Vale: Graham Webb

Pioneering TV producer, presenter and radio host Graham Webb, best known for Sound Unlimited, has died, aged 88.

In 1974, he hosted and produced the pioneering Saturday morning music video series Sound Unlimited on Seven– cited as the world’s first program to feature pop video clips.

Initially, it was broadcast as the Graham Webb Saturday Today Show in Sydney. But in 1975 Webb handed the compere role to ’60s pop singer-turned-DJ, Donnie Sutherland, who enjoyed a long run with the show, which ran to 1987 (retitled as Sounds). The show was instrumental in inspiring a young Russell Mulcahy to quit his TV job to become a full-time director, making clips for pop acts including Stylus, Marcia Hines, Hush and AC/DC.

Graham ‘Spider’ Webb had enjoyed a varied and successful radio career before television.

He began his radio career at 2TM Tamworth in 1954. In 1955, he moved to Brisbane, to become the “junior” announcer for 4BH, before moving on to 4GY Gympie, later becoming Reg Grundy’s offsider on the radio version of “Wheel Of Fortune”.

At 2UE he hosted the first Top 40 radio show on Sydney radio in the late 1950s, later hosting 2GB breakfast in 1961 plus radio in Germany, and the UK where he became prominent in the flourishing pirate radio scene.

Along the way he secured interviews with stars such as The Beatles, Monkees, ABBA and many others. On television he also hosted Blind Date from 1967 – 1974, and Jeopardy in the early ’70s.

In 1999, he co-founded Sunshine FM – a radio station targeting seniors, which went to air in 2000 hosted its breakfast program until 2009.

In more recent times, Webb presented regular programs on a number of stations including Vintage FM Penrith / Camden, Bay FM Nelson Bay and Harmony FM Richmond.

Based on the success of Sounds, Webb is often credited with starting MTV.

“I didn’t, these Americans came into my studio and copied my show completely and went to America and started MTV using my format, thanks very much boys,” he once said.

“It all happened in the 1970s, I don’t feel bitter about it, I feel proud I was there for a germ of an idea.”

Source: Wikipedia, Daily Telegraph