Clive Robertson (broadcaster)

Last updated

Clive Robertson
Born (1945-12-28) 28 December 1945 (age 76)
Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia
OccupationRadio presenter and television host
Years active1967−present
Known forFormer Radio presenter at 2GB
Spouse
​
(divorced)​

Clive Robertson (born 28 December 1945) is an Australian radio and television personality in Sydney who has been heard on both the AM and FM bands for over forty years.

Contents

Early life

Robertson was born in Katoomba, New South Wales, in 1945. He left school at the age of 16 to begin work on a farm (including his beloved "Massey-Harris tractor"), going on to work for his father (a lawyer), later doing court work, and then moving on to become an electrical apprentice as well as running wires for the Postmaster-General's Department. He later worked on the railways cleaning steam locomotives, and also driving them from time to time, which would fuel a lifelong fascination with them.

Career

In 1967 with the advent of talk radio, Robertson began his broadcasting career working at a number of stations in the southwest of Western Australia. In 1972 he joined the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in Sydney, beginning on the radio station 2BL. He moved to Canberra a few months later and worked on 2CY and 2CN. A well known part of his breakfast show on 2BL was his daily tête-à-tête with either Caroline Jones or Margaret Throsby. [1] He also presented the 7 pm television news for the ABC.

In 1980, he worked at 2DAY-FM, but returned to the ABC some months later.

From 1982 to 1988 he was host of the Beauty and the Beast television talk show on Network Ten. Leaving ABC radio, he then moved to the Seven Network where he hosted the news program 11AM , and in 1985 became the host of Newsworld. [2] Robertson took a unique approach to Newsworld, and his later news show on the Nine Network, Robbo's World Tonight:

I thought I'll muck around and then they'll take me off it, you see. And it didn't work that way ... I'd have to say the order of things especially at Channel 9, the order of news items. And if I said, "Look, this is really important", I'd look at the camera and say, "This is a really important story" and set it up, and if it was an important story, then the audience think, "Oh this guy's a good filter." If you said, "Look, this is a silly item, I don't know why we're running it" and you run it and it is a silly item, you've got them. And it's not a con. What that program did is different from most news programs is gave things what they really were worth ... and did that go down well with the journalists? Have a guess Peter. "He's ruining our station" and all that rubbish. I mean, we get a new item in at, say, 10.30 at night and I'd say, "By the way, you'll see this at 6 o'clock tomorrow night" and they'll say it's the latest, "you know better". "You can't say things like that." Well, you know, come on, so journalists are a bit thick as you know...

— ABC Talking Heads interview [3]

Over the years Robertson has also presented radio programs on 6VA, 6TZ, 6IX, 2UE, 2GB, 2SM and ABC Classic FM, [4] [2] [5] as well as TV station STW-9 and Network Ten. In 2006 he returned to national TV screens on the ABC Television show Agony Aunts. [5]

Robertson filled in for Stan Zemanek on 2UE from 8 pm to midnight just prior to Christmas in 2006. After the new year, he was moved to the midnight to dawn overnight timeslot. Robertson left 2UE in March 2008, not able to cope with the hours, [6] but returned to 3 pm to 6 pm on weekend afternoons, and later the 2UE Nights program (8:00 pm to 12:00 am).

On-air personality

Robertson is known for his wry wit and humorous dealings with talk-back callers, and his outspoken manner. He said that Perth radio station 6IX fired him because he would not use the station's slogan, "Have a happy day". [7]

Personal life

Robertson has been married twice. His second marriage was to actress Penny Cook. Both marriages ended in divorce. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triple J</span> Australian national radio station

Triple J is a government-funded, national Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greater emphasis on broadcasting Australian content compared to commercial stations. Triple J is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2UE</span> Commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia

2UE is an all-music radio station in Sydney owned by Nine Entertainment Co and run under a lease agreement by Ace Radio. It currently broadcasts from its studios in Pyrmont, New South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Laws</span> Australian radio presenter

Richard John Sinclair Laws CBE is a Papua New Guinean-born Australian radio announcer. For 50 years, until 2007, he was the host of an Australian morning radio program combining music with interviews, opinion, live advertising readings and listener talkback. His distinctive voice earned him the nickname "the Golden Tonsils". Although officially retired between 2007–2011, he returned in February 2011 to host a morning program on 2SM and the Super Radio Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2GB</span> Radio station in Sydney, Australia

2GB is a commercial radio station in Sydney, Australia owned by parent company Nine Radio, a division of Nine Entertainment Co., who also own sister station 2UE.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ABC Radio Sydney</span> Radio station in Sydney, New South Wales

ABC Radio Sydney is an ABC radio station in Sydney, Australia. It is the flagship station in the ABC Local Radio network and broadcasts on 702 kHz on the AM dial. The station transmits with a power (CMF) of 3,110V, which is equivalent to 50 kW from a site 30 kilometres (19 mi) west of the Sydney CBD.

