Legendary television journalist George Negus has tragically died at the age of 82 after a battle with his health.
The Australian television Channel Nine 60 Minutes confirmed on Tuesday the news of the death of the experienced journalist.
“An icon of journalism. Legendary broadcaster. A friend of many people,” we read in the Instagram program, read the post.
60 Minutes founder George Negus has sadly passed away at the age of 82 after battling Alzheimer's disease. We will always treasure the stories and memories he gave us all.”
Fellow 60 Minutes Austalia journalist Charles Wooley, who joined the show in 1993, paid a touching tribute to his former colleague, revealing that Negus “brought an Australian accent to current events on Australian television”.
“Before, we either talked like the BBC or like Bob Menzies,” Wooley told Daily Mail Australia.
“George first raised eyebrows when he saw ABC with his shameless, broad Australian accent. But when he went to 60 Minutes, this idiomatic style soon became a common look.
“It worked and now we don't have to 'put on dog' on camera.”
Legendary television journalist George Negus has died
“He eluded us a long time ago, but his legacy lives on in the Australian language of daily television,” Wooley added.
Negus, one of the first reporters on 60 Minutes Australia when the show launched in Australia, was diagnosed with dementia about five years ago and has been in an aged care facility in Sydney since late 2021.
Just months before his death, his son Ned posted a touching Father's Day tribute to the man he calls “Negsy” on social media after a family outing at the beach.
The post was accompanied by a photo of a frail Negus wearing a cap and his characteristic mustache, warmly embracing his son on September 1.
The Australian television Channel Nine 60 Minutes confirmed on Tuesday the news of the death of the experienced journalist
“I was hesitant to post this on LinkedIn because it is quite personal,” wrote Ned Negus.
“But then I realized that you are all human and there is always a place to share the human reality with your professional network.”
Ned, who is the commercial director of the A-League football competition, then referred to his father's diagnosis by saying: Alzheimer's disease.
“Now he doesn't say anything most of the time (which is stunning to me, but also to everyone who knows him),” he wrote.
Negus, one of the original “60 Minutes” reporters when the show premiered in Australia, was diagnosed with dementia about five years ago and had been in an aged care facility in Sydney since late 2021
“Today is Father's Day in Australia and we went for a walk on the beach together.
“He clearly wasn't sure why this particular walk was symbolic and at times he wasn't sure who he was walking with.
“At one point we stopped, he smiled broadly and then hugged me for a long moment.
“It was sad but uplifting to know that even if you can no longer say what you feel, you can still DO what you feel.
I love you, Negsy.
Negus was diagnosed with dementia about five years ago and has been living in an aged care facility in Sydney since late 2021. Pictured with 60 Minutes reporter Liz Hayes
Negus made his last public appearance at the festival A memorial service in November 2020 for television pioneer Gerald Stone after the inaugural 60 Minutes executive producer died at the age of 87.
Stone chose Negus, Ray Martin and Ian Leslie to head the news program in 1979, when Kerry Packer imported the format from the United States for broadcast on his Nine Network.
At its peak in the 1980s, “60 Minutes” had huge ratings, with at least one-third of national television viewers tuning in at 7:30 on a Sunday evening.
Born in Brisbane, Negus was a secondary school teacher until his early twenties, when he began writing for newspapers including The Australian and then worked on the ABC's groundbreaking This Day Tonight.
Negus was press secretary to Attorney-General Lionel Murphy during Gough Whitlam's short-lived Labor government and was chosen by Stone to help establish 60 Minutes.
He worked on the program until 1986, sharing reporting duties with Leslie, Martin, Wendt and, at the end of his tenure, Jeff McMullen.
Negus's presentation style became so well known to television audiences that Paul Hogan put him on his eponymous show with the character of George Fungus. He is pictured performing a task
Negus was the first host of ABC's international current affairs program Foreign Correspondent, running the program from 1992 to 1999.
Stone chose Negus, Ray Martin and Ian Leslie to head the news program in 1979, when Kerry Packer imported the format from the United States for broadcast on his Nine Network.
At its peak in the 1980s, “60 Minutes” had huge ratings, with at least one-third of national television viewers tuning in at 7:30 on a Sunday evening.
From 2002 to 2004 he presented George Negus Tonight, previously known as New Dimensions, on the national broadcaster.
The following year he began hosting Dateline on SBS before becoming a regular panelist on Ten's The Project and then appearing on the same network at 6:30 with George Negus.
Negus was awarded the Order of Australia in 2015 “for outstanding service to the media as a journalist and broadcaster, and to the environment and conservation.”
