By dint of George Negus' voice alone, he changed Australian TV forever, Charles Wooley writes.
Of all the things George Negus will be remembered for, helping Australian journalists find their voice will probably be the greatest.
After all, Negus introduced the Australian accent to Australian broadcasting.
Before him, we either spoke like the BBC or like Bob Menzies. Both were remarkably similar.
A wander through the sound archives of Australia is quite an ear opener.
It reminds us that as late as the 1980s, just how English were the cadences of spoken English on the nation's airwaves.
Why should that really surprise when at the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, we are still a monarchy and about to host our English head of state?
George would have had a lot of angry words to say about that in the most demotic Australian tones he could muster.
English (United States) ·