Four Corners (TV program)

Four Corners
Genre	Documentary
Country of origin	Australia
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	51
Production
Running time	45 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	ABC
Picture format	Black & White TV (1961-1975) PAL (1975-2006) 576i (SDTV) (2007-present) 720p (HDTV) (2008-present)
Audio format	Stereo (1961-1992) Dolby Surround (1993-2004) Dolby Digital 5.1 (2005-present)
Original run	19 August 1961 (1961-08-19) – present
External links
Website

Four Corners is Australia's longest-running investigative journalism/current affairs television program. Broadcast on ABC1 in Australia, it premiered on 19 August 1961 and is still running. Founding producer Robert Raymond (1961–62) and his successor Allan Ashbolt (1963) did much to set the ongoing tone of the program.

Based on the Panorama concept, the program addresses a single issue in depth each week, showing either a locally produced program or a relevant documentary from overseas. The program has won many awards for investigative journalism, and broken many high-profile stories. A notable early example of this was the show's epoch-making 1962 exposé on the appalling living conditions endured by many Aboriginal Australians living in rural New South Wales.

Notable episodes

In 1983, Four Corners aired allegations that former NSW Premier Neville Wran had tried to influence the magistry over the dropping of fraud charges against Kevin Humphries, charged with misappropriation of funds from the Balmain Leagues Club. Wran stood down and the Street Royal Commission, headed by Justice Lawrence Street, was set up to inquire into this matter. Street exonerated Wran of all allegations laid against him.

Together with articles in The Courier-Mail, a 1987 Four Corners story entitled "The Moonlight State" reported on police corruption in Queensland. The subsequent royal commission, known as the Fitzgerald Inquiry, found systematic corruption in various levels of government and led to the gaoling of police commissioner Terry Lewis, and the resignation and subsequent criminal trial of Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen.

The program has investigated other cases of corruption in the New South Wales and Victorian police forces.

Another memorable report from 1985 helped to reveal that the French secret service had been responsible for the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior.

A 2006 episode titled "Greenhouse Mafia", exposes the influence of the fossil fuel lobby on Australian climate change policy.

In March 2009 an episode aired entitled "The Dishonouring of Marcus Einfeld" which detailed the events leading up to the first conviction and sentencing of an Australian Judge, Marcus Einfeld ( former Australian Federal Court Judge). Einfeld was convicted for various charges including perjury and perverting the course of justice.

"The Code of Silence" aired 11 May 2009 was an investigative report on the attitudes towards and the treatment of women by National Rugby League players. The report focused primarily on two incidents involving NRL players and women who feel they have had been exploited sexually. The mainstream media reported heavily on the subject for a number of weeks following the airing of "The Code of Silence".

The Four Corners website has also won multiple awards, including two Walkley Awards and three AIMIA Awards for its Broadband Editions of the programs, which include exclusive interviews, analysis and background information on selected programs.

On Monday, 8 March 2010, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation aired a program shedding light on ex-members of the controversial Church of Scientology, many speaking of abuse and other inhumane treatment, for example coerced abortions and disconnection. The program was of note due to Church spokesperson Tommy Davis "categorically [denying]" all allegations put forward by ex-members. His interview, as well as uncut interviews with two Australian ex-members, transcripts and resources about the program can be viewed in full on the Four Corners official website. The entire episode was made available to watch online from 9 March 2010. All interviews were conducted by Four Corners journalist Quentin McDermott, and aired the same week that a Parliamentary vote was held for an inquiry into the Church after South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon brought Church abuse to light in November 2009.

On Monday, 30 May 2011, the program aired an exposé on the cruelty inflicted onto Australian cattle exported to Indonesian abattoirs. As a result, there was a major public outcry at the practices and a petition launched by activist group GetUp! received more than 10,000 signatures overnight. This petition has now received over 200,000 signatures.

The next day, independent MP Andrew Wilkie and independent Senator Nick Xenophon lobbied hard for an immediate ban on live export to Indonesia, which was backed by the Federal Minister for Agriculture, Joe Ludwig. There was an immediate ban on the abattoirs featured in the Four Corners program, which was followed by a six month ban on all live trade to Indonesia.

Comperes

(From Museum of Broadcast Communications)

• Michael Charlton, 1961
• Gerald Lyons, 1962–63
• Frank Bennett, 1964
• Robert Moore, 1964
• John Penlington, 1964
• Richard Oxenburgh, 1964
• Robert Moore, 1965–67
• John Temple, 1968
• Mike Willesee, 1969–71
• David Flatman, 1971–72
• Caroline Jones, 1973–81
• Andrew Olle, 1985–94
• Liz Jackson, 1995–99
• Unpresented 1999-2010
• Kerry O'Brien, 2011-

Producers

(From Museum of Broadcast Communications)

• Bob Raymond (1961–62)
• Allan Ashbolt (1963)
• Gerald Lyons (1963)
• John Power (1964)
• Robert Moore (1965–67)
• Sam Lipski (1968)
• Allan Martin (1968–72)
• Tony Ferguson (1973)
• Peter Reid (1973–80)
• Paul Davies (1980–81)
• Paul Lyneham (1980–81)
• John Penlington (1980–81)
• John Temple (1980–81)
• Jonathon Holmes (1982–84)
• Peter Manning (1985–88)
• Ian Macintosh (1989–90)
• Marian Wilkinson (1991–92)
• Ian Carroll (1992–95)
• Ian Allen (1994)
• Harry Bardwell (1995)
• Paul Williams (1995)
• John Budd (1995–96)
• Bruce Belsham (1996–2007)

External links

• Official website
• Four Corners at the Internet Movie Database
• Four Corners at the National Film and Sound Archive