Logie Award

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The TV Week Logie Awards are the Australian television industry awards, which have been presented annually since 1959. Renamed by Graham Kennedy in 1960 after he won the first 'Star Of The Year' award,[1] the name 'Logie' awards honours John Logie Baird, a Scotsman who invented the television as a practical medium. Awards are given in many categories, but the most widely-publicized award is the Gold Logie, which is awarded to the 'most popular personality on Australian television'.

Home and Away is the most successful program in Logies history, having won 34 awards since it premiered in 1988. Neighbours is the second most successful having won 30 Logies since it began in 1985. A Country Practice follows as the third most successful programme, having won 29 awards throughout its twelve year run. Blue Heelers is fourth with 25 Logies.

Contents

History

The first awards, known as the TV Week Awards, were instigated by TV Week magazine after the first voting coupons were released in the magazine in late 1958, two years after the introduction of television in Australia. The first awards saw no formal ceremony; they were presented on January 15, 1959 on an episode of In Melbourne Tonight. Only Melbourne television personalities were nominated and awards were given in eight categories, including two for American programs.[2]

The following year, Kennedy coined the name 'Logie Awards'. In the same year, the first Gold Logie, considered by some to be equivalent to the 'Star of the Year Award' presented in 1959, was presented.

The Logie statuette was designed by Alec De Lacy, chief designer for Melbourne-based trophy makers KG Luke Ltd.

In 1961 the awards ceremony was televised for the first time, with the ABC screening the first half hour of the awards in Sydney.

In 1973 the media were invited for the first time to attend the Logies.

In 1984 the Hall of Fame Logie was introduced by TV Week to recognise outstanding and continued contribution to television by an individual or program with the induction of Hector Crawford.

Year Venue Host Broadcaster
1959 Awards presented on In Melbourne Tonight ? GTV-9
1960 Savoy Hotel, Brighton, Melbourne Hugh O'Brien
1961 Chevron-Hilton Hotel, Sydney Jimmy Edwards
1962 Chevron Hotel, Melbourne Gerald Lyons (Awards Presented by Bob Dyer) ABC
1963 Chevron-Hilton Hotel, Sydney Tony Hancock with Marie McDonald
1964 On board the Lloyd Triestino Liner 'Marconi' ?
1965 Palais De Dance, Melbourne Gerald Lyons (Donna Douglas - Guest Presentor) ABC
1966 Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne ?
1967 The Zodiac Room on cruise liner the Fairstar Bert Newton (Vic Morrow - Guest Presentor) GTV-9
1968 Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1969 Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1970 Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1971 Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1972 Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1973 Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1974 Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1975 Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1976 Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1977 Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1978 Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1979 Hilton Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1980 Hilton Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1981 Centrepoint Convention Centre, Sydney Michael Parkinson Network Ten
1982 Hilton Hotel, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1983 Wentworth Regent Hotel, Melbourne Mike Willesee Network Ten
1984 Hilton Hotel Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network
1985 World Trade Centre, Melbourne Greg Evans Network Ten
1986 State Theatre, Sydney Mike Willesee Nine Network
1987 Hyatt on Collins, Melbourne Don Lane Network Ten
1988 Hyatt on Collins, Melbourne Daryl Somers Nine Network
1989 Hyatt on Collins, Melbourne Bert Newton Seven Network
1990 Hyatt on Collins, Melbourne Mark Mitchell Network Ten
1991 World Congress Centre, Melbourne Daryl Somers Nine Network
1992 Radisson President Hotel, Melbourne Steve Vizard Seven Network
1993 Grand Hyatt, Melbourne Bert Newton Network Ten
1994 World Congress Centre, Melbourne Ray Martin Nine Network
1995 Concert Hall, Melbourne Andrew Daddo
Noni Hazlehurst		 Seven Network
1996 Melbourne Park Centre, Melbourne Daryl Somers Nine Network
1997 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Daryl Somers Nine Network
1998 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Daryl Somers Nine Network
1999 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Andrew Denton Nine Network
2000 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Andrew Denton Nine Network
2001 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Shaun Micallef Nine Network
2002 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Wendy Harmer Nine Network
2003 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Eddie McGuire Nine Network
2004 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Eddie McGuire Nine Network
2005 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Eddie McGuire
Rove McManus
Andrew O'Keefe		 Nine Network
2006 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Bert Newton
Ray Martin
Daryl Somers
Lisa McCune
Georgie Parker		 Nine Network
2007 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Adam Hills
Dave Hughes
Fifi Box		 Nine Network
2008 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Various Hosts Nine Network
2009 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Gretel Killeen Nine Network
2010 Palladium Ballroom, Crown Towers, Melbourne Bert Newton Nine Network

Nomination and voting procedures

Many of the Logie categories are voted by the readers of TV Week magazine using coupons in the magazine and online forms. SMS (short message service) was introduced in 2006. Thus, the majority of Logie Awards are fan awards. The readership of TV Week is a relatively small proportion of the Australian population, and skews heavily to teenage girls.[3] The 'Most Outstanding' categories are voted on by a jury comprising members of the Australian TV industry and are thus industry awards.

In 2008, internet votes could be cast for the first time without having to buy a copy of the TV Week magazine.[4]

To be eligible to receive a Logie, a programme must be Australian produced, set in Australia and have a predominantly Australian cast. Although in other years there has been a Logie for Most Popular Foreign Programme, this award was not part of the 2007 or 2008 awards.

People eligible for a Logie must have appeared on an Australian-produced show that was broadcast on Australian television in the previous year. It's unknown whether someone who isn't an Australian but appears on an Australian-produced show that was broadcast on Australian television can be eligible for the award.

