Brian Henderson
Encyclopedia
Brian Weir Henderson AM
(born 15 September 1931) is a New Zealand
-born Australia
n television
personality and news-reader.
from 1958 until 1972. Henderson also holds the record for the longest serving television news presenter
, having read either the weekend or the weeknight news on Sydney
station TCN-9
from January 1957 until his retirement in late November 2002. Henderson took part in the reunion with Channel Nine for the 50th birthday of Australian television in September 2006.
From his first news broadcast in 1957, the tag-line Henderson used to sign off at the end of every newscast was, interchangeably, "...and that's the way it is." or "the way it is".
At the end of his final bulletin, Henderson's voice wavered as he told viewers it was time to watch the news, not present it:
In the Australia Day Honours of 2009, he was named a Member of Order of Australia
for "service as a pioneer in the television news and entertainment sectors, and as a mentor to aspiring and established presenters, readers and journalists".
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 15 September 1931) is a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
-born Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
personality and news-reader.
Career
Henderson hosted the Australian version of BandstandBandstand (Australia)
Bandstand was an Australian musical/variety television show which screened from November 1958 to 1972. It was produced at the studios of TCN-9 in Sydney and eventually became a national program as Nine Network expanded into other Australian cities in the early 1960s.Bandstand was created by Nine...
from 1958 until 1972. Henderson also holds the record for the longest serving television news presenter
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
, having read either the weekend or the weeknight news on Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
station TCN-9
TCN-9
TCN is the Sydney flagship television station of the Nine Network in Australia and is located at Willoughby. The licence, issued to a company named Television Corporation Ltd headed by Frank Packer, was one of the first four licences to be issued for commercial television stations in...
from January 1957 until his retirement in late November 2002. Henderson took part in the reunion with Channel Nine for the 50th birthday of Australian television in September 2006.
From his first news broadcast in 1957, the tag-line Henderson used to sign off at the end of every newscast was, interchangeably, "...and that's the way it is." or "the way it is".
At the end of his final bulletin, Henderson's voice wavered as he told viewers it was time to watch the news, not present it:
"Not the way it was, as has been suggested, but for the last time, the way it is, this Friday the 29th of November, this is Brian Henderson - a sad Brian Henderson - saying not goodnight, this time, but goodbye."
In the Australia Day Honours of 2009, he was named a Member of Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
for "service as a pioneer in the television news and entertainment sectors, and as a mentor to aspiring and established presenters, readers and journalists".