A new award – the Industry Contribution Award – was presented at the 2015 ASTRA Awards tonight, with Brian Walsh, Foxtel’s Executive Director of Television, as the inaugural recipient.
Australian television doyenne Maggie Tabberer presented him with the award at the annual ASTRA Awards for subscription television.
Accepting the award, Brian Walsh said Foxtel had given him the opportunity of a lifetime.
“Back in 1995, it felt like the new frontier – and you know what? It still does,” he told guests at the ASTRA awards ceremony.
He spoke of growing up as a “a starry eyed kid from the suburbs”, keeping an imaginary television schedule in an exercise book and putting cellophane over his black and white TV, imagining a world of colour.
He acknowledged many former Foxtel executives and CEOs, his television mentor Sam Chisholm and thanked Foxtel’s Director of Programming Ross Crowley, who he said was a “remarkable friend and pillar of strength”.
In accepting the award, he said it belonged to everyone who was part of the Foxtel story, creating TV every day, adding: “This is for all of you who have made this 20 years feel like a magic carpet ride”.
In 1995, Brian was a key member of the management team that established subscription television and the launch of Foxtel. As Director of Programming, Publicity & Promotions, he was Foxtel’s second employee, overseeing the launch of the platform as well as program acquisitions, promotions and marketing and the creation of the entertainment channels.
In 2015, Brian leads a staff of more than 500 people. He is responsible for the company’s owned and operated channels, local productions and international acquisitions, as well as on-air promotions and presentation, the company’s creative direction, publicity, channel liaison, scheduling, talent recruitment and overall programming.
“ASTRA is proud to recognise Brian’s incredible passion and contribution to our industry,” ASTRA CEO Andrew Maiden said. “For two decades, he has discovered and developed the careers of many people and has also been instrumental in developing some of the most successful shows in subscription television history, including the dramas Love My Way, Devil’s Playground and Wentworth, documentaries and entertainment successes such as Australia’s Next Top Model, Project Runway Australia, Real Housewives of Melbourne, Coast Australia and Rove LA.
“Brian is a distinguished leader in the Australian television industry. Fittingly, this recognition comes as the industry celebrates 20 years of achievement in 2015,” ASTRA CEO Andrew Maiden said.
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About the ASTRA Awards
The annual ASTRA Awards reward the creativity, diversity and quality of Australian subscription television. Nineteen awards honour the industry’s most outstanding programs, presenters, actors and journalists. Follow us on Twitter at @astraawards and on Facebook at fb.com/astraawards. For more information visit www.astra.org.au/awards
About ASTRA
ASTRA is the peak body representing more than 30 organisations including subscription media platforms, channels, suppliers and technology companies. ASTRA members broadcast and stream content to one in three Australians, invest more than $600 million in local content, add nearly $1.9 billion to the economy and create jobs for 6600 Australians. For more information visit www.astra.org.au.
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