John Kennedy (journalist)

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John Patrick Kennedy (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

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]

Kennedy was known for his socially-conservative stance on issues like homosexuality and abortion.[3] During his career as editor of Tablet, he also had a close friendship with Prime Minister Rob 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.[4]

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.[5]

Kennedy died on 20 March 1994.[6] 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]

References

  1. ^ a b Papers Past New Zealand Tablet page.
  2. ^ Kennedy, book jacket.
  3. ^ Life: The Turbulent Seventies
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ Leadbeater, Maire (11 March 2009). "The SIS and The Philippines Solidarity Group". Scoop Independent News. Kapatiran. Retrieved 18 June 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  6. ^ "Former "Tablet" editor Mr John Kennedy dies". Otago Daily Times. National Library of New Zealand. 21 March 1994. Retrieved 5 July 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)

Further reading

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