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Australian Story

From Alfawiki
Australian Story
Company typeTelevision series
IndustryTelevision broadcasting
FoundedMay 29, 1996; 30 years ago (1996-05-29)
Headquarters
Australia
Area served
Australia
ProductsDocumentary television series
OwnerAustralian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)
Websitewww.abc.net.au/austory/

Australian Story is a weekly national current affairs and documentary television series broadcast on ABC Television. The show is produced by the ABC News and Current Affairs Department. Premiering on 29 May 1996, it showcases Australians from a wide range of backgrounds and with significant achievements or public profiles.

The program delves into themes such as 'remarkable accomplishments', 'taking a principled stand', and 'human vulnerability', frequently portraying its subjects with empathy. This narrative style has garnered the series numerous esteemed accolades, including multiple Walkley Awards for outstanding journalism and four consecutive Logie Award wins between 2003 and 2006. By 2013, the series was drawing an average weekly viewership surpassing one million, securing its place as one of ABC Television’s top-rated shows.

Format

Australian Story airs weekly in a half-hour documentary format on Mondays at 8pm (AEST).[1] It features compelling stories without an on-camera reporter, enabling participants to narrate their experiences directly.[2] Each episode centers on an individual Australian, either prominent or everyday, filmed in meaningful settings like their home or workplace, often including interviews with relatives and acquaintances.[3] Typically, filming spans 10 to 12 days, followed by an eight-week post-production process.[3]

Broadcast history

The show was launched in 1996 by ABC Brisbane after the national restructuring of The 7:30 Report reduced its local content,[3] creating space for rural and human interest stories. Australian Story debuted on 29 May 1996.[2]

Originally formatted as a magazine-style program, it soon transitioned to focusing exclusively on a single story each episode—a structure that remains today.[4] Filmed outside traditional studios and without reporters, its cinematic style and visual storytelling align it closely with documentary filmmaking.[4][2]

In 2016, the series commemorated its 20th anniversary with a two-part special featuring significant narratives such as Hazel Hawke’s experience with Alzheimer's and Jacki Weaver’s struggle with alcoholism. By that time, over 800 stories had been presented.[4]

Caroline Jones served as the original host, providing introductions at the beginning of each episode.[5] Occasionally, prominent personalities like Matt Damon and Elton John appeared as guest hosts.[4] After Jones departed at the end of 2016, episodes were produced without a presenter until Leigh Sales took over this role in 2023.[5][6]

Australian Story continues to be broadcast Mondays at 8pm on ABC TV,[2] with new episodes available weekly via YouTube,[1] the official website, and ABC iview.[1]

Ratings

Year Average Weekly Viewership
2012–13 1.3 million
2013–14 1.3 million
2014–15 1.3 million
2015–16 1.2 million
2016–17 1.1 million
2017–18 976,000
2018–19 999,000

Recognition and awards

Year Honors
1997 Walkley Award for 'Best Current Affairs Report, Feature, Documentary or Special' awarded to Ben Cheshire and Sophie Emtage for "Valentines Day"
1998 Walkley Award for 'Coverage of Indigenous Affairs' presented to John Millard for "Camilla's Conversion"

Walkley Award for Cinematography granted to Laurence Mcmanus for "A Cold Wind in August"

1999 Melbourne Press Club Quill Award for 'Best Rural Story' given to Tim Lee for "A Track Winding Back"

UNAA Media Peace Award for 'Best Television' awarded to Tim Lee, Mara Blazic, Kent Gordon, Vince Tucci, Erik Havnen, Ro Woods, Colin Jones, and Stuart Palmer for "A Track Winding Back"

2000 United Nations Media Peace Award recognizing 'Promotion of Multicultural Issues' presented to Australian Story for "Mild Colonial Boy"

National Youth Media Award for 'Best Television Current Affairs Program/Documentary' granted to Brigid Donovan for "Carve Their Names With Pride"

