60 Minutes

60 Minutes
Genre	Newsmagazine
Created by	Don Hewitt
Presented by	Liz Hayes (1996–present) Charles Wooley (1993–2005, 2009–present) Tara Brown (2001-present) Liam Bartlett (2006–present) Michael Usher (2009–present) Allison Langdon (2011–present)
Country of origin	Australia
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	33
Production
Executive producer(s)	Hamish Thomson (since 2007)
Location(s)	Sydney
Running time	46 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	Nine Network
Picture format	576i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Audio format	Stereo
Original run	11 February 1979 – present
Chronology
Related shows	60 Minutes (1968–present)
External links
Website

60 Minutes, an Australian version of the U.S. television newsmagazine 60 Minutes, airs on Sunday nights on the Nine Network and is presented in much the same way as the American program on which it is based. The New Zealand version of the show has also featured segments of the Australian version.

Gerald Stone, the founding executive producer, was given the job by Kerry Packer and was told:^[1] "I don't give a f... what it takes. Just do it and get it right." After the first episode was broadcast on 11 February 1979, Packer was less than impressed, telling Stone:^[1] "You’ve blown it, son. You better fix it fast." Over the years, Stone's award winning 60 Minutes revolutionised Australian current affairs reporting and enhanced the careers of Ray Martin, Ian Leslie, George Negus, and later Jana Wendt.^[1]

Since it was first broadcast, 60 Minutes has won five Silver Logies, one Special Achievement Logie, and received nominations for a further six Logie awards.^[2]

In more recent years, the program has lacked its earlier reputation for excellence^[3] and adopted a more tabloid format; an example of which was demonstrated during the 2010 federal election when Mark Latham was engaged temporarily as a reporter.^[4][5] Latham confronted Prime Minister Gillard, resulting in the Nine Network Chief Executive apologising for Latham's behaviour.^[6] Latham later encouraged voters to vote informal as a protest, resulting in the matter being referred to the Australian Electoral Commission.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Executive producers

• Hamish Thomson (2007–present)
• John Westacott (1992–2007)
• Gerald Stone (1979–1992)

Reporting team

Present correspondents

• Liz Hayes (1996–present)
• Charles Wooley (1993–2005, 2009–present)
• Tara Brown (2001–present)
• Liam Bartlett (2006–present)
• Michael Usher (2009–present)
• Allison Langdon (2011–present)

Contributing reporters

• Ellen Fanning (1999–2000, 2009–present)
• Peter Harvey (2003–present)
• Peter Overton (2001–present)
• Karl Stefanovic (2005–present)
• Ray Martin (2010–present)

Past correspondents

• Jana Wendt (1982–88, 1994)
• Jeff McMullen (1985–2001)
• Jennifer Byrne (1986–93)
• Mike Munro (1986–92)
• Richard Carleton (1987–2006) (died during the Beaconsfield mine disaster.)
• Tracey Curro (1993–97)
• Charles Wooley (1993–2005)
• Ellen Fanning (1999–2001)
• Paul Barry (2004–05)

Original correspondents

• George Negus (1979–86)
• Ray Martin (1979–84)
• Ian Leslie (1979–89)

Commentators

Past and present commentators include:

• Paul Lyneham (1979–2000)
• Peter Harvey (2003–present)

See also

• List of Australian television series
• Australian journalism

References

External links

• Australia's 60 Minutes official website
• 60 Minutes at the Internet Movie Database
• 60 Minutes at the National Film and Sound Archive