Phillip Castleton
Whether he’s on assignment or simply on a coffee run, TV WEEK Logie Award honouree Ray Martin is always up for a chat. By his own admission, he can’t go to Woolworths without stopping to talk to someone and his nickname “Mr Have-a-chat” was initiated by his own family.
“I am genuinely interested in people and I do enjoy talking,” the journalist and presenter tells TV WEEK. “What’s nice at this point in my life is to meet multiple generations of people with whom I’ve made a bit of a connection via their parents or grandparents who’ve watched me on TV.”
To Ray, being approachable is all he’s ever known. His mother instilled a sense of pride and courtesy in her four children, as well as a reverence for education.
“Growing up, my mother always made sure I wasn’t rude and I said thank you – she was extremely big on manners,” Ray, 80, says. It’s a lesson the five-time TV WEEK Gold Logie winner has passed on to his own kids, Jenna and Luke.
His ability to talk to anyone has been a prominent tool in his journalism career for six decades. Despite that longevity, Ray, humble as always, “didn’t ever expect” an award to be named in his honour, but can accept his place in the TV landscape.
The reporter, who presented the Ray Martin Award for Most Popular News or Public Affairs Presenter at the Logies on Sunday, began his career in Sydney as a cadet journalist at the ABC in 1965. He then moved abroad to become the national correspondent in North America.
Home came calling in 1978, when he joined 60 Minutes for its launch the following year. From there, he became a household name, earning 15 Logies for his work on 60 Minutes, Midday (1985–93) and A Current Affair (1994–98).
“If you hang around long enough, people say nice things about you,” he says. “[But] it’s funny to be recognised for doing something you love, because being a journalist is all I’ve wanted to do. I’ve worked hard and been part of the landscape for a long time, so in that sense I’m not staggered by [the honour], but I feel like a phony ’cause I’m just doing my job.”
Nevertheless, no-one can deny Ray’s impact on Aussie culture. Whether it be grilling politicians, touring China with Elton John or discussing nature with David Attenborough, six decades of having a chat have been embraced by the public.
But for all the fanfare, Ray has kept his family life private. His wife, Dianne, who he married in 1968, didn’t care for the spotlight and they never shared photos of their children.
“The kids didn’t quite understand it [at the time]. But that was an agreement we made so going to school and to the shops was easier for the kids – although, I’m still not really allowed to go to the shops with Dianne,” he says with a chuckle. “But they weren’t part of the package.”
Throughout it all are the Logies, an event that not only holds great memories for Ray but, as he stresses, plays an important role in celebrating our industry.
“[The Logies] are the only game in town and it’s better to win it than not,” he says. “People tend to put them down until they’re nominated or they win, and then it becomes important. And it is. People who watch TV certainly think so.”
The veteran presenter, who is tied for most Gold Logies with Graham Kennedy, says, despite his wins, he won’t ever surpass the charisma of former colleagues Bert Newton and George Negus.
“It’s like they were made for television,” he says of the late stars. “George and Bert were the two most powerful television figures we’ve had in my time. TV is the most honest form of medium and what you saw is what you got with them.”
Nowadays, TV has changed. For Ray, it’s a shift that has become more about who’s on the screen than the topic itself. So who does Ray find appealing in this evolving world?
“I think it’s about being the sort of person you’d like to have a beer or wine with,” he says. “There’s a lot of programs that rely on being confrontational and I don’t know if people like that these days. We want people who are fair dinkum.”
In his downtime, Ray tunes into the likes of MasterChef. “There’s no-one you don’t like,” he says, but adds it hasn’t helped his own skills. “I’m flat out cooking baked beans!”
While Ray’s time as the most visible presenter in the country might be behind him, he’s happy to focus on his legacy – and his journalistic integrity.
“As a journalist, I want people to have trusted me enough to be honest. It’s OK if someone doesn’t agree with my questions, but were they fair? And did I deliver the facts?”
Perhaps those chats while he’s out and about are more valuable than ever.
“Honestly, once a week or so, a stranger will stop me and simply say thank you – which didn’t always happen when I was in the thick of it,” he says with a laugh. “But to have that happen now, for a job I simply love doing, is incredible.”
