"Waiting for the tap on the shoulder"

This is a continuation of the "The day I met Peter Hitchener" story, but this is my completed assignment for uni. Enjoy. 

"Waiting for the tap on the shoulder"

The clouds filled the sky. I was hidden beneath Docklands high risers with not much in my sight. It was pouring with rain and everyone was looking for cover. The newly built Channel 9 building stood tall and statuesque between the modern buildings in the developing epicentre. Beneath the shining logo huddled journalists, producers, directors and a few passers-by. Several journalists in their black suits ran inside to be sheltered from the rain. I followed. The elevator doors across from the security desk burst open, out sprung a man in his 60s in gym clothes with drops of sweat rolling down his cheek. This was the face of Channel 9 news, Peter Hitchener.

The echoing sounds of a news anchor calling my name across the empty foyer sounded exactly the same as we hear every night on TV, strong but warm. He welcomed me with the biggest smile, ear to ear. I followed him behind the large black sliding doors of Channel 9. Peter pointed out how "cool" those doors were, new installations in the redesigned building. The inside of Channel 9 was surprisingly dark. On our left was the set of children's programme 'Kids WB.' Set designers were hustled together preparing for the filming of new episodes. On the right were numerous conference rooms.

Peter directed me into one of those large conference rooms, with dark walls and bright dangling lights over our heads. "Would love these in my house," Peter explained. "Probably too dangerous if they would fall, " he chuckles. The table we sat at was long and weirdly shaped. "These tables are great, no head of the table," Peter said. It was obvious that he liked them. After grabbing a coffee, Peter made sure our seats were equal, "for eye contact" purposes he said. Then we began.

From humble beginnings in Texas, in the sunny state of Queensland, life began simply and grew to a long and fulfilling career. In that small town of Texas, with a population of less than 700 today, and fewer in the 1950’s, Peter was one of only a few children in the country town. “Back then life was fairly isolated, we only got newspapers a few times a week, certainly not on the day they were printed” he said. For the average kid Peter listened to more news and read more newspapers than any other child his age, and this is where his love for journalism blossomed.

Peter described his curiosity in journalism as “an unhealthy interest in it,” which for him has created a lifetime career that he “never want(s) to leave, until they (Channel 9) tap me on the shoulder and tell me to go. How our public life or crime was reported interested me” he began to explain. An interest that fuelled his career.

The conference table began to shake, I glanced over the table and sitting directly in the middle of a pile of papers sat Peter's iPhone, it was vibrating. Obviously someone wanted to contact him, as it continued on for several seconds. My eyes darted over to the phone and then back to him, trying to make a subtle sign that I didn't mind if he answered. He didn't bat an eyelid. So engulfed in the retelling of chasing stories he was unable to be distracted, as there was only one thing on his mind.

As a radio announcer in 1965 at Brisbane radio station 4BH, Peter chased his own stories, wrote, and edited them in the car before getting back to the station to present them. He followed the Vietnam War anti-conscription protests and got "accredited to go to the news conferences" when US President Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) came to Australia. "Unfortunately he didn't make it to the conference" laughed Peter. But he got to report on the "cavil cade of cars" LBJ brought with him on his visit. This time in Peter's life was filled with a lot of learning on the job as well as "making mistakes, " which Peter believed was better to do earlier than later.

Within Peter's career at Channel 9, celebrating his 40th year with the company earlier this year, he worked with two of the greats in the news business. Sir Eric Pearce and Brian Naylor were two of Peter's previous bosses and mentors who helped shape his career. That is one of the reasons Peter marks the telling of the nation of Brian and Moiree Naylor's deaths in the Black Saturday fires in 2009 as the hardest bulletin he has had to read. The two news bosses had completely different leadership styles and personalities, but "both knew a lot about communicating the news," said Peter.

Sir Eric Pearce was a "huge star," who was greatly respected within the community. "If he knew someone was struggling he would send them a check for a few dollars" explained Peter, laughing to himself about how times have changed. Brian Naylor was a "family man" and had a lot more on his plate, regarding news production and his farm in Victoria. Both so different but had the same drive to communicate the news and connect with an audience, something that Peter continues to do today.

The sun peered in through the crack between the blinds and the window, as the clouds began to open up above us. A sign I believe. In an industry fuelled by money and ratings, not one single negative or egotistical word exited Peter's mouth.

Peter is not just a media personality but a rare gem who braves our televisions each night, not fazed by the celebrity status we assign him; he will continue to reign as the face of Channel 9 until he gets the inevitable "tap on the shoulder."