The Continuous Call Team is an Australian radio sports program, covering the news and live games of the National Rugby League. It is produced and broadcast by 2GB Sydney, and is relayed to stations in New South Wales, the ACT, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia and Papua New Guinea. The team have exclusive commercial radio rights to the National Rugby League until the end of the games are broadcast on Friday nights, Saturdays and Sundays, with a talkback/humour programme broadcast on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2HD</span> Radio station in Newcastle, Australia

2HD is an Australian radio station in New South Wales. Owned and operated as part of the Super Radio Network of stations, it currently broadcasts a news talk and classic hits format to Newcastle, New South Wales and the surrounding Hunter region. First broadcast on 27 January 1925, it was established by founder Harry Douglas - from which the station derives its name - and is based in studios in Sandgate alongside sister station New FM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graham Kennedy</span> Australian entertainer, comedian and variety performer

Graham Cyril Kennedy AO was an Australian entertainer, comedian and variety performer, as well as a personality and star of radio, theatre, television and film. He often performed in the style of vaudevillian and radio comedy star Roy Rene and was often called "Gra Gra". Honoured as an officer of the Order of Australia, he was a six-time recipient of the Gold Logie, including the Logie Hall of Fame award, and won the Star of the Year Award in 1959. He is the most awarded star of Australian television. He was often referred to as "The King" or the "King of Australian television". He was also known for his collaborations with Australian entertainer Bert Newton and American-born television personality Don Lane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Jones (radio broadcaster)</span> Australian right-wing commentator and former radio broadcaster

Alan Belford Jones AO is an Australian former radio broadcaster. He is a former coach of the Australia national rugby union team and rugby league coach and administrator. He has worked as a school teacher, a speech writer in the office of the Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, and in musical theatre. He has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Queensland, and completed a one-year teaching diploma at Worcester College, Oxford. He has received civil and industry awards.

Steve Liebmann is an Australian retired television anchor, journalist and radio broadcaster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Lane</span> American talk show host

Don Lane was an American-born talk show host and singer, best known for his television career in Australia, especially for hosting Tonight with Don Lane and The Don Lane Show which aired on the Nine Network from 1975 to 1983, and his appearances with Bert Newton.

Jim Ball is an Australian radio personality, formerly broadcasting with the 2GB and 2UE networks in Sydney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Carlton</span> Australian media commentator and author

Michael James Carlton, is an Australian former media commentator, radio host, television journalist, author and newspaper columnist. He formerly co-hosted the daily breakfast program on Sydney radio station 2UE with Peter FitzSimons and later Sandy Aloisi.

Steven William Price is an Australian radio broadcaster and opinion columnist. He appears regularly on The Project. In 2022, Price announced his contract with Triple M was not renewed. Price worked at Macquarie Media broadcasting on 2GB, 4BC and 3AW. Previously, he was the program director and breakfast presenter at MTR 1377.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Carlton</span>

Brian Carlton is an Australian radio announcer, producer and journalist. He is known professionally on Triple M Hobart, as The Spoonman.

The Australian Broadcasting Company Pty. Ltd. was a company founded in Melbourne in 1924 with a capital of £A 100,000 by a consortium of entertainment interests, notably Farmer & Company, J. C. Williamson Limited and J. & N. Tait to found and operate commercial radio broadcasting stations. Other major shareholders, perhaps later entrants, were Union Theatres Limited, B & J. Fuller and J. Albert & Son. Directors were Stuart Doyle, Frank Albert and Sir Benjamin Fuller. The Company was set up in Sydney by Sir Benjamin Fuller and Frank Albert.

Angela Catterns, is an Australian media personality and broadcaster. Mostly known for her work on Australian radio, she has presented Mornings on Triple J, the National Evening Show on ABC Local Radio, and Breakfast on 702 ABC Sydney. She is also a podcaster, writer, interviewer, MC, facilitator, narrator & voice over artist. She presented with Australian humourist and broadcaster Wendy Harmer a holiday season version of the Breakfast Show on 702 ABC Sydney.

John Saxon Tingle was an Australian politician, journalist and broadcaster. He was the founder of the Shooters Party in New South Wales, and was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1995 to 2006.

Stuart Lyndon Bocking, is a former Australian radio presenter and current political strategist. He has worked primarily for regional and Sydney stations, and was a presenter on 2UE, Sydney.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Smith (presenter)</span>

Justin Smith is an Australian author, journalist, broadcaster. He's a columnist with Melbourne newspaper the Herald Sun, and appears on Sunrise and Sky News. He’s the author of two books — his latest, Cooper Not Out, was released in January 2022.

References

  1. ↑ Clive Robertson 2BL 1979 on YouTube
  2. 1 2 "Help from the boss for Robbo". The Sydney Morning Herald. 22 January 1989.
  3. ↑ "Talking Heads – Clive Robertson". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . 30 November 2007. Archived from the original on 30 November 2007. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  4. ↑ "Clive broadcast". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 October 2005. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  5. 1 2 Guinness, Daphne (18 May 2006). "Clive goes all cuddly". The Age. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  6. ↑ Murray, Emily Dunn and Elicia (28 February 2008). "Model of decorum on the red". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  7. ↑ Australia's Entertainers ; Compiled by Margot Veitch; p. 119
  8. ↑ "Talking Heads - Clive Robertson". Abc.net.au. 19 September 2005. Archived from the original on 30 November 2007. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.