2001 Media Peace Award honoring 'Promotion of Aboriginal Reconciliation' awarded to Ben Cheshire for "Bridge Over Myall Creek"

Australian Cinematographers Society Award QLD received by Anthony Sines for "Something in the Air"

2002 Walkley Award for 'Current Affairs, Feature, Documentary over 10 minutes' presented to Wendy Page and Ian Harley for "Murder He Wrote"
2003 TV Week Logie Award for 'Most Outstanding Documentary Series' granted to Australian Story

Victorian Press Club Quill Award for 'Best TV Current Affairs Feature' awarded to Belinda Hawkins, Mara Blazic and Roger Carter for "Being Allan Fells"

MEAA Queensland Media Awards recognizing 'Best Feature/Documentary' and 'Best Cinematography' earned by Claire Forster and John Bean respectively

2004 TV Week Logie Award for 'Most Outstanding Public Affairs Program' given to Helen Grasshill, Quentin Davis, Katy Graham and Ian Harley for "The Big A"
2005 TV Week Logie Award for 'Most Outstanding Public Affairs Programme' awarded to Ben Cheshire and John Stewart for "Into the Forest"

Walkley Awards recognizing Journalistic Leadership (Deborah Fleming) and 'Best long-form current affairs' (Helen Grasswill)

2006 TV Week Logie Award for 'Most Outstanding Public Affairs' presented to Helen Grasswill for "The Gathering Storm"

Walkley Award alongside Australian Sports Commission Media Award for 'Best Profiling of an Athlete, Team or Coach' given to Ben Cheshire and team for "One Perfect Day"

2007 Walkley Award coupled with Australian Sports Commission Award honoring 'Best Sports Feature' and profiling awarded to Wendy Page and Ian Harley for "Man of the Century"
2008 TV Week Logie Award recognizing 'Most Outstanding Public Affairs Report' granted to Brigid Donovan and Angela Leonardi

Walkley Awards and Australian Sports Commission Media Awards acknowledging sports features by Ben Cheshire and associates

2009 Australian Sports Commission Media Award for 'Best Profiling of an Athlete, Team or Coach' received by Roger Carter

Suicide Prevention Australia Life Award together with Queensland Media Award acknowledging impactful journalism by Belinda Hawkins, Elena Christie, Mara Blazic, Caitlin Shea, and Kristine Taylor

2010 Melbourne Press Club Quill Award along with Victoria Law Foundation Legal Reporting Award presented to Belinda Hawkins, Elena Christie, Brigid Donovan

Criticism

Australian Story has encountered criticism due to its unclear genre designation. The ABC categorizes the program both as a News and Current Affairs show and as a documentary series. Nevertheless, Australian documentary filmmakers dispute its classification as a documentary, emphasizing that it is a serialized television production. Scholars have also challenged its labeling under News and Current Affairs, pointing to a more lenient journalistic style. Some commentators assert that the series frequently functions as a platform for prominent figures to shape their public personas.

"The Road to Kerobokan"

On 13 January 2006, Australian Story broadcast "The Road to Kerobokan," which focused on Scott Rush, an Australian facing trial in Bali for heroin trafficking. The episode was shown just hours after Rush was sentenced to life imprisonment. Following legal counsel aimed at safeguarding his appeal, producers opted not to reveal Rush’s earlier offenses, though they acknowledged their existence. The following day, the Queensland Courier-Mail published extensive details regarding his criminal background. This prompted criticism from audiences and media analysts, including ABC's Media Watch, which raised concerns about the program’s journalistic rigor. Incidents like this have strengthened views that the show tends to be lenient toward its subjects.

