Brian Davies, a former journalist and TV producer turned refugee advocate, has died at the age of 86.
His career started at age 18, when he joined ABC in Sydney in the mid-1950s. He started in radio but made the move to ABN2 soon after it commenced transmission.
Over the next twenty years he worked on and off at both ABC and at ATN7 in Sydney. His credits at ABC included ABC News, Weekend Magazine, This Day Tonight, Four Corners and, as an external producer, the children’s program Lens On Lilliput. He also served as a foreign correspondent for ABC in London. Under his tenure, Four Corners collected a number of awards, including a TV Week Logie Award, a Sammy Award and a United Nations Peace Prize.
At Seven he reported for and produced current affairs show Seven Days and produced Sydney Today in the 1960s. Twenty years later he produced Seven’s late night news bulletin Newsworld.
He worked at SBS, producing the discussion show Issues ’84, hosted by Margaret Throsby, and was involved in the development of regional broadcaster Imparja Television.
He was also an author, with a number of titles to his credit, including the 1981 publication Those Fabulous TV Years, documenting the first 25 years of Australian television. (And, as a side note, one of the first references of Australian television to be in this blog writer’s possession)
In retirement, Davies became a refugee advocate, making regular visits to Villawood detention centre and negotiating with lawyers and immigration officials, as well as providing financial support and supplies such as groceries to those in need.
The full obituary, written by his son Luke, is published at The Age.
Worked with Brian at ATN News. Great times together –
one of the first print journos who understood TV both as a journo and a good presenter. If family are interested have a print of a doco we made on Drought “Hay,Hell and Booligal” and happy to share [email protected]
Steve Bowman…..Malcolm Hunt this end. Now you are a blast from the past.
Have retired and caught up with Brian over lunch since around 2017.
Bob Johnson, Mike Bailey, Graham Storer Mike Peterson Brain and myself…I called us the
original six pack. When the number fell away,Bob unable to walk, Bailey passing away, I called the group the awesome foursome. Got Murray Pollard in to keep the unit going, but now it’s just him and I.
Saw Brian about once a month, and really sad to see him go.
What have you been up to. Stay good….Cheers Malcolm Hunt