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Paul Barry to become next Media Watch host

Updated: Paul Barry to host Media Watch from July with Jonathan Holmes undecided whether he will remain with ABC.

2013-05-02_1210Paul Barry is set to return as the next host of Media Watch.

Jonathan Holmes’ term as host of ABC’s media watchdog show is expected to see him depart at the end of June.

The Australian Financial Review has named Barry as his replacement.

Barry last stepped in as host for 3 months in 2010 when Holmes took long service leave from the ABC.

He also hosted the show from 1999 to 2000 but was sacked by then head of the ABC Jonathon Shier after an interview with ABC Director Donald McDonald on the subject of government funding. He has written books on Kerry Packer, Alan Bond and James Packer, and previously reported for Four Corners, Seven’s Witness and The Times and written for the Sydney Morning Herald.

The Australian has already questioned the appointment saying it “will do nothing to soothe those who view the show as a vehicle to critique News Limited.”

Yesterday in his column, Andrew Bolt wrote an open letter to ABC Managing Director Mark Scott saying:

“Mark, I see Sportsbet has me at $10 to take over as host of your Media Watch TV program. Let me end the uncertainty that’s blown out my odds.

“Don’t assume I’m not available. Hear that ripping sound? That was my contract for my Network 10 show.”

ABC Release:
Paul Barry will take over one of the ABC’s most high-profile presenting jobs early in July, when Jonathan Holmes vacates the chair of Media Watch.

After five and a half years, Holmes has decided to move on.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at Media Watch”, he says. “I believe it’s one of the most important jobs the ABC has to offer. Whether it likes it or not, the Australian media needs a critical eye, and Media Watch has an ability to name and shame swiftly and publicly in a way that the regulators cannot.

“Stuart Littlemore pioneered the role, and did it for nine seasons, while holding down a full-time job as a barrister. That’s a record that is unlikely to be matched, but I have stayed in the job for longer than any of his successors, and it’s time to pass the baton.”

Holmes says he’s not yet sure whether or not he will stay with the ABC. “I’m juggling possibilities”.

Paul Barry hosted Media Watch in the year 2000. Controversially, under Managing Director Jonathan Shier, the contract for Media Watch was not renewed at the end of that year. Under new management, the program returned to ABC Television in 2002.

In 2010, Barry filled in briefly for Jonathan Holmes when he took long service leave.

Paul Barry is one of Australia’s most respected reporters and writers. After eight years reporting for the BBC, he joined the ABC’s Four Corners in 1986. He won a Walkley Award and a Logie Award before leaving in 1993. Since then he has presented current affairs programs for the Seven Network (The Times, Witness), and has worked as an investigative reporter for the Nine Network, The Sydney Morning Herald (where he won a second Walkley Award) and for Sunday Telegraph. Most recently he has been a senior writer for The Power Index, an online site published by Private Media, owners of Crikey.

Paul has also written a number of best-selling books, including The Rise and Fall of Alan Bond, The Rise and Rise of Kerry Packer, Rich Kids (the story of One.Tel) and Who Wants to be a Billionaire? (an unauthorised biography of James Packer).

“Media Watch is unique in Australian media, now a widely respected institution that reminds journalists of the responsibility that comes with the job”, Managing Director Mark Scott says. “Jonathan’s leadership in bringing social media under the microscope of Media Watch and his success in taking the discussion about the show into the social media space has renewed the program’s relevance.”

“Paul Barry has a detailed understanding of the complex operations of the Australian media and is widely respected. He appreciates the values and traditions of the program and in an era of significant change in our industry, I am looking forward to Paul’s return to Monday nights on Media Watch.”

Paul is currently living in France, completing another book. He will not be returning to Australia until shortly before he takes over at Media Watch in July.

9 Responses

  1. I too love Jonathan Holmes and how he has handled the job. I wish Paul Barry all the best in his new(ish) role. I really hope they won’t pull a Shier again.

  2. It seems odd to see a host leave mid year, every other time has been end of year.

    Cheers to Mr Holmes, welcome to Mr Barry.

    Keep the bastards honest 🙂

  3. Yes, I’ll be sorry to see Jonathon go, too. It’s such a difficult role to get just right. It’s too easy to, on occasion, be overly smug (Paul Barry), supercilious (Stuart Littlemore), or snarky (David Marr). Having said that, I haven’t disliked any of the hosts and would be fine with any of them returning. (What’s Monica Attard doing these days?).

    It’s interesting to note that, apart from Holmes and Barry (as far as I know), all of the other ex-hosts have law degrees. I wonder if there’s something in that?

    I wonder if Barry kept the business card that Alan Bond stepped on? It might be worth a quid or two in a few years.

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