"Something in the Water"

In 2010, Australian Story aired a two-part segment titled "Something in the Water," highlighting Alison Bleaney, a medical professional and local councilor from St Helens, Tasmania. Bleaney voiced worries about forest industry activities polluting local water sources. The episodes were broadcast during the Tasmanian State election campaign and drew political attention, with allegations that their timing was intended to sway electoral outcomes. Executive producer Deborah Fleming clarified that the program aimed only to present concerns rather than establish definitive facts. Given the ABC News and Current Affairs Department’s strong reputation for credible political reporting, the profile faced scrutiny for lacking scientific substantiation.

"The Gilded Cage"

In 2002, Australian Story aired an episode titled "The Gilded Cage," featuring former Australian Governor-General and Anglican Archbishop Dr Peter Hollingworth. This exclusive interview followed a significant school sex abuse scandal involving two serial offenders at Brisbane Anglican schools during Hollingworth's leadership. His response to the crisis attracted widespread criticism across Australia. During the episode, Hollingworth controversially implied that a 14-year-old girl had initiated a sexual relationship with a priest, provoking public outrage. The resulting backlash played a role in his resignation as Governor-General. This frank interview reinforced Australian Story's reputation for delivering intimate and compelling storytelling.

"Murder He Wrote"

"Murder He Wrote," Australian Story's inaugural two-part profile aired on 29 July and 5 August 2002, recounted the story of John Button from Western Australia, who had been wrongfully convicted of murdering his girlfriend Rosemary Anderson. The case was reopened following Button’s appeal, which attributed the death to infamous serial killer Eric Edgar Cooke. Producer Wendy Page conducted six years of research before pursuing this story. Together with Ian Harley, she received the Walkley Award for 'Current Affairs, Feature, Documentary more than 10 minutes' for this work. The profile included interviews with members of the Button, Anderson, and Cooke families during the appeal process, culminating in Button’s exoneration—one of Australia's longest-standing wrongful convictions overturned.

"Into the Forest"

On 1 November 2004, Australian Story broadcast the initial installment of a two-part feature titled "Into the Forest," which explored the criminal activities of infamous Australian serial killer Ivan Milat.[7] This segment included conversations with Milat's relatives and Clive Small, who served as NSW Police Superintendent during the investigation.[8] According to Screen Australia, it ranked as the highest-rated Australian documentary on television that year.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Producers Ben Cheshire and John Stewart earned the TV Week Logie Award for 'Most Outstanding Public Affairs Programme' in recognition of this profile.[9]

"Beyond Reasonable Doubt"

The inaugural three-part profile of Australian Story, titled "Beyond Reasonable Doubt," premiered on 17 July 2006.[10] It examined the disputed conviction of three men—Fazzari, Pereiras, and Martinez—accused of a 1998 homicide.[10] The series underscored Mirella Scaramella's efforts to challenge and ultimately overturn the guilty verdict.[10] In a significant development a year later, all three individuals were cleared by the Western Australia Court of Appeal.[10]

"Unbreakable"

The special episode "Unbreakable" recounted Garry Robinson’s survival following a 2010 Black Hawk helicopter crash in Afghanistan and his later involvement in the Invictus Games.[11] Drawing an audience peak of 2 million viewers—double its typical 1 million—the episode aired on 15 October 2018.[12][13] It featured an exclusive interview with Prince Harry, founder of the Invictus Games, conducted at Kensington Palace.[11]

"A Complicated Life: Kerry Packer"

In April 2014, Australian Story presented a two-part examination of media magnate Kerry Packer, who passed away in 2005 after a prominent career. The second installment achieved an average viewership of 1.6 million, marking the highest audience for 2013–14. The profile incorporated interviews with key figures such as John Howard, Malcolm Turnbull, and Richard Walsh, alongside insights from Jodhi Meares, Packer's former daughter-in-law, who offered a distinctive viewpoint on the Packer family.

See also

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :9
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  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :1
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :10
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :7
  6. ↑ Leigh Sales on hosting Australian Story... (19 February 2023)
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :12
  8. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named Into The Forest
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :3
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :6
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :0
  12. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :4
  13. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named :2
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