Foxtel’s Executive Director of Television, Brian Walsh, was awarded an Industry Contribution Award and a standing ovation at the ASTRA Awards in Sydney last night.
The one-off award was presented as part of the 20th anniversary year for Subscription Television in Australia.
Walsh was only the second person on the Foxtel payroll in 1995.
He spoke of growing up as a “a starry eyed kid from the suburbs”, keeping an imaginary television schedule in an exercise book and putting cellophane over his black and white TV, imagining a world of colour.
He acknowledged many former Foxtel executives and CEOs, his television mentor Sam Chisholm and thanked Foxtel’s Director of Programming Ross Crowley, who he said was a “remarkable friend and pillar of strength”.
In accepting the award, he said it belonged to everyone who was part of the Foxtel story, creating TV every day, adding: “This is for all of you who have made this 20 years feel like a magic carpet ride”.
He also acknowledged Foxtel’s embracing of diversity and sexual equality.
“As a proud gay man my journey would not have been completed without the tolerance, the understanding and encouragement of everyone at Foxtel and it goes to the heart of the culture of the company. Foxtel was and is a media company that encourages us all to be brave, to be creative and push the boundaries. It celebrates our differences and reminds us the most important of all values: that we spend our working lives enriching, educating and entertaining Australians across the country. It’s why 20 years on I love coming to work everyday and it’s why I still will for a few years yet.”
ASTRA CEO Andrew Maiden said, “Brian is a distinguished leader in the Australian television industry, responsible for launching the careers of many of Australia’s best-known and most successful personalities. Fittingly, this recognition comes as the industry celebrates 20 years of achievement in 2015.”
Meanwhile SKY News took the top prize as Channel of the Year, which it last won in 2006.
“In selecting SKY News as Channel of the Year, our independent judging panel noted that SKY NEWS has become the benchmark for political news coverage, becoming the first and most trusted source of political news and analysis in Australia,” Andrew Maiden said.
SKY News’ Paul Murray won Most Outstanding News Program (Paul Murray Live) and Most Outstanding Presenter while David Speers won Most Outstanding Performance by a Broadcast Journalist. Speers’ eighth award is now the most ASTRA Awards to have been won by an individual.
Drama winners included Wentworth for Most Outstanding Drama – Australian and Danielle Cormack receiving the award for Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female. Andrew McFarlane won the ASTRA Award for Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Male for Devil’s Playground.
Aurora channel also won its first ever award as Phyllis Foundis won Most Outstanding New Talent for her chat show Foundis.
US import host E!’s Guliana Rancic proved to be a crowd pleaser, having done her homework on local names (right KAK?) and shows, and embracing Australia’s sense of irreverence.
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Female
Danielle Cormack (Wentworth, season 2: SoHo)
Most Outstanding Performance by an Actor – Male
Andrew McFarlane (Devil’s Playground: showcase)
Most Outstanding Presenter – Female
Kelli Underwood (Back Page LIVE, Breaking Ground: FOX SPORTS)
Most Outstanding Presenter – Male
Paul Murray (Paul Murray LIVE: SKY NEWS)
Most Outstanding New Talent
Phyllis Foundis (Foundis: Aurora)
Most Outstanding Performance by a Broadcast Journalist
David Speers (PM Agenda, The Nation: SKY NEWS)
PROGRAM AWARDS
Most Outstanding Drama – Australian
Wentworth (season 2: SoHo)
Most Outstanding Drama – International
Game of Thrones (season 4: showcase)
Most Outstanding Children’s Program
Monster Beach (Cartoon Network)
Most Outstanding Music Program
SLIMEFEST (Nickelodeon)
Most Outstanding Sports Program
Jeep Saturday LIVE on FOX (FOX FOOTY)
Most Outstanding News Program
Paul Murray LIVE (Paul Murray: SKY NEWS)
Most Outstanding Reality Program
The Recruit (season 1: FOX8)
Most Outstanding Factual Program
Hillsborough (ESPN)
Most Outstanding Lifestyle Program
Paddock to Plate (Matt Moran; season 2: The LifeStyle Channel)
Most Outstanding General Entertainment Program
Top Gear (BBC Knowledge)
CHANNEL AND INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Industry Contribution Award
Brian Walsh
Channel Achievement Award
Arena
Channel of the Year
SKY NEWS