ABC has announced that investigative journalist Linton Besser will replace Paul Barry as a leading member of Media Watch from 2025.
Barry announced in June that he would be leaving the station with December 2 as his last date as host of the popular show.
Besser has won four Walkley Awards and said he was excited to take the reins.
“I am excited and relieved to have the opportunity to host this important television show and look forward to continuing its great tradition,” he said.
‘The media is big business and hugely influential. Your mission may be to hold others accountable, but you also deserve the blowtorch.
‘For years, the public has described to me a fundamental distrust of the media. They group us together, the good and the bad.
‘Instead of despairing at this uncomfortable reality, I’m going to try, in my own way, to do something about it. Media Watch remains Australia’s best public barrier against bad press behaviour.’
Chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor praised the decision to replace Barry with Besser.
ABC has announced that investigative journalist Linton Besser will replace Paul Barry at Media Watch from 2025.
“Linton is a hugely accomplished, award-winning journalist who brings decades of experience – and certainly wonderful talent and style – to this key role,” said Chief Content Officer Chris Oliver-Taylor.
‘Media Watch plays a unique role in working on behalf of the public and its mission has not changed over its incredible 35-year history.
‘Every week he holds the media industry’s most powerful media and personalities to account with uncompromising scrutiny. In an increasingly fragmented and tech-savvy media landscape, this has never been more important.”
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