Jana Wendt Explained

Jana Wendt
Birth Date:9 May 1956
Birth Place:Melbourne, Australia
Alma Mater:University of Melbourne
Years Active:1979−2006
Spouse:Brendan Ward
Children:1

Jana Bohumila Wendt (; born 9 May 1956) is an Australian Gold Logie award-winning television journalist, reporter and writer.

Early life

Wendt was born in Melbourne to Czech parents who emigrated to Australia in 1949, as political refugees on account of her father’s work as a journalist for a Czech dissident newspaper.[1]

Wendt attended Presentation College, Windsor[2] before graduating at the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts (French, Honours) in 1979.[3] [4]

Career

Starting as a researcher for the ABC,[5] Wendt's television career began as a journalist for ATV-10 evening news, before sharing presenting duties with David Johnston.

In 1982, Wendt then went on to be one of the first reporters on the Australian Nine Network's version of 60 Minutes,[6] as well as filing stories for the American CBS 60 Minutes.

Wendt took over in 1987 as host of A Current Affair, also on Nine, until November 1992,[7] and was host of Australian Dateline on SBS and Witness on Seven.

She also did a number of specials for the ABC. She returned to Channel Nine in 2003 to host Sunday.[8]

Departure from Nine Network

Rumours of Wendt's departure from Nine began in June 2006, when the network announced it would merge its Sunday and Business Sunday programs. Leaks to the print media, reportedly from high levels within Nine and described by journalists as "ham-fisted", revealed that the network wanted to replace Wendt with Ellen Fanning. Then CEO Eddie McGuire in particular was accused of trying to "white-ant" Wendt. On 1 September 2006 it was announced that Wendt would leave the Nine Network.[9] News reports suggested she would receive a payout of more than A$2 million in lieu of the remaining two and a half years of her contract.

The absence of Wendt on the Sunday program's relaunch on 3 September 2006 was met with an unprecedented number of complaints that flooded the Nine Network's switchboard.[10]

Wendt was then sacked from her regular "Lunch" column for The Bulletin magazine, due to the association the magazine has with the Nine Network; both had the same parent company, PBL.

On 12 September 2006, just ten days after she left the Nine Network, Wendt agreed to appear on stage at the Seven Network's 50 Years of Television presentation, where she co-presented the News and Current Affairs section with Sydney news presenter Ian Ross, another former Nine Network employee.

Delivering the second Andrew Olle Media Lecture in 1997,[11] Wendt said of the profession:

Wendt presented the Logies Hall of Fame award to the program 60 Minutes at the 2018 Logies.[12]

Personal life

Wendt married producer Brendan Ward in 1984[13] and they have one son, Daniel.

In 2004, a painting of Wendt by artist Evert Ploeg won the Packing Room Prize at the Archibald Prize.[14] [15]

Awards

Wendt won the 1992 Gold Logie Award for her role as host of A Current Affair.[16] She was not at the presentation to accept her award, citing commitments to A Current Affair, based in Sydney, while the awards were being presented in Melbourne.

Wendt won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2018 Kennedy Awards.[17]

Books published

References

  1. Web site: Kearsley . Bob . Biography - Jana Wendt . The Melbourne Press Club . 8 March 2023.
  2. Web site: Girl Power. The Age. August 29, 2005.
  3. Web site: Verify a Qualification. University of Melbourne. (Search for "Wendt, Jane Bohumila, 1979"
  4. Annual Report. none. 1979. Degrees and Diplomas Conferred. 103. University of Melbourne.
  5. News: Jana's current affairs. Tony. Wright. 17 April 1989. The Canberra Times. 27 January 2019. 23. Trove.
  6. News: Not the steamroller she used to be. Angela. Wellington. 16 February 1992. The Canberra Times. 27 February 2019. 24. Trove.
  7. News: Jana Wendt moves out, Willesee moves in. Wallace. Mark. 20 October 1992. The Canberra Times. 27 February 2019. 3. Trove.
  8. News: Wendt back at Nine. 31 January 2003. The Hollywood Reporter. 10.
  9. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/jana-quits-nine/2006/09/01/1156817087826.html Michael Idato: "Jana quits Nine"
  10. News: Viewers let nine know what they think of the new Sunday. Dyer. Glen. 5 September 2006. Crikey. 27 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20090811073311/http://www.crikey.com.au/2006/09/05/viewers-let-nine-know-what-they-think-of-the-new-sunday/. 11 August 2009.
  11. Web site: 1997 Andrew Olle Lecture – Jana Wendt. Wendt. Jana. 15 November 1997. ABC Local Radio. 27 February 2019.
  12. https://www.couriermail.com.au/entertainment/logies-2018-60-minutes-australia-gets-hall-of-fame-award/news-story/0a3a91c7d172f93217727a73b7846410 "Logies 2018: 60 Minutes Australia gets Hall of Fame award"
  13. News: Wendt weds TV man. 10 October 1984. The Canberra Times. 27 February 2019. 22. Trove.
  14. News: Jana wins packers' vote. 17 January 2009. 18 March 2004. The Sydney Morning Herald.
  15. https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2004/27941/ Winner: Packing Room Prize 2004
  16. News: Wendt wins Gold Logie. 14 March 1992. The Canberra Times. 27 February 2019. 1.
  17. Web site: Kennedy Awards Honour Roll . The Kennedy Awards . 13 August 2022 . 13 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220813021145/https://kennedyawards.com.au/kennedy-awards-honour-roll/ . dead .

External links