Four Corners (TV program)
| Four Corners | |
|---|---|
Four Corners logo
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| Genre | Documentary |
| Presented by |
Michael Charlton (1961) Gerald Lyons (1962–63) Frank Bennett (1964) Robert Moore (1964) John Penlington (1964) Richard Oxenburgh (1964) Robert Moore (1965–67) John Temple (1968) Mike Willesee (1969–71) David Flatman (1971–72) Caroline Jones (1973–81) Andrew Olle (1985–94) Liz Jackson (1995–99) Unpresented (1999-2010) Kerry O'Brien (2011–15) Sarah Ferguson (2016 – present) |
| Theme music composer | Rick Turk |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 54 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Bob Raymond (1961–62) Allan Ashbolt (1963) Gerald Lyons (1963) John Power (1964) Robert Moore (1965–67) Sam Lipski (1968) Allan Martin (1968–72) Tony Ferguson (1973) Peter Reid (1973–80) Brian Davies (1980–81) Paul Lyneham (1980–81) John Penlington (1980–81) John Temple (1980–81) Jonathan Holmes (1982–85) Peter Manning (1985–88) Ian Macintosh (1989–90) Marian Wilkinson (1991–92) Ian Carroll (1992–95) Ian Allen (1994) Harry Bardwell (1995) Paul Williams (1995) John Budd (1995–96) Bruce Belsham (1996–2007) |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC |
| Picture format | Black & White TV (1961-1975) PAL (1975-2006) 576i (SDTV) (2007-present) 720p (HDTV) (2008-2016) 1080i (HDTV) (2016-present) |
| Audio format |
Stereo (1961-1992) Dolby Surround (1993-2004) Dolby Digital 5.1 (2005-present) |
| Original release | 19 August 1961 – present |
| External links | |
| Website | |
Four Corners is an Australian investigative journalism/current affairs documentary television program, the longest of its kind nationally. Broadcast on ABC in HDTV, Australia, it premiered on 19 August 1961 and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011. Founding producer Robert Raymond (1961–62) and his successor Allan Ashbolt (1963) did much to set the ongoing tone of the program.
Based on the Panorama concept, the program addresses a single issue in depth each week, showing either a locally produced program or a relevant documentary from overseas. The program has won many awards for investigative journalism. It has also broken many high-profile stories. A notable early example of this was the show's 1962 exposé on the appalling living conditions endured by many Aboriginal Australians living in rural New South Wales.
In sharp contrast to print media, television was the medium for critical accounts of Australia's role in the war in Vietnam. Four Corners, regardless of modest ratings, favoured the viewpoint of the antiwar and anticonscription movements.
In 1983, Four Corners aired allegations that then New South Wales Premier Neville Wran had tried to influence the magistracy over the dropping of fraud charges against Kevin Humphreys, charged with misappropriation of funds from the Balmain Leagues Club. Wran stood down and the Street Royal Commission, headed by the Chief Justice of NSW, Sir Laurence Street, was set up to inquire into this matter. Street found that the chief magistrate, Murray Farquhar, had used the premier's name to get the Humphreys case dismissed, but exonerated Wran of any involvement. Farquhar was subsequently sent to prison.
Together with articles in The Courier-Mail, a 1987 Four Corners story entitled "The Moonlight State" reported on police corruption in Queensland. The subsequent Royal Commission, known as the Fitzgerald Inquiry, found systematic corruption in various levels of government and led to the gaoling of police commissioner Terry Lewis, and the resignation and subsequent criminal trial of Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen.
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