at-the-historic-romany-restaurant/
18,765


044Thumb.jpg

Geoff Stewart’s TVW staff photo collection
http://watvhistory.com/2009/07/geoff-stewart’s-tvw-staff-photo-collection/
18,742


045Thumb.jpg

STW Channel 9 Roll-Call now available
http://watvhistory.com/reunion/STW-Roll-Call.htm
18,673


046Thumb.jpg

Disney on Parade in Australia 1971-1972
http://watvhistory.com/2009/03/disney-on-parade-in-australia-1971-1972/
18,317


047Thumb.jpg

Steve Thompson Collection
http://watvhistory.com/2009/05/steve-thompson-collection/
18,001


048Thumb.jpg

Lyndell Jobson (nee Carter) (TVW 1970-1974)
http://watvhistory.com/2009/09/lyndell-jobson-nee-carter-tvw-1970-1974/
16,881


049Thumb.jpg

TVW Reunion Web Site Launched
http://watvhistory.com/2009/05/tvw-reunion-web-site-launched/
16,732


050Thumb.jpg

More comments posted by people registering for the TVW reunion
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/more-comments-posted-by-people-registering-for-the-tvw-reunion/
16,640


051Thumb.jpg

Luise Nelthorpe (nee Borsje) – Secretary
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/luise-nelthorpe-nee-borsje-secretary/
16,490


052Thumb.jpg

Nigel Felangue Correspondence & Photos
http://watvhistory.com/2009/06/nigel-felangue-correspondence-photos/
16,232


053Thumb.jpg

ABC TV Perth Celebrates 50 Years of Television
http://watvhistory.com/2010/03/abc-tv-perth-celebrates-50-years-of-television/
15,952


054Thumb.jpg

Jo-Ann Ledger’s Photographic Flashbacks
http://watvhistory.com/2009/08/jo-ann-ledgers-photographic-flashbacks/
15,777


055Thumb.jpg

Peter Harries reminisces
http://watvhistory.com/2010/09/peter-harries-reminisces/
15,773


056Thumb.jpg

The First 50 Years – TVW Channel 7 tonight at 8:30pm
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/the-first-50-years-tvw-channel-7-tonight-at-830pm-friday-october-16th-2009/
15,770


057Thumb.jpg

ABW Roll Call
http://watvhistory.com/reunion/ABW-Roll-Call.htm
15,768


058Thumb.jpg

TVW Personalities
http://watvhistory.com/reunion/Photos/Pages/Personalities.html
15,701


059Thumb.jpg

Tribute to Frank Moss 1920-2009
http://watvhistory.com/2009/12/tribute-to-frank-moss-1920-2009/
15,330


060Thumb.jpg

News Photo Collection
http://watvhistory.com/2009/03/news-photo-collection/
14,807


061Thumb.jpg

TVW Families
http://watvhistory.com/tvw-families/
14,297


062Thumb.jpg

Telethon
http://watvhistory.com/reunion/Photos/Pages/Telethon.html
14,261


063Thumb.jpg

TVW Reunion Photos courtesy of Nigel Felangue
http://watvhistory.com/2009/12/tvw-reunion-photos-courtesy-of-nigel-felangue/
14,107


064Thumb.jpg

Kings Park Mini-Reunion
http://watvhistory.com/2009/08/kings-park-mini-reunion/
13,861


065Thumb.jpg

AMMPT’s “50 years of television broadcasting in Western Australia” exhibition at the Fremantle Arts Centre
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/ammpts-50-years-of-television-broadcasting-in-western-australia-exhibition-at-the-fremantle-arts-centre/
13,726


066Thumb.jpg

Background to the ABC leaving its former Perth studio site
http://watvhistory.com/2011/05/background-to-the-abc-leaving-its-former-perth-studio-site/
13,519


067Thumb.jpg

Lindsay Smith – TVW Audio Operator 1961-1968
http://watvhistory.com/2009/09/lindsay-smith-tvw-audio-operator-1961-1968/
13,431


068Thumb.jpg

Can Free-to-air stations stay relevant as technology and audience needs change?
http://watvhistory.com/2010/12/can-free-to-air-stations-stay-relevant-as-technology-and-audience-needs-change/
13,415


