Vale: Caroline Jones
Veteran presenter Caroline Jones, best known for Australian Story, has died.
- Published by David Knox
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Veteran presenter Caroline Jones, best known for Australian Story has died, aged 84.
She died following a fall at her home this week in Sydney, ABC reports.
Jones is remembered as a warm and kind person with a wicked sense of humour, but perhaps her biggest legacy is the strides she made for women in media and television.
Amongst her achievements were a Logie award in 1972 for an investigation of inner-city slum landlords, a Walkley Award for Outstanding Contribution to Journalism, 2013, an Australian Media Hall of Fame, becoming Women in Media patron, made an officer of the Order of Australia and named a ‘Living Treasure’.
Joining the ABC in 1963, Jones worked at This Day Tonight program, after which she became the presenter of Four Corners, with a weekly audience of 2 million viewers.
“It was such an unusual appointment that it became news,” Jones told ABC Alumni news in 2021.
Jones’s bold moves and ability to rise to a challenge paved the way for new and future generations of women in the media.
Her legacy will lie in the pages of newspapers, podcasts, television news reports, radio broadcasts and online. Her colleagues remember her as a dignified, respected and much-loved journalist who never shied away from exposing wrongdoings in her reporting.
ABC News launched the Caroline Jones Scholarship in 2018 — a 12-month cadet position providing financial and on-the-job development for a talented Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person who aspires to be a journalist.
ABC Managing Director David Anderson described Jones as a hugely influential, respected and loved journalist, writer and broadcaster, who broke down barriers throughout her career.
“Caroline was an important voice for many Australians and she served ABC audiences with distinction and class,” Mr Anderson said.
“Like many ABC journalists of her generation, she helped to define Australian broadcast journalism.
“As well as a razor-sharp mind and unflappable self-possession, she had a wonderful voice and warm presence that Australians respected and loved.”
He added, “Caroline was a loved and valued member of the ABC family and will be tremendously missed. On behalf of everyone at the ABC I extend my sincere sympathies to Caroline’s family and friends.”
Source: ABC
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8 Responses
She was the face of the ABC. Even as a little kid whenever I saw her I thought of channel 2
My mother was a big fan. I remember her too.
This is so sad. I grew up watching Caroline and respected her work, her gracious presence and place in our broadcasting history. I got to meet her just a couple of years ago and found her to be the epitome of humility and elegance. Caroline Jones was a pioneer and will be missed. Huge legacy.
Very sad loss for the industry and paved the way for many female journos in this country.
David, I think you suggested on numerous occasions for Caroline to be inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame, but I don’t think it ever eventuated. It should be done posthumously.
I most certainly did.
As have I. Many times.
Her talents will be sadly missed, but as David has summarized in his article, Caroline Jones leaves a very rich legacy.
Ms Jones morning radio with a short segment of overlap with Clive Robinson (I think that was his name) were a personal highlight. Apparently they were in separate buildings with no vision of each other and Clive would make “inside jokes” about her looking well or some such and she would play the “straight person” to Clive’s humour. They also of course discussed issues of the day with Clive’s cynical take (which I personally very much enjoyed) with Caroline providing insightful (and at times wonderfully droll) come backs. Their on air relationship completely disguised the fact they were in separate studios. Great morning radio.