Vincent Smith (television presenter)

Vincent Smith (1943-1991) was a journalist, television presenter, news director, and author. Vincent had a long and distinguished career with several newspapers, in radio (Sydney and Adelaide), and in television on the Seven television network in Australia.

Vincent Smith
Born	(1943-03-21)21 March 1943 Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Died	(1991-04-20)April 20, 1991
Nationality	Australia
Occupation(s)	Television Journalist, News Director, Author and Presenter
Employer(s)	Seven Network, the West Australian, the Australian, the National Times, 2UE, 2GB, 5DN, 5AA

Early life

Vincent Ross Smith was born in Perth, Western Australia on 21 March 1943. Vincent was born in the Tresillian Hospital, Nedlands, Perth (WA) to parents Ross and Ina.

Both his father (Charles David) Ross Smith and grandfather Charles Patrick Smith were involved in the newspaper business in Perth, with Charles Patrick Smith the Managing Editor of West Australian Newspapers Ltd. Charles is listed on the West Australian Wikipedia page as editor from 1927 to 1951 of the newspaper.

Charles Patrick Smith was a journalist and war correspondent for the Melbourne Argus, before moving to Perth in 1927 was appointed managing editor of West Australian Newspapers Ltd. Charles was a skilled political reporter, becoming closely acquainted with prime ministers George Reid, Alfred Deakin, Joseph Cook, Andrew Fisher and Billy Hughes and Justice Higgins.

Vincent grew up in the Perth suburb of Claremont, where his grandfather also had a home. Vincent's father, Charles David Ross, is listed on the 1963 Electoral Roll as a journalist living in Claremont, WA.

While working in Canberra, Vincent met Susan Marks (Ainslie, ACT). Vincent and Susan were married on 22 July 1968 in Mount Kisco, Westchester, New York, USA.

Newspaper Journalist

Vincent began his journalistic career with the West Australian in the 1960s, before switching to the Australian, and the National Times.

Radio Announcer at 2UE Sydney

In the early 1970s Vincent became an announcer for an afternoon radio show on 2UE in Sydney - a current affairs programme, working with his close friend Mike Carlton.

Vincent later became the News Director at 2UE in the late 1970s.

Seven Network

Vincent became News Director at ATN Seven in Sydney in 1981.

In the Australian Women's Weekly article, Major Changes for Seven's Newsroom, Vincent was named as News Director of ATN-7 in Sydney:

"For news director Vincent Smith, the newsroom revamp is a major step and will bring about a dramatic change of image. 'We want to develop a concept of authoritative, mature news,' Smith said, "I've tried to recruit a team of mature on-air journalists. TV news today seems orientated toward youth which can give a naive image.

Our new look will be unlike anything seen before on Australian television. We'll reinforce a business-like authority so viewers can look toward us as an authoritative news coverage.'"

ATN-7 reportedly spent $500,000 in the revamp of its newsroom. The revamp included the following changes:

• Departure of veteran news presenter, Roger Climpson, as dual newsreader;
• Ross Symonds will take over as chief news presenter;
• 10 new journalists, including Kerry O'Brien (formerly '4-Corners' on ABC-TV), Jim Cannon (Perth), Michelle Schofield (ABC), and Kay Stammers (TEN-10).

Just after the Australian Women's Weekly article, in December 1981, speculation was rife surrounding the future of George Negus on the '60 minutes' programme. The Inside TV column in the Sydney Morning Herald on December 6, 1981 reported that George Negus had been seen having lunch at Eric's Seafoods Fish Cafe (Crows Nest NSW) with Vincent, significant (the article implied) because Vincent was the News Director at the rival Seven Network at the time.

The above meeting with George Negus was also seen in the context of the previous month Vincent had hired new journalists and made many other changes. Vincent is reported to have said "There was just one lunch - and we're just good friends", and in the same article Jacqueline Lee Lewes writes that "Vincent, who, it must be said, is rather enjoying all the fuss that this one matey meeting has caused".

Vincent hosted the Seven network news programme, 11AM for several years during the 1980s.

Return to Radio - John Laws and Adelaide Talk-back

Vincent left Seven in 1986 and returned to radio, becoming the producer for the John Laws programme at 2GB in Sydney.

On moving to Adelaide in the late 1980s, Vincent hosted radio talk-back programmes on 5DN and 5AA. Vincent continued to host his morning talk-back programme on 5AA right up until the last month of his life.

MBE Award

In 1980, Vincent was awarded an MBE for services to journalism and conservation.

Vincent the author - 'Musco, Blue Whale'

Harper and Row published Vincent's book, a novel entitled "Musco, Blue Whale", first released in 1978.

The book was reviewed by L.V. Kepert in the Sydney Morning Herald, August 13, 1978:

"Now that the future of whales and the morality of whaling have become major issues, Australian author Vincent Smith has produced in 'Musco, Blue Whale' (Harper and Row $8.50) a book that is both a story and a tract.

This is the whales' side of the case for survival..."

Kepert highlights one of Vincent's descriptive paragraphs as 'gush like a breathless romance':

"She reflected on the set of his head, the way it thrust powerfully forward and down from his blowholes to the fine line of his tightly closed jaw ... Nika noted in Musco that the smug expression was tempered somehow by an overall look of good humour ... She liked this whale."

Kepert also reassures readers that Vincent has "... done his research. The whales' migratory habits, their diet, their physiology, their family and group patterns, are doubtless as the scientist sees them."

Diagnosis with Cancer

Diagnosed with cancer, and appeared on '60 Minutes' on the Nine network in Australia, discussing the disease.

In the last year of his life Vincent spoke publicly about his battle with cancer on his radio show and in newspaper articles - he continued with a weekly newspaper column until 8 April 1991, in the month of his death.

Death and Tributes

Vincent died 20 April 1991. He was 48 years of age of Cancer.

In the Canberra Times, 21 April 1991 a tribute article was published entitled "'The thinking man's broadcaster' dies at 48".

The Premier of South Australia at the time of Vincent's death, John Bannon, paid Vincent the complement mentioned in the above Canberra Times tribute article, the thinking man's broadcaster.

Mr Bannon went on to say that "He dealt with serious events and put all points of view" as well as "He knew which issues touched people. He could boil complex arguments down so ordinary people could understand them, both on the air and in print.".