069Thumb.jpg

Jeff Newman
http://watvhistory.com/2009/03/jeff-newman/
13,178


070Thumb.jpg

Gordon McColl
http://watvhistory.com/2009/03/gordon-mccoll/
12,967


071Thumb.jpg

TVW7 – 50 Years Reunion Commemorative DVD
http://watvhistory.com/2009/11/tvw7-50-years-reunion-commemorative-dvd-2/
12,926


072Thumb.jpg

Chapter 4 – A History of Commercial Television in Perth, WA
http://watvhistory.com/2009/09/chapter-4-a-history-of-commercial-television-in-perth-wa/
12,752


073Thumb.jpg

Tribute to popular dancer, choreographer and teacher Mr Albert Raymond (Bert) Shaw
http://watvhistory.com/2010/08/tribute-to-popular-dancer-choreographer-and-teacher-mr-albert-raymond-bert-shaw/
12,568


074Thumb.jpg

Tribute to the former ABC Radio and TV Studios in Perth, Western Australia (1960-2005)
http://watvhistory.com/2010/11/tribute-to-the-former-abc-radio-and-tv-studios-in-perth-western-australia-1960-2005/
12,477


075Thumb.jpg

Telethon, Christmas Pageant, Bob Hope and Miss Universe
http://watvhistory.com/2009/04/telethon-christmas-pageant-bob-hope-and-miss-universe/
12,069


076Thumb.jpg

Michael Goodall recalls a dramatic news story
http://watvhistory.com/2009/08/michael-goodall-recalls-a-dramatic-news-story/
11,845


077Thumb.jpg

Bibliography – A History of Commercial Television in Perth, WA
http://watvhistory.com/2009/09/bibliography-a-history-of-commercial-television-in-perth-wa/
11,801


078Thumb.jpg

Chiefs, Indians and allegiances
http://watvhistory.com/2010/09/chiefs-indians-and-allegiances/
11,538


079Thumb.jpg

Chapter 5 – A History of Commercial Television in Perth, WA
http://watvhistory.com/2009/09/chapter-5-a-history-of-commercial-television-in-perth-wa/
11,455


080Thumb.jpg

Bob Finkle Story
http://watvhistory.com/2009/04/bob-finkle-story/
11,446


081Thumb.jpg

TVW Photo Collections
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11,138


082Thumb.jpg

UPDATE: Demolition of ABW Channel 2 Studios in Perth WA
http://watvhistory.com/2011/01/update-demolition-of-abw-channel-2-studios-in-perth-wa/
11,007


083Thumb.jpg

Bob Page – Traffic, SAS10, Telethon and 6IX (1969-1985)
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/bob-page-traffic-sas10-telethon-and-6ix-1969-1985/
10,866


084Thumb.jpg

The Early Years
http://watvhistory.com/reunion/Photos/Pages/The_Early_Years.html
10,689


085Thumb.jpg

David Farr – TV Pioneer (Career Notes & Press Reports)
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/david-farr-tv-pioneer-career-notes-press-reports/
10,646


086Thumb.jpg

TVW Corporate Function on Friday October 16, 2009
http://watvhistory.com/2009/10/tvw-corporate-function-on-friday-october-16-2009/
10,281


087Thumb.jpg

Coralie Condon
http://watvhistory.com/2009/03/coralie-condon/
10,275


088Thumb.jpg

Now and Then
http://watvhistory.com/2009/03/now-and-then/
10,233


089Thumb.jpg

96FM 30th Anniversary Reunion
http://watvhistory.com/2010/08/96fm-30th-anniversary-reunion/
10,037


090Thumb.jpg

Jim Atkinson Tribute
http://watvhistory.com/2009/03/jim-atkinson-tribute/
10,034


Most Popular YouTube Videos


091Thumb.jpg

50 years of changes in Perth, Western Australia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXZWekMW9Zs
Views: 10,168


092Thumb.jpg

Goodnight Boys and Girls with Fat Cat and Percy Penguin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0v0GCQDnaIo
Views: 7,192


