Veteran Australian broadcaster and former Senator Derryn Hinch has died aged 82.
The ABC confirmed Hinch died in his sleep this morning. His death was also confirmed on air by his former radio station, 3AW.
Hinch built his reputation over decades in Australian media through a distinctive broadcast style and a willingness to break the law in pursuit of a story, including several stints in jail for naming sex offenders on air.
Former 3AW colleague Peter Ford paid tribute to Hinch, describing him as an important figure in the station’s history. “It is one of those moments when you think that was an extraordinary life and career,” Ford said.
“It’s an amazing story of somebody who – a young guy in rural New Zealand who had dreams of getting into journalism and slowly but surely boy did he do that.”
Ford said Hinch had a natural instinct for storytelling. “Apart from having a really good journalist’s mind for a story, he knew how to write a story, how to present a story, he knew a good yarn when he heard it,” he said.
He acknowledged Hinch’s polarising reputation, saying the broadcaster viewed controversy as validation of his work.
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“Now that wasn’t to say, of course, that he wasn’t provocative; he stirred the pot a lot, he upset people a lot, and he saw that almost as being validation of doing his job well,” Ford said.
From Mediaweek