Michael Julius Schildberger (4 April 1938 – 2 June 2010) was an Australian journalist, radio and television presenter, and author. He is best known for hosting A Current Affair in the 1970s.
Michael Schildberger | |
|---|---|
| Born | Michael Julius Schildberger 4 April 1938 Berlin, Germany |
| Died | 2 June 2010 (aged 72) Prahran, Victoria, Australia |
| Education | Melbourne Grammar School |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, broadcaster |
| Years active | 1955–2010 |
| Known for | Host of A Current Affair |
| Spouse | Julia (deceased) |
| Children | 5 |
| Awards | Logie: Best TV interviewer (1976) |
He was the son of Hermann Schildberger.[1][circular reference] Hermann had had an important musical career in Berlin prior to being brought out to Melbourne in 1939 by Rabbi Dr Herman Sanger,[2] to escape the Nazis. He was accompanied by his wife (check name) and by Michael who was then a babe-in-arms.
Hermann became musical director of Temple Berth Israel in St. Kilda upon arrival in Melbourne in 1939, as well as taking on a number of other important musical roles including being the founding Musical Director of the Camberwell Chorale.[3]
Career
editMichael Schildberger began his media career in 1955 when he joined The Sun News-Pictorial as a copy boy and subsequently became a cadet reporter.[4]
In 1958 he moved to GTV 9 where he remained for the next twenty years. During the 1970s he was executive producer and national host of A Current Affair.[4] For that role, he was awarded a 1976 Logie Award for Best TV Interviewer.[5] While at A Current Affair he conducted the first full-length television interview with singer-songwriter Neil Diamond, who had only previously done brief group press conferences. The interview was in conjunction with Diamond's 1975-76 "Thank You Australia" tour and nationally broadcast live concert.[6]
After leaving Channel 9, Schildberger worked for several years as Director of News for ATV 10 and FOX-FM. He then moved to Melbourne radio station 3LO where he hosted the morning program,[4] with a short stint at 3DB.[7]
In 1984 he founded the media production company Business Essentials.[8]
Schildberger was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1997.[4] He achieved remission, and became a strong advocate of positron emission tomography.[9] The cancer returned in early 2010. Schildberger died at the Cabrini Hospital in Prahran on 2 June 2010.[4]
Publications
edit- The sorcerer's apprentice. Spectrum. 2000. ISBN 0-86786-300-5.
- Secrets of success. Information Australia. 2000. ISBN 1-86350-319-6.
References
edit- ^ a Wikipedia page for Hermann exists, but in German -
- ^ "Herman%20Sanger - Yahoo Search Results".
- ^ "History – Camberwell Chorale".
- ^ a b c d e Muradian, Vanessa (2 June 2010). "Michael Schildberger, one-time host of A Current Affair, dies aged 72". Herald Sun. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
- ^ "The 18th Annual TV Week Logie Awards (1976)". tvweek.ninemsn.com.au. 12 March 1975. Archived from the original on 21 July 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
- ^ A Current Affair broadcast 29 February 1976. Also referenced at https://www.iaisnd.com/interviews/michael-schildberger/
- ^ Wilmoth, Peter (12 January 1984). "Schildberger races home". The Age. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
- ^ Espino, Marc (2 June 2010). "Michael Schildberger dies at age 72". ibtimes.com. Archived from the original on 7 June 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
- ^ Peacock, Matt (9 July 2007). "'Scientific fraud' hampered spread of cancer technique". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 6 June 2010.