Interview

Four Corners celebrates 60 years of investigative journalism

The ABC's Four Corners celebrated its 60th anniversary this week with a special episode looking back at highlights from the programme's six decades. Four Corners has amassed 62 Walkley awards over the years, and is Australia's longest running current affairs programme. Telum Media spoke to several of the programme's current team about the history of Four Corners and what it means to Australian media.

Morag Ramsay, Supervising Producer:
Four Corners has enhanced Australian media by never saying die! Over 60 years we have exposed corruption and ineptitude while holding a mirror up to society.

I’ve been at Four corners for 20 years, so it's impossible to single out one memorable experience. Being detained by Hezbollah in Lebanon with reporter Matthew Carney was pretty memorable! The hospital morgue after the Bali bombing is etched into my mind. But mostly it’s the sheer sense of exhilaration when you are working on a story that you know matters with colleagues who are at the top of their game.

There is no way I could single one favourite story or episode out. I do know the one that makes me cry every time and that is Liz Jackson’s Sense of Self about being diagnosed and living with Parkinson’s disease. Of my own stories, I’d say The Deal with Sarah Ferguson and Spinning the Tunes with Liz.

Nick McKenzie, Investigative Reporter:
Four Corners sets the standards for rigour, fearlessness and fairness.

Travelling the world exposing organised crime and corruption was a huge privilege, but telling the stories of Australian whistle-blowers on national television was the most rewarding. I still get emotional thinking of a disabled woman going on camera revealing her rape in a state care home - a story that helped lead to many inquiries including a royal commission.

Mark Willacy's story on war crimes was simply mind-blowing.



Naomi Selvaratnam, Researcher: 
Being able to dedicate time to investigating important issues and injustices is Four Corners' greatest contribution. I'm proud be a small part of the show's 60-year history.

It's almost impossible to pick a favourite story or episode from the show's long history! But for me, seeing Liz Jackson share her personal battle with Parkinson's Disease in A Sense of Self is one I will never forget. I grew up watching Liz on Four Corners and have always admired her courage, but it takes another level of bravery to show so much vulnerability on camera.

A highlight of my time at the programme was producing the first COVID-19 film using User Generated Content out of China. It was a battle to remotely produce and wrangle so much vision (mostly shot by the people we were interviewing), and watch it grow in China, especially seeing just how much COVID-19 has changed our lives since.

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Telum Media

Database

Journalists
Nick McKenzie

Deputy Investigations Editor

Naomi Selvaratnam

Journalist

Morag Ramsay

Executive Producer

Media
ABC (Television) Four Corners

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