Chris Parkinson (broadcaster)

Christopher Robin Parkinson (30 April 1941 – 27 April 2016) was a New Zealand broadcaster. He was one of the co-founders of Radio Hauraki in 1966.

Chris Parkinson
Born
Christopher Robin Parkinson

(1941-04-30)30 April 1941
Wairoa, New Zealand
Died27 April 2016(2016-04-27) (aged 74)
Auckland, New Zealand
OccupationBroadcaster
Years active1966–2007
Known forCo-founder of Radio Hauraki
Parent(s)Benjamin Parkinson
Esther Couper

Early life and family

Born in Wairoa on 30 April 1941,[1] Parkinson was the son of Benjamin Edmund Parkinson and Esther Mavis Parkinson (née Couper).[2]

Broadcasting career

In 1966, Parkinson—along with David Gapes, Derek Lowe and Denis O'Callaghan—was a founding director of the pirate radio station Radio Hauraki, which broke the state-controlled broadcasting monopoly in New Zealand. Starting out as a studio technician working for Broadcasting Corporation of New Zealand (BCNZ), Parkinson trained himself to become an on-air announcer, but was told by the corporation at the time that his ability lay in the technical field and they could see no future in his voice. He proved them wrong by becoming one of the most highly sought after voice over announcers of his time. Later using both his technical and announcing talents on Radio Hauraki. [3] Eventually the station was granted a broadcasting licence in 1970.[4]

From 1968 to 1970, Parkinson was an announcer and newsreader in Australia, on Sydney radio and television stations 2GB and TCN-9. Between 1975 and 1976 he was a news presenter on TV2 in Auckland alongside Jennie Goodwin. He was operations manager for Radio Pacific from 1982 to 1988, managing director of Radio Pacific (Waikato) from 1988 to 1989., and a Radio Pacific director between 1986 and 1999. He was the corporate voice for TVNZ news and current affairs (1991–99), Sundance Channel (1999–2003), Solid Gold FM (1999–2005) and Radio Pacific (1982–2007).[5]

Parkinson was awarded the Pater Award for "the golden voice of Australasia" in 1987.[6] He also won nine New Zealand Radio Awards between 1982 and 1999.[7]

Death

Parkinson died in Auckland on 27 April 2016.[3][6]

The story of Radio Hauraki was told in the 2014 New Zealand television docudrama, Pirate of the Airwaves, in which Parkinson was played by actor Benjamin Murray.[8] Parkinson was also interviewed for the 1996 television documentary, Rock the Boat: the Story of Radio Hauraki 1965–1970.[9]

References
  1. Cammick, Murray (4 March 2014). "Radio Hauraki: the pirate days – the good guys". Audio Culture: the noisy library of New Zealand music. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  2. "Chris Parkinson". Geni. 2 November 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  3. "Radio Hauraki co-founder Chris Parkinson dies". Stuff.co.nz. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  4. "Australian disc jockey falls from ship". Canberra Times. 3 June 1970. p. 10. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  5. "Chris Parkinson: broadcaster". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  6. "Radio Hauraki pirate Chris Parkinson dies". RNZ News. 28 April 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  7. "Chris Parkinson: curriculum vitae". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  8. "Pirate of the Airwaves". NZOnScreen. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  9. "Rock the Boat: the story of Radio Hauraki 1965–1970". NZOnScreen. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
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