Media Award 2007
Presented to Richard Aedy, Presenter ABC Radio National – Life Matters
The award will be accepted on Richard’s behalf by Amanda Armstrong the Executive Producer of Life Matters
And the citation reads
Life Matters presented by Richard Aedy on ABC Radio National is a daily program about social change and everyday issues. It uses an interview format to enable debate on the impact on individuals and communities of Australia’s social policies ranging from workplace reform to education, health and family relationships.
In 2006 and 2007 Life Matters examined a number of education issues. A highlight was an interview about public education with Canadian writer and thinker John Ralston Saul. If Saul’s stated mission is to stimulate and inform, so that people can are themselves with knowledge and doubt to conquer hopelessness and acceptance this was evident in this interview where he examined the case for free secular education as a cornerstone of democracy.
By engaging Saul in the education debate Life Matters has stressed the value of teaching and learning thus Richard Aedy and the program are worthy recipients of the Media Award.