093Thumb.jpg

TVW Slideshow 1972-1999
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDRbXpP9L4Q
Views: 3,005


094Thumb.jpg

Perth Entertainment Centre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw05BMbHcx4
Views: 2,210


095Thumb.jpg

Jeff Newman’s last weather broadcast Mon August 10th, 2009
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096Thumb.jpg

TVW Slideshow 1965-1972
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Views: 1,503


097Thumb.jpg

Dennis Cometti – One of a kind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt4DTQSW6CY
Views: 1,378


098Thumb.jpg

All stations Digital Radio breakfast – Preview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cSamWiAkso
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099Thumb.jpg

Johnny Young and the Strangers
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100Thumb.jpg

I’m Doing It All For You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsA8hf_2gqE
Views: 987


101Thumb.jpg

Thorts on ‘Club 7 Teen’ in 1965 – “Bumble Bee”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsnTA2Cok3o
Views: 898


102Thumb.jpg

Thorts on ‘Club 7 Teen’ in 1965 – “In Dreams”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGuzE8mxI_Y
Views: 874


103Thumb.jpg

TVW Slideshow 1959-1961
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25Mt0Pn9-Js
Views: 821


This site would not be possible without the numerous contributions from the many veterans. Support from the broadcasting stations is also a most important factor.

We wish to thank everyone who helped make this site possible… your ongoing support is very much appreciated.

Thank you!





From Papers to PCs: the story of the media in Western Australia


P2PC01.jpg
Exhibition from 27 October 2011 to 15 January 2012


The story of newspapers, telegraph, cinema, radio, television and the internet, and the impact they have made on the lives of Western Australians over the years.



P2PC02.jpg
Media Exhibition at the State Library of WA


Two Channel Seven veterans, Richard Ashton and Gordon McColl, visit the State Library of Western Australia’s latest exhibition at 25 Francis Street in Northbridge.



P2PC03.jpg
Gordon McColl and Richard Ashton


It was of particular interest to both gentlemen, having worked closely with Rolf Harris as he entertained Perth during the pioneering first year of television in Western Australia.



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Gordon McColl fondly remembers Rolf Harris


Rolf was a feature of the exhibit.



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Richard Ashton revelling in the display


Richard Ashton was also delighted to view a copy of the opening night programme for 6WF, Perth’s first official radio station, for Richard’s Aunt Lil (Miss Lilian Pether) performed on the opening night and his Aunt Connie (Miss Constance Pether) performed on the second night.



P2PC06.jpg
6WF Opening Night Programme


The next highlight was to see on display the little Ruthven Press, which was the first printing press introduced into the colony of Western Australia in 1831 (Richard will detail the history of this press in a separate article). There is a family connection for Richard, as his great grandfather Richard Pether was the Government Printer from 1870 till he retired in 1901. In this role, he used the antique Ruthven printing press one hundred years later, to print commemoration copies for a special demonstration. It was a case of the State’s oldest printing technology being used to reproduce material created by the newly imported and revolutionary Monotype typesetting machines, the first to be imported into Australia. He provided this demonstration to senior government officials who visited the printing office to witness the historic occasion.



P2PC07.jpg
Ruthven Printing Press used to produce the first printed newspapers in WA


Also featured at the Library exhibition is material from the recently acquired Sir James Cruthers Archive, including material showcasing Rolf Harris’ return to WA in 1959 as a star for Perth’s first television station TVW7, material from a number of State Library collections, as well as temporarily loaned items from Channel 7, the Australian Museum of Motion Pictures and Television and the WA Museum.



P2PC08.jpg
Sir James Cruthers


This exhibition marks the growing interest the State Library and Curtin University of technology has in helping to document, preserve, provide access to and research the media and its influence on Western Australian society. It showcases just some of the materials which form the basis for an envisioned digital (and physical) media archive and, to that end, the State Library is keen to impress on organisations and individuals involved in the media to consider the library as a final repository for their records, where they will be made available to all Western Australians and the world, through the web.

The exhibition is being held in The Gallery (Ground floor) from 27 October 2011 to 15 January 2012.

