John Kennedy (journalist)

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For the American radio correspondent, journalist, and film narrator, see John B. Kennedy (journalist).

John Patrick Kennedy OBE (7 June 1926 – 20 March 1994) was a New Zealand Catholic journalist who served as the editor of the weekly Catholic newspaper The New Zealand Tablet from 1967 to 1989.[1]

Biography[edit]

Born in Methven, Canterbury, Kennedy was educated at St Bede's College and at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch. He also worked as a journalist for several newspapers including the Christchurch Star-Sun and the Melbourne-based The Herald, before returning to New Zealand to become the editor of The Tablet in Dunedin. During his work as a journalist, he won several awards including the Cowan Memorial Prize for Good Journalism in 1947 and the Kemsley Empire Scholarship for Journalism in 1950.[2] In the 1974 New Year Honours, Kennedy was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for services to journalism.[3] In 1981 he published a book entitled "Straight from The Shoulder" about developments in New Zealand society, broadcasting and politics. Kennedy was known for his socially-conservative stance on issues like abortion.[4] During his career as editor of Tablet, he also had a close friendship with Prime Minister Robert Muldoon and the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children president Des Dalgety. During the Muldoon era, The Tablet adopted a pro-Muldoonist editorial standpoint and Muldoon himself contributed several articles. Muldoon himself supported The Tablet's position on private schools.[5]

Kennedy was also anti-Communist and was critical of Prime Minister David Lange's anti-nuclear policies, which he saw as weakening the ANZUS alliance and benefiting the Soviet Union. According to peace activist Maire Leadbeater, Kennedy passed information on left-wing groups like the Philippines Solidarity Group to the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, the country's main domestic intelligence agency.[6]

Kennedy died on 20 March 1994.[7] Following Kennedy's death, the Tablet struggled to maintain the level of support it had during his editorship. The newspaper ceased publication in April 1996.[1]

Kennedy married Colleen McAleer. They had seven children together.[8][9]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Papers Past New Zealand Tablet page.
  2. ^ Kennedy, book jacket.
  3. ^ "No. 46163". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 1 January 1974. p. 36.
  4. ^ Life: The Turbulent Seventies
  5. ^ Marilyn Waring, "Foreword", in Nicky Hager, The Hollow Men: A Study in the politics of deception, (Nelson, New Zealand: Craig Potton Publishing, 2006), 9-10.
  6. ^ Leadbeater, Maire (11 March 2009). "The SIS and The Philippines Solidarity Group". Scoop Independent News. Kapatiran. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Former "Tablet" editor Mr John Kennedy dies". Otago Daily Times. National Library of New Zealand. 21 March 1994. Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  8. ^ "Colleen Kennedy". My Heritage.
  9. ^ "John Patrick Kennedy 1926-1994 - Ancestry®". Ancestry.com.

Further reading[edit]

  • Kennedy, John. Straight from the Shoulder. Christchurch: Whitcoulls Publishers, 1981. ISBN 0-7233-0664-8.
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