Australia and NZ lose two veteran broadcasters

Thursday 25 Aug 2011
Last week saw the loss of two veteran broadcasters: ABC pioneer Ian Carroll and New Zealand sports broadcaster Graeme Moody.

Mr Carroll, 64, who lost his fight against pancreatic cancer on Friday evening, was the man behind many of the ABC’s flagship television programmes, reported ABC News.

His death came on an already sad day for the ABC after the deaths of journalist Paul Lockyer, pilot Gary Ticehurst and cameraman John Bean in a helicopter crash last week.

Mr Carroll had been Director of Innovation since the division was established in 2007. He helped establish many news and current affairs programmes. He was also a leader in digital media, driving the development of iView and apps for the iPhone and iPad as well as overhauling the ABC’s websites. He also established two channels for ABC Digital Television.

ABC Managing Director Mark Scott paid tribute to Mr Carroll, saying: “In Ian, we have a brave industry pioneer”.

Elsewhere, NZCity News reported that Graeme Moody, one of New Zealand’s best known sports broadcasters, drowned while surfing in Australia.

Mr Moody, 60, was Newstalk ZB Wellington’s breakfast sports anchor at the time of his death. He had worked for The Radio Network in Wellington and was the voice of Wellington and All Blacks rugby for two decades.

He also covered a number of Commonwealth and Olympic Games as well as a myriad of other sports.

New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew said Mr Moody’s voice had become synonymous with rugby in New Zealand.