It is a free exhibition, held during the State Library opening hours of 9:00am to 5:pm – no booking required.

Rather than spoil the occasion and show everything here, we recommend you visit the Library and enjoy this memorabilia first hand.



Finding a new home for TV stations and memorabilia

Posted by ken On November - 7 - 2011


Finding a new home for TV stations and memorabilia

The ABC has moved house to soon be followed by Seven, Nine and possibly Ten. Moving, demolition and rebuilding seems to be all the rage in Perth at the moment. A number of concerns do so because they want to, some to improve profitability, others disappear because they’re unfashionable, while the odd not-for-profit effort is left begging for a home as former government buildings sit empty, idle and often decaying.



AMM01.jpg
Demolition of the Perth Entertainment Centre


Times are a little crazy at the moment as familiar places are being pulled down with old landmarks turned into housing estates. In some ways the city has done a swap with the suburbs, as recent years have witnessed it evolve into an inner suburb with much of the retail sector relocating to the big shopping centres circling Perth. People who’ve been away from WA for some time are going to have a problem recognising it.



AMM02.jpg
Proposed new city centre linking Perth to Northbridge


The central business district is also on the move with Raine Square shooting up from nowhere to be a 44,000 square metre office and a 13,000 square metres retail project in the heart of the new Perth, incorporating two existing hotels and heritage facades, which will connect to the new city centre, once the railway is sunk.



AMM03.jpg
Raine Square viewed from William Street


Across William Street is another redevelopment creating a new business and shopping precinct, bounded by Wellington Street, William Street, Forrest Place and Murray Street Mall, with access to the Perth underground railway station on the north/south line. It includes a three-tiered, high rise building of six, 15 and 20 storeys that provide approximately 36,000 square metres of office space and 8,000 square metres of retail space. This includes fully restored and refurbished heritage buildings, the Globe Hotel, the Wellington Building, and the Baird’s Building in Wellington Street, along with the facade of the Mitchell Buildings, all woven into the new development.



AMM04.jpg
140 William Street


No longer will the Hay Street Mall and arcades through to Murray Street be the city shopping focus. Boutique shopping has moved into once quiet streets which housed warehouses for wholesalers supplying the retail sector, for there is now high rise residential intermingled with shops and offices up the western city extremities of both Hay and Murray Streets, punctuated by the Mitchell Freeway.



AMM05.jpg
Existing locations for Seven, Nine and TEN Perth TV studios
The Dianella Media Zone


All across town we’re seeing things demolished or disassembled, such as the Perth Entertainment Centre, the former ABC TV studios, Perry Lakes Stadium, the asbestos riddled museum building in Perth, the Fremantle History Museum giving way to an enlarged Arts Centre, the deaccession of the Wireless Hill Telecommunication Museum and the proposed redevelopment of the television media district in Dianella for residential use, whilst at the same time new structures are appearing such as the Perth Arena, sinking of the railway, the new performing arts centre taking over from the Playhouse, the proposed sports stadium in Burswood, a new Museum building for Northbridge, the Perth waterfront project, and to the east and west, a residential area with high rise luxury accommodation. All this is happening at a time when Europe and the United States are experiencing economic woes and Western Australia is riding a Chinese driven resources and mining boom.



AMM06.jpg
Planned Seven and Nine residential redevelopment


The risk attached to this is that when a new broom sweeps clean, it might also toss the baby out with the bathwater.

During earlier mining and consequent building booms in the 1960s, 1970s and since, most of Perth’s grand old theatres were either closed or demolished.

The Ambassadors, the Capitol, the Metro, the Grand, the Royal, Cinema City, Mayfair, Savoy, Liberty, Cine Centre, Town Cinema, Hoyts Cimemas 1, 2 and 3, the Academy/Lumiere Twin Cinemas, the IMAX, with only the Plaza theatre in mothballs and heritage listed. At the same time many of Perth’s distinguished buildings disappeared. The Barracks, the Adelphi hotel, the Esplanade Hotel, the Shaftesbury Hotel, the Australia Hotel, The King Edward Hotel, which later became the Paddington and then demolished for the Kings Hotel, insurance buildings such as the T and G, AMP and CML, department stores such as Boans, Foy and Gibson, and the former David Jones, most of St George’s Terrace and Adelaide Terrace, William Street and much of Murray Street.


