By Matthew Sims
Channel 9 newsreader Peter Hitchener has shared the lessons of his 57 years within the journalism industry with a group of Fraser Rise residents on Thursday, October 6.
As part of the 2022 Seniors Festival, he spoke with the audience about the changes in television and the Australian lifestyle since the 1950s.
“There was a lot of reminiscing and a lot of sharing of other people’s stories,” Mr Hitchener said.
“It was good fun.”
Starting his career as a radio journalist in 1965 in Queensland, he then moved to the ABC before arriving at Channel 9 in 1973 and then moving to Melbourne in 1974.
Mr Hitchener said the introduction of television was revolutionary.
“Television…was huge at the time,” he said.
“People just couldn’t get enough of it.
“Anyone who was the first adopter of a television set would have all the neighbours and everyone in for days looking at the programs in black and white.”
Mr Hitchener said other changes have transformed the face of television news and the media landscape to what Australians know today.
“In the 1970s, colour television came along and since then, there have been many developments with screens, multi-screens and subscription services,” he said.
“It’s evolving, but there’s always a need for content.
“People will get it somehow, whether it’s online or a subscription or a physical paper.”
When Melbourne’s chief weeknight news presenter Brian Naylor retired in 1998, Hitchener took over as presenter of Nine News Melbourne on weeknights.
Mr Hitchener said he aimed to do something new each day.
“I think the older you get, the more you realise how much you don’t know and how many things there are still to do,” he said.
Mr Hitchener said his main advice to those wanting to enter the world of television news or presenting would be to “be resilient and follow your dreams”.
