Talbot Duckmanton
|
Sir Talbot Duckmanton CBE |
|
|---|---|
| General Manager of the Australian Broadcasting Commission | |
|
In office 26 February 1965 – 1 July 1982 |
|
| Preceded by | Sir Charles Moses |
| Succeeded by | Keith Jennings |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Talbot Sydney Duckmanton 25 October 1921 South Yarra, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 12 June 1995 (aged 73) Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Spouse(s) |
Florence Simmonds (m. 1947–78) Janet Strickland (m. 1979–81) Carolyn Wright |
| Education | Newington College |
| Occupation | Broadcaster |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service/branch |
Australian Army (1941–43) Royal Australian Air Force (1943–45) |
| Years of service | 1941–1945 |
| Rank | Flying Officer |
Sir Talbot Sydney Duckmanton CBE (25 October 1921 – 12 June 1995) was an Australian broadcaster and radio and television administrator. As General Manager of the Australian Broadcasting Commission he oversaw the advent of colour television, ABC Classic FM and Triple J.
The son of Sidney James Duckmanton and Rita Margaret Hutchins, Duckmanton was born in South Yarra, Melbourne. He was educated at Newington College in Sydney 1934–1938.
He began his career as a cadet announcer at the ABC in Brisbane in 1939 and had a wide ranging career working as a news announcer and sporting broadcaster. During World War II Duckmanton saw active service as a pilot and was later a war correspondent. From 1952 until 1954 he was the Assistant Manager of the Brisbane office.
He was Deputy General Manager of the organisation 1964–65, and General Manager from 1965 until his retirement in 1982.
It was rumoured and is widely believed that Sir Talbot Duckmanton was responsible for choosing the ABC post office box number 9994 in recognition of Sir Don Bradman's batting average of 99.94. However this only became the ABC's box number in 1983, after Duckmanton's retirement. There is as yet no published evidence that the connection between the box number and Bradman's average was intentional.
Talbot Duckmanton was President of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union 1973–77, and President of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association 1975–82. From 1968 until 1973 he was Chairman of the Executive Committee of Newington College Council.
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