AMM07.jpg

Demolished Capitol Theatre in William Street – a former home of the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra
(Photos © State Library of Western Australia)


Ambassadors a Lost Cinema Heritage

WA TV History
The black and white film was taken by the late Ken Alexander (former projectionist, cine cameraman and TVW film editor). The film was provided courtesy of Barry Goldman, a friend and colleague of Ken Alexander. The narrator is former TVW and ABW host and reporter John Hudson. The colour photos come from the collection of cinema pioneer, the late Ron Tutt.

AMM08.jpg

Demolished Art Deco style Metro Theatre in William Street
(Photos © State Library of Western Australia)


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A small sample of Perth’s demolished buildings

(Photos © State Library of Western Australia)


With all the development focus on Perth at that time, the port city of Fremantle was largely forgotten. This proved the saviour for much of Fremantle’s architecture, which achieved a renaissance during the unsuccessful 1987 America’s Cup Defence staged by the Royal Perth Yacht Club in Gage Roads. The city’s charming colonial sandstone buildings were spruced up and everything else given a coat of paint. Visitors commented that it looked like a period movie set, or a walk down the main street of Disneyland. It was not only a busy period for tourism, but also a hectic time for the television stations and the media covering the prestigious yachting event. Since then, over 150 of Fremantle’s buildings have been classified by the National Trust and over 3000 properties heritage listed in the area.

Unfortunately, Perth was not as lucky as a lot of destruction took place before the Heritage Council of WA was established under the Heritage of Western Australia Act (1990). The Council now maintains the WA Register of Heritage Places. Earlier, a group of concerned Perth citizens identified the need to promote conservation and The National Trust of Australia (W.A.) was established in 1959. Some five years later an Act of Parliament was passed in the State Parliament which formally established the Trust as an independent community based organisation that reports directly to the Western Australian Parliament. The broad intent of the National Trust of Australia (WA) Act is to manage heritage places for the purposes of public education and public utility, properties that remain in public ownership for the ongoing benefit of the Western Australian community.

This has not stopped Perth from being riddled with a lot of abandoned buildings which suffer at the hands of vandals and graffiti artists, with many heritage places in danger of demolition by neglect.

Two such complexes that suffered in this manner were former institutions for the insane. The first was the Fremantle Lunatic Asylum and the second its replacement, The Claremont Mental Hospital, which was constructed as a more humane replacement for the Fremantle Lunatic Asylum, where patients were treated as prisoners.

The Fremantle building was then put to other uses from an Old Women’s Home to the WA headquarters of the American armed services during World War II, and as an annexe of Fremantle Technical School, and then idle for many years until the Education Department proposed its demolition. Fortunately this was halted as a result of a public outcry and opposition campaign led by the Mayor of Fremantle, Sir Frederick Samson. Eventually the old asylum building was lovingly restored in 1970, after years sitting abandoned and derelict. For a time it housed the Western Australian Maritime Museum, which is now relocated to grand accommodation at Victoria Quay, where among other things it exhibits the yacht Australia II, which won the America’s Cup in 1983.

The former Fremantle Lunatic Asylum is now the Fremantle Arts Centre, and for a time also housed the Fremantle History Museum, and the Light and Sound Discovery Centre.



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The Fremantle Arts Centre is the former Asylum building on the corner of Ord and Finnerty Streets in Fremantle


In 2009, both the Museum and Discovery Centre closed due to WA government budget cuts, with the museum objects and artefacts moved to the WA Museum’s Welshpool collections and research centre. The objects relevant to the Fremantle region will be relocated for exhibition in the WA Museum’s two other sites in the area, WA Museum – Maritime at Victoria Quay and the WA Museum – Shipwrecks Galleries in Cliff Street. The Light and Sound Discovery Centre now conducts limited activities at Wireless Hill and other venues.