There are long-held suspicions that network publicists engage in mass voting to rig the results. However, no hard evidence has emerged for this, other than the experiment by the satirical newspaper The Chaser, who attempted to have low-profile SBS newsreader Anton Enus nominated for the Gold Logie. They did so by getting their small readership to buy copies of TV Week and vote for Enus for the award. While the attempt failed (they came "reasonably close", to earning a nomination for Enus, according to a "TV Week Insider"), their failure gives some cause for the widespread derision in the industry (particularly the 'quality' end) towards the popular-vote awards.[5]

There is nothing stopping Channel 31 personalities and shows being nominated for Logies, however since their audiences are far smaller than those of the commercial channels and public broadcasters, they are at a tremendous disadvantage. They do, however, have their own community television awards, known as the Antennas. Despite this, in 2009 The Logies were dogged by minor controversy after organisers refused to allow an acclaimed community television show, The Bazura Project, to be nominated in the category of Outstanding Comedy Show http://if.com.au/news/article/ACTA-demands-Logies-accept-Bazura-Project/YZWFOVTRKP.html. The ABC's Media Watch program first reported the story on Monday 9th of March 2009 http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2511370.htm, with many media outlets covering the growing support for the community television program since.

Awards ceremony

The Logies ceremony is televised, and has generally become more elaborate in recent years. The awards have for the past 11 years been held in a ballroom in Melbourne's Crown Casino (rather than a theatre, which is common for the Emmy Awards and Academy Awards). Dinner is served just before the ceremony and drinks are served during the ceremony.

Bert Newton has been strongly associated with the history of the Logies. As well as winning the Gold Logie four times, he hosted the awards a total of 19 times. He has also performed in well-received guest appearances. One notable appearance was with Muhammad Ali as co-presenter in 1979. Newton made a comment "I like the boy!" (in reference to a series of TV advertisements Bert had recently done), that was seen as racist by Ali, although Newton claimed this was not his intention. Ali was upset at the comment and a full apology was issued by Newton and the Awards producers.

In 1973, American actor Michael Cole generated controversy after accepting an award while apparently drunk, uttering the word "shit" in a short, incoherent acceptance speech. This was the first time the word had been said on Australian television.[6]

GTV-9/Nine Network is also strongly associated with the history of the Logies, particularly since the parent company Publishing and Broadcasting Limited now also owns TV Week. Nine has hosted the awards 35 times in their 49-year history.

Public voting for the awards lasts for four weeks, usually begining in early February, while the ceremony itself is in late April or early May. However, the voting for the 2011 Logie Awaards began in December 2010 and ran for 12 weeks.

Award categories

Logies are currently awarded in the following categories:

Gold Logie

Silver Logie

Outstanding Awards

Programs

As of (and including) the 2009 Logies, Home and Away is the most successful program in Logies history, having won 34 awards since it premiered in 1988. Neighbours is the second most successful having won 30 Logies since it began in 1985. A Country Practice follows as the third most successful programme, having won 29 awards throughout its twelve year run. Blue Heelers is fourth with 25 Logies.

People

Television personalities with the most national wins (excluding state-based Logie awards) are:

Rank Name Total Wins Awards Won
1 Rove McManus 10 3 Gold Logies (2003 – 05) and 7 consecutive Most Popular Presenter (2003 – 09)
2 Bert Newton 9 4 Gold Logies (1979, 1981, 1982, 1984), 4 Best Compere (1970, 1972 – 74), Hall of Fame inductee (1988)
=3 Graham Kennedy 8 6 Gold Logies (1959, 1960, 1967, 1969; 1974, 1978), 1 Special Gold Logie - Star of the Decade (1967), Hall of Fame inductee (1998), 10 state Logies
=3 Daryl Somers 8 3 Gold Logies (1983, 1986, 1989), 3 Most Popular Light Entertainment Personality (1993, 1995 – 97), 1 Most Popular Light Entertainment/Comedy Personality (1990) and 1 Most Popular Comedy Personality (1995)
=3 Ray Martin 8 5 Gold Logies (1987, 1993 – 96), 2 TV Reporter of the Year (1981, 1983), 1 Most Popular Light Entertainment Personality (1995)

Actors / Actresses with the most national wins:

Rank Name Total Wins Awards Won
1 Lisa McCune 10 1 New Talent (1995), 5 Most Popular Actress (1996 – 2000) and 4 Gold Logies (1997 – 2000)
2 Georgie Parker 7 1 New Talent (1990), 4 Most Popular Actress (1991 – 1993, 2001), 2 Gold Logies (2001, 2002)
=3 Kate Ritchie 5 2 Gold Logies (2007, 2008), 3 Most Popular Actress (2006 – 2008)
=3 Martin Sacks 5 5 Most Popular Actor (1997 – 2001)

See also

References

  1. ↑ . ninemsn.com.au. http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=82051. 
  2. ↑ Crook, Frank (2008-05-02). . The Daily Telegraph (News.com.au). http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23633064-5015730,00.html. Retrieved 2008-05-23. 
  3. ↑ ACP. . Press release. http://download.mediakitmanager.com/ACP%5CMajor%20Womens%5CMediaKit-TV+Week.pdf. Retrieved 2007-09-04. 
  4. ↑ . Herald Sun (News.com.au). 2008-02-04. http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23153101-5006022,00.html. Retrieved 2008-05-24. 
  5. ↑ Taylor, Chris (2003-05-17). . smh.com.au. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/16/1052885405024.html. Retrieved 2007-09-04. 
  6. ↑ . ABC. http://www.abc.net.au/thingo/txt/s1088100.htm. 

Other references