Kevin Weldon interviewed by Diana Ritch [sound recording]
- Bib ID:
- 1818286
- Format:
- Audio
- Author:
- Weldon, Kevin, 1933-, interviewee
- Access Conditions:
- Access open for research, personal copies and public use.
- Description:
-
- 1985-2000
- 2 sound tape reels and 1 digital audio tape (ca. 109 min.)
- Summary:
-
Weldon talks about his involvement in the Weldon Hardie Group of Companies and its publishing activities. He then talks about his family background; childhood memories; impact of WWII on family; apprenticeship as a halftone and colour etcher and position as the Queensland manager of Grenville Publishing Company. Weldon then provides more detail on the Weldon family, in particular, his grandfather, Vivian. He then discusses the successful publishing runs of two titles, "Cake decorating book" and "Collecting Australian gemstones"; setting up the Paul Hamlyn Group of Companies in Australia and launching the first budget music company in Australia, Music for Pleasure. Weldon then retired from the group to start his own companies and he details the difficulties involved in the launching of "Macquarie Dictionary" and his decision to advertise through newspapers. This was the first dictionary to be put on a database.
Weldon then talks about using television and the assistance of John Singleton to publicise "The Australian and New Zealand complete book of fishing." He then talks about his marketing strategy and his current project, "Australians " a historical library", a 10 vol. set that will come out just prior to the bicentennial year. He then discusses his swimming career and his position as the the first Queenslander on the national controlling body of lifesaving; founding chairman of a world lifesaving group and his involvement with Earthwatch. Weldon then describes the dramatic redirection in his publishing career when he agreed to join the Hardie Group of Companies and form Weldon Hardie. He then considers the position of publishing in Australia today; plans for the future ; changes in marketing strategies such as tying books with magazines such as "Geo" and "Nature and health" and working with Techway and Tom Tressida on an electronic book.
- Notes:
-
- Recorded on June 28, 1985 and June 8, 2000 in Dee Why West, N.S.W.
- Digital master available National Library of Australia ;
- Index/Finding Aid Note:
- Corrected transcript (typescript, 36 leaves) available.
- Subject:
- Occupation:
- Publishers
- Other authors/contributors:
- Ritch, Diana, 1943-, interviewer
- Copyright:
-
In Copyright
Contact us for information about copying. For access conditions return to the record display above.
- Reason for copyright status:
- Until 2070 [Created/Published Date + 70 Years]
Copyright status was determined using the following information:
- Material type:
- Sound Recording
- Published status:
- Unpublished
- Creation date:
- 2000
Copyright status may not be correct if data in the record is incomplete or inaccurate. Other access conditions may also apply. For more information please see: Copyright in library collections.
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