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Fremantle History Museum at the former Fremantle Lunatic Asylum


Meanwhile, Fremantle has lost a museum gallery devoted to telling and illustrating the story of the city and its inhabitants. An exhibition that was changed each three months. The loss of the Discovery Centre has also denied school children an excellent educational venue in Fremantle, which covered everything from the origins of photography, motion pictures, sound recording, wireless, television and all the related events which have moulded our culture from the 1800s.



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The Light and Sound Discovery Centre at the former Fremantle Lunatic Asylum


The Australian Museum of Motion Picture and Television (AMMPT) also held its “50 years of television broadcasting in Western Australia” exhibition at the former Fremantle Lunatic Asylum, before the Fremantle History Museum closed down.


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Flapper and Humphrey B. Bear with Terry Spence

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2009 AMMPT Exhibition   


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50 years of television broadcasting in Western Australia Exhibition


The activities at given sites change over time, as society and practices vary with needs and expectations. Establishments change too, such as The Claremont Mental hospital, which was once the major state administered mental institution in Western Australia from 1904 to its closure. It started as Claremont Hospital for the Insane, became Claremont Mental Hospital, then Claremont Hospital, and finally Swanbourne and Graylands Hospitals. At its peak in the late 1960s, this massive hospital complex was home to some 1700 patients, but a few years later Claremont Hospital closed its doors for good and split itself in half: Swanbourne Hospital for people with psycho-geriatric and developmental disabilities, and Graylands Hospital for people with acute mental illnesses. By 1986 the care for the intellectually handicapped had been given over to a specialist agency and the elderly were placed in purpose built units spread over the metro area to make visiting easier for relatives. Unfortunately, there were a number of incidents where released patients caused a range of social and security issues. The hospital was shut down after the health department ceased use of the buildings in 1987. They have been essentially vacant since. Though at one point the restored ground floor of the south-wing building was occupied by the Western Australian Music Academy, and Montgomery Hall used as a movie set and as a gymnasium.


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Exterior of Montgomery Hall

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Inside Montgomery Hall

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Montgomery Hall as a Gymnastics Venue

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Montgomery Hall as a Movie Set


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Trigger Movie Poster


The site also had a cinema from the 1920s, with a projection box constructed on the northern end of Montgomery Hall. The screen was erected in front of the proscenium, so that film evenings could entertain both patients and staff. There still exists a proscenium with raised and raked stage floor and ‘fly’ space at the southern end of the hall, it was once the second biggest theatre venue in Perth. Throughout the history of the site, Montgomery Hall was used as a dining hall and a recreational space for patients. The Hall was used more recently by the Gymnastics Association and was transformed into an Italian theatre for three weeks in January 2010, creating a movie set for a local short film named “Trigger”, that later screened in the Short Film category of the Cannes Film Festival.



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Montgomery Hall as a Theatre or Cinema


In 1986, thirty two hectares of land, at the foot of the scarp, was transferred by the State Government for the development of the present John XXIII College, and the bulk of the remaining land was subdivided for residential purposes. This new suburb of Mount Claremont is within the Town of Cambridge and the City of Nedlands. It consists of estates mostly built in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was known as Graylands until 1988, but was renamed due to its association with the Graylands psychiatric hospital.

One famous patient of Graylands was David Helfgott, the Australian concert pianist well-known for being the child prodigy who won the state final of the ABC Instrumental and Vocal Competition six times, to then suffer a schizoaffective disorder and became the subject of the 1996 Oscar-winning film “Shine”, starring Geoffrey Rush and Noah Taylor. Another patient, Annie Dorrington, is remembered for being one of a small group of artists who designed the Australian flag in 1901.

The issue of the remaining buildings and the heritage-listed Montgomery Hall has been going on for more than 20 years, but due to the lack of use, the buildings have been subject to weather damage and vandalism. Then people of low scruples used a chain saw to remove an entire jarrah staircase. The continued looting resulted in many other interior fixtures and fittings being stripped, as well as the lead off the roof and all the jarrah wall panelling. Allegedly dozens of homes now illicitly include architectural features from the original buildings – marble fireplaces, door handles, window fixtures, the decorative air-vents from the roofs.

