40th anniversary for A Current Affair
Today marks 40 years since A Current Affair first hit Australian screens.
- Published by David Knox
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Today marks 40 years since A Current Affair first hit Australian screens.
Mike Willesee hosted the show for Nine back on November 22nd 1971, with Paul Hogan giving social commentary.
Other presenters in the 1970s included Mike Minehan, Sue Smith, Kevin Sanders and Michael Schildberger.
The show ended in 1978 but returned as Willesee from 1984 – 88.
Jana Wendt hosted from 1988 when the ACA brand returned and was later succeeded by Willesee, Ray Martin (twice), Mike Munro and eventually Tracy Grimshaw who has hosted since 2006 and Leila McKinnon.
There have also been various state-based editions.
Some of its reporters have been part of ACA for years including Martin King and Howard Gipps.
While the landscape has clearly shifted with less politics and more consumer stories, it’s still an amazing run for any television brand.
…and a special shout-out to John Clarke and Bryan Dawe for their former comedic contributions.
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26 Responses
I remember watching ACA when i was a kid I think it was sue smith and michael shielburger hosting at the time and now they are going to celebrate 40 years by doing a story on nude neighbours!!!!! fair dinkum!!!
Why haven’t we seen any of the Paul Hogan footage since it aired?? We had endless Graham Kennedy specials, but the Paul Hogan ones never showed the ACA clips, do they even exist anymore? Probably ended up in that infamous channel 9 skip where Bob Phillips souvenired his collection from, now in the hands of ACMI.
Good on ACA – Credit to them! 40 Years is a long time, especially for a tv program
How sad that this show, despite technically having legendary status, is one of the most hated programs (along with TT)
Normally when something reaches 40 years, people reflect kindly on the subject and come to appreciate something that might of once hated, due to the fact it has lasted quite a while in the business
But both ACA & TT don’t have that “credible” status or feel to it, nor do they have a cult following. It’s just….well, nothing in this country. No legacy. No “good years”. No “prime”. Just….really bad programming.
You’ve got to feel sorry for them.
I can always tell when my mother has been watching Today/Tonight or ACA.
I get this random text message warning me of the dangers of either:
– Credit card/Identity scams
– Rise in Electricity costs/Groceries/phone bills
or
– dodgy contractors/agents/neighbours
Fear mongering at it’s best!
@jonno: Mike Willesee was on Seven in the late 70s and early 80s – with “Willesee At Seven” which became “Willesee ’81” although in its final days despite its title it was hosted by Derryn Hinch.
In 1984, more than a decade after leaving Nine, Mike Willesee returned to host the Willesee program that became ACA. Not to be confused with his brother Terry who had a current affairs program on Seven (Terry Willesee Tonight) in the mid-to-late 1980s.
The post news infomercial. It has been a major contributer to the dumbing down of tv journalism.
@Mcneil – “it deals with issues that affect every day people.”
You mean gives populist topics superficial lip-service, recycling old footage, and presenting out-of-date or irrelevant data. Not to mention stirring up latent xenophobia under the guise of community concern. I do hope that you don’t base important decisions on the misinformation that ACA spews out.
Thankfully you’re in the minority as 21 million Australians very sensibly don’t watch this dross.
To be honest this show should of had a name change 10 years ago. It is a totally different show to when Willesse and Jana hosted it. I think when it came back as Willesse it was on Channel 7.
which was the year when it transformed into complete bollocks?
I would love to see Leila McKinnon take over someday. She is an elegant beautiful lady, wonderful screen presence and always smiling and engaging in interviews. We love watching ACA when she is on. Sad when she ends her stints on ACA from taking over from the regular host. Oneday we hope!
I knew this article would just be a free hit for the pompous elitists who wouldn’t know what the mass public want if it hit them in the face. Have they ever asked themselves why it rates? This is probably one of the only shows I watch on a daily basis because it deals with issues that affect every day people. Good on them and here’s to another 40 years!
meeeoowwww
Let’s celebrate grey hair, wrinkles and a mid-life crisis?
The old grey mare she ain’t what she used to be…..
We should always remember… times change.
not sure if Ray Martin will be happy about being in the birthday ads and being associated with the current ACA brand…
My God, some responses are so predictable.
As David said, “While the landscape has clearly shifted with less politics and more consumer stories, it’s still an amazing run for any television brand.”
Bit of a stretch to call it a 40th anniversary when it was off air for six years and was a completely different format when it returned as Willesee in 1984. I guess Nine needs something to celebrate in a year of massive failure.
Today Show were going on about a birthday this morning but wouldn’t say who’s it was. were they referring to this?
I’m scared! Do we all degenerate into that by the time we hit 40? 🙁
To bad the show has only gotten worse over the years. Let’s pray to god that another 40 years won’t happen.
Not really much to celebrate about this show anymore….
This doesn’t deserve to be running still.
if only ten gave Negus a better chance….