In 2003, town planners were engaged to undertake a study and public consultation on the future use of the buildings, resulting in a development plan with The City of Nedlands rezoned it as “Special use”, then in 2005 the site was offered for sale by public tender.

The site was sold in January 2006 for $6.65 million to Sealcrest Pty Ltd. Arguments have since ensued regarding the developer’s vision and how the plan should be varied to accommodate this.

Another former hospital is also sitting in limbo.



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The now empty Sunset Hospital in Dalkeith


The 1904 Sunset Hospital, formally known as the Claremont Old Men’s Home in Dalkeith, is on an 8.2ha parcel of prime riverfront land in one of WA’s most expensive suburbs, worth an estimated $100 million. It was a facility specifically designed to house the poor and sick, which lobby groups now suggest be redeveloped for housing. Previous Liberal and Labor state governments hatched plans to subdivide part of the land and turn the buildings into museums and galleries, though nothing seems to have eventuated in more than a decade. Though the site was used recently as a set to film the award-winning Tim Winton novel “Cloudstreet” for pay-TV channel Showcase.



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Cloudstreet mini-series set located at the former Sunset Hospital site


Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet – Official Trailer

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Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet – A Major Australian Mini-Series. On showcase



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Mock-up houses


It seems convoluted mechanisms, disagreements, procrastination and ongoing indecision are part of the normal process with such properties? This appears to be a common theme with much former government real estate that remains idle, as new accommodation is sought elsewhere. This practice could soon change with the latest plans for Perth’s old Treasury buildings.



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WA’s first government office complex
(Photo © State Library of Western Australia)


Successive governments have for many years debated the future of the old Treasury buildings on the corner of St George’s Terrace and Barrack Street, which has been described as Perth’s finest abandoned real estate.



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The old Treasury buildings on the corner of St George’s Terrace and Barrack Street


The building, started in 1874 and completed in 1889, was the State’s first government office complex, housing the Post and Telegraphs Office and the General Post Office from 1890 to 1923, until the present GPO in Forrest Place was opened.



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Inside the old Treasury buildings


It was occupied by the state government for over a century, to then be abandoned in 1996.

Now the government has a new vision for the area which comprises of a $580 million redevelopment of the site, including a 29,000 square metre 35 storey office tower and a six-star boutique hotel in the heritage listed buildings, as well as the demolition of the adjacent Law Chambers to enable development of a new City of Perth Library.



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Lands titles office, Cathedral Avenue, Perth, WA
(Photo © State Library of Western Australia)


This should also allow the former Lands Title Office to become visible from the street. The Public Trustee Building is to be fully refurbished to deliver a 8,000 square metre office facility, and underground parking to service all the buildings.



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Former Lands Title Office


The State Government is likely to become the anchor tenant of the proposed office tower, which may also be the new home for the WA Supreme Court.

This project is a key component in the Government’s office accommodation strategy of consolidating about 5,000 public servants in 22 departments and agencies from 17 locations to four office blocks and smaller Government-owned heritage buildings.



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An artist’s impression of the proposed development


Meanwhile in 1981, after 68 years of continual service the East Perth power station was closed. It was left abandoned and neglected until 2003, when the state government approved funding to stabilise the fabric of the building. In 2006 this work was completed, yet 5 years later a viable future for this important heritage place has yet to be determined.



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Former East Perth Power Station all spruced up but nowhere to go


The South Fremantle Power Station, which was built in 1946 and abandoned in 1985, is also stripped of its plant and equipment, sitting derelict and constantly being vandalised. It was the second and largest purpose-built thermal power station in Western Australia and is a good example of an Art Deco Industrial structure.



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Derelict South Fremantle Power Station


No matter if the building is heritage listed, if it is left unattended for a prolonged period, it will gradually be destroyed by scavengers, vandals, graffiti artists and the weather once the building is exposed to the elements. All but one of the images below represent abandoned Western Australian state government buildings that were okay when first closed, but are now going to ruin through neglect. Big buildings such as colleges, hospitals and power stations.



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Left to ruin


Meanwhile the Australian Museum of Motion Picture and Television (Inc.) has been seeking a home for the last decade, without success. It seems remembering our immediate cinema, radio and television